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close-up of Pad Thai noodles with scallions and chilis and chicken

Restaurant Quality Pad Thai

Pad Thai combines rice noodles, vegetables, and protein, all tossed in a flavorful sweet and savory sauce. Don't forget to top it off with peanuts, bean sprouts, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice for an added burst of flavor!
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz medium width rice noodles (rice sticks)
Chicken/Marinade
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground white pepper optional, but nice
  • 1 Tablespoon regular soy sauce
  • 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast or 2-3 thighs
Aromatics
  • 2 shallots sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic rough chopped
  • ¼ cup small dried shrimp pulverized
  • 1 Tablespoon Chinese pickled mustard greens optional
Sauce
  • 2 oz tamarind paste (pulp) You can use 3 Tablespoons of tamarind concentrate, but the flavor will not be as good.
  • ½ cup boiling water
  • ¼ cup brown sugar or palm sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sriracha or to taste
Eggs
  • 3 large eggs lightly beaten
Vegetables
  • 1 bunch scallions, divided greens only sliced into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
Garnishes
  • ¼ cup unsalted, or lightly salted roasted peanuts finely chopped
  • lime wedges
  • 1 large pinch scallions from previous step
  • more bean sprouts if you wish

Equipment

  • 1 14" carbon steel wok or a large cast iron skillet
  • 1 wok spatula
  • 1 Sharp knife
  • 1 cutting board
  • 1 small food processor optional
  • 1 medium-sized fine mesh sieve
  • 7 medium bowls
  • 3 small bowls
  • 1 large bowl like a mixing bowl
  • 1 large serving bowl

Method
 

Rice Noodles
  1. Place 8 oz of rice noodles in a large bowl. If they are very long, break them in half to help with stir-frying. Cover the noodles with hot tap water. Set a timer for 20 minutes. Let soak.
  2. Continue with prep. When the timer goes off, drain the noodles into a colander. Set the noodles aside.
Chicken
  1. In a medium bowl, combine the cornstarch, baking powder, white pepper, and soy sauce. Whisk to combine.
  2. Slice the chicken into thin slices against the grain. Add to marinade. Mix and set aside. Wash cutting board.
Aromatics
  1. Thinly slice the scallions. Place in small bowl.
  2. Roughly chop the garlic. Add to the same small bowl.
  3. Pulverize the dried shrimp either in the food processor (easiest), or chop very finely with a knife. Add to a separate bowl
  4. Place the Chinese pickled mustard greens in a separate bowl, if using.
Sauce
  1. In a medium bowl, add the tamarind pulp and boiling water. Carefully mix until the pulp is broken up and combined with the water.
  2. Pass the pulp and water through a fine mesh sieve into another medium bowl. Discard solids.
  3. Add the brown sugar, fish sauce, dark soy sauce and sriracha to the strained tamarind pulp. Mix to combine.
Vegetables
  1. Slice the scallion greens into 1 inch slices. Reserve some for garnish. Get the bean sprouts out of the package.
Garnishes
  1. Have the peanuts, lime wedges, scallions, and bean sprouts ready to go in their own bowls. I know, so many bowls. It's worth it, I promise.
Stir-Fry Time!
  1. Make sure you have all of your ingredients ready to go and within reach before you begin cooking. Set a large serving bowl next to your cooking space.
  2. Heat your wok over high heat (medium high if you're using a cast iron skillet). When you start to see smoke, add 2 Tablespoons of neutral oil around the sides of the wok.
  3. Carefully add the chicken. Let it sear for a few seconds before you start moving it around. Stir-fry until cooked through. Add to serving bowl.
  4. Add another Tablespoon of oil to the wok. Add the eggs. Stir fry. Remove to serving bowl. If the eggs or chicken stuck, boil some water in the wok, and carefully scrape the stuck bits up. Rinse the wok and put it back on the heat.
  5. Add 2 Tablespoon of oil to the wok. Add the pulverized dried shrimp. Stir fry for about 1 minute. Add the scallions and garlic, and stir-fry until the scallions are translucent. Add the Chinese pickled mustard greens and stir fry another 30 seconds.
  6. Add another Tablespoon of oil to the pan if needed and add the noodles. Stir-fry for about 1 minute.
  7. Add the sauce. Add the chicken and eggs from the serving bowl back into the wok. Add the scallions (except those you saved for garnish) and bean sprouts.
  8. Stir-fry until all of the ingredients are incorporated. Remove to serving dish.
  9. Let each person garnish their own plates with peanuts, lime wedges, and additional scallions and bean sprouts.
  10. Squeeze lime over the finished pad Thai and enjoy!

Notes

If at any time you feel out of control, turn the heat down a little. 
For safety, wear shoes when you stir-fry and keep children and pets away.