Since moving to Providence and getting to immerse myself in the incredible food scene here, I’ve become a lot more of an adventurous eater. I found out I LOVE Korean food (give me all the bibimbap, kimchi, Korean barbecue, etc.); I’ve tried Thai dishes, Lebanese food, Portuguese cooking. And I’ve incorporated a lot more international cooking into our own weekly meals.
This means I now have a little stockpile in our fridge and pantry of ‘specialty items’ that aren’t used *incredibly* frequently – but which are really important to have on hand for when cooking different cuisines. Fish sauce, soy sauce/liquid aminos, rice vinegar, and chili paste are just a few. They make dishes like this one – my FAVORITE pad thai – possible. And they’re really a huge difference maker in terms of flavor and authenticity.
This healthy pad thai recipe is one I’ve perfected over the past couple years, and I’m finally pleased enough with it to share on the blog. Everyone I’ve made it for has gone nuts for it. (A few people even said it was the best pad thai they ever had!) And it’s such a fun, easy recipe to make for a crowd. You can easily double or even triple the recipe, and who doesn’t love a good bowl meal?
I used to be intimidated by making pad thai because it has so many moving parts. If that’s you – don’t be!
The secret to a quick and easy pad thai: pre-chop all your veggies and your chicken ahead of time. Once you do that, everything comes together really quickly, and this meal only requires two pans (1 pasta pot, and 1 large skillet). I use a cast iron skillet and serve it right from the pan when it’s done, which makes for simple clean-up, too.
I hope you’ll give this recipe a try soon and let me know how you like it. I think pad thai makes a great comfort food for the chilly Fall and Winter months – so it feels especially timely to share!
PrintBest-Ever Healthy Chicken Pad Thai
This pad thai is my secret weapon for pleasing a crowd. It comes together quickly and easily, only uses two pans, and requires less specialty ingredients than you would think! It’s also made with super nourishing, good-for-you ingredients, like brown rice noodles, lots of fresh chopped veggies and herbs, and a sauce made from real peanut butter.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
Pad thai:
- 8 ounces brown rice pad thai noodles (I buy this brand – but you can also substitute brown rice fettuccini)
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, sliced into thin strips
- Olive oil, for cooking
- 1 red bell pepper, julienned into thin strips
- 5–6 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks, or 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
- 1 medium shallot, minced
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 green onions, minced
- 1/2 cup raw, unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, or liquid aminos if gluten-free
- 1 tablespoon real maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter (smooth, not chunky)
- 1 tablespoon chili paste
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Juice of 1 lime
Instructions
- Pre-chop all your veggies ahead of time (shallot, bell pepper, carrots, green onion, and cilantro), and pre-chop your chicken intro strips.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, and cook brown rice noodles to al dente according to package directions. Be careful not to overcook, as we want that perfectly finished noodle with a little bit of crunch left. The noodles will continue to cook a little longer in the sauce later.
- While noodles are cooking, whisk together all sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Once the noodles are cooked, immediately rinse under cold water so they don’t get sticky and hardened together. Drain, and add to a large mixing bowl. Toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil and set aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large nonstick skillet (I love using my cast iron for this), and heat over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add chicken strips and stir-fry until just cooked through. Then remove chicken and transfer to a plate.
- Add another 1 tablespoon of olive oil to your skillet, and stir-fry your shallots and bell pepper for about 1 minute. Add carrots and minced garlic, and sauté another minute. Reduce heat to medium and pour beaten eggs over your veggies. Cook, stirring constantly, until eggs are scrambled.
- Next, add your noodles and chicken to the pan, and pour the whisked sauce over top of everything. Toss until evenly combined, and cook 2-3 more minutes.
- Garnish with chopped green onion, peanuts, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, and drizzle fresh lime juice over top before enjoying.
