skip the takeout and make this chicken pad thai recipe
I might be biased, but this chicken pad thai recipe is 100% better than your typical takeout!
We actually ordered some takeout the other week and Michael got pad Thai. I obviously took a few bites but wasn’t that impressed. I wanted more flavor, way more vegetables and protein, and more sauce. So I am taking matters into my own hands and we are making our own healthy, flavor-packed version!
It’s loaded with chicken and lots of fresh vegetables, and the kicker is we are using sweet potato noodles! I know that is not your traditional pad thai recipe, but I love the sweetness it brings to the recipe, plus the addition of another vegetable.
It’s made in one pan, ready in 40 mintues, and something everyone will love.
Why we love this healthy chicken pad thai recipe
- so much better and cheaper than take-out!
- packed with protein and vegetables – one serving has 39 grams of protein!
- a healthy macro-balanced meal – we have protein from the chicken and eggs, carbohydrates and fiber from the vegetables, and some healthy fats from the sauce.
- great for meal prep – the leftovers save great and it works well for meal prep.
What is pad thai?
Pad thai is a popular street food dish in Thailand that consists of stir-fried noodles with some vegetables, eggs, and sometimes protein. It is tossed with sweet, savory, and slightly sour sauce to bring it all together.
Is pad thai healthy?
Pad thai can be a healthy addition to one’s diet as it is a good source of carbs, protein, and vegetables. It’s important to be mindful of servings sizes as when eating out at a restaurant, it can be heavy on fat and carbs, and lower on protein. When making meals at home, you have full control over what ingredients you are using.
This chicken pad thai recipe is packed with protein and veggies, uses sweet potato noodles for more veggies and micronutrients, and has no added sugar.
Ingredients
- chicken breast
- sweet potato noodles – we are using veggie noodles instead of traditional rice noodles. It adds a great sweetness and makes this dish a little lower-carb.
- eggs
- red bell pepper
- mushrooms
- onion
- garlic
- oil
- green onion
- cilantro
- pad thai sauce – a mix of almond butter, tamarind, coconut aminos, and more. More notes on how to make this are below.
- toppings of choice – bean sprouts, lime juice, chopped almonds or peanuts, red pepper flakes….
How to make chicken pad thai
- Make your sweet potato noodles. Run your sweet potatoes through your spiralizer on the smallest settings and set aside.
- Make the pad thai sauce. In a small bowl or jar, add the sauce ingredients and whisk to combine, or use an immersion blender (my preference). Adjust according to taste and set aside.
- Scramble eggs. In a large sauté pan or wok over medium-low heat, add 1/2 tablespoon oil, and let it get hot. Add the eggs and stir constantly until scrambled, but not cooked all the way through (they will go back in the pan), about 1-2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Cook the chicken. Add your remaining tablespoon of oil. Add sliced chicken and salt and pepper and saute for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Remove from the pan, leaving the juices behind, and set aside.
- Saute the veggies. Add onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Next, add sweet potato noodles and peppers and sauté for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in mushrooms and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
- Assemble. Add cooked chicken and residual juices, scrambled eggs, and sauce to the pan, and mix well to combine. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes until everything is cooked through and the flavors are combined. Turn off the heat and stir in green onion and cilantro.
- Enjoy! Serve with sides of your choice and enjoy!
How to make pad thai sauce
Pad thai sauce is pretty simple and made with a few ingredients. This version is typical of authentic pad thai sauce minus the sugar and with the addition of almond butter. I love the creaminess it adds to the dish and it really helps thicken the sauce without the addition of any added flour, cornstarch, or gums.
Pad thai sauce:
- coconut aminos – gluten and soy-free soy sauce substitute
- almond butter – adds a great creaminess and savoriness to the dish
- rice vinegar – adds a little sweetness
- fish sauce – adds umami flavor
- tamarind paste – made from sweet & sour fruit and is a staple in pad thai
- lime juice – citrus to bring out the flavors
- red pepper flakes – for some spice
- salt and pepper
Simply add the ingredients bowl or blender and mix to combine! Adjust according to taste if desired.
A few notes about tamarind paste – I would highly suggest getting it as it is essential in Pad Thai. It is a unique flavor and I absolutely love it – a little sweet, but also pretty sour. You can find tamarind paste at Whole Foods, in your local Asian grocery store, or on Amazon!
Meal prep chicken pad thai
This recipe is great for meal prep! It saves well and reheats well too. I actually just like eating it cold for leftovers, but I know not everyone likes cold food. As it sits, the flavors come together even more too. You can either prep the full thing or just do some parts in advance.
- partial prep – spiralize your noodles and store them in a container until ready to cook. Make the sauce and store it in the jar on the counter. You can also chop up your vegetables if you want.
- full prep – prepare the dish as written and portion out servings for meals during the week.
Storage and reheating
- refrigerator – store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
- freezer – this recipe would be perfect for freezing. You can either freeze the whole recipe in a large container or individual servings. It should last up to 3 months in the freezer.
- reheating – reheat it in the microwave or a skillet until warmed through.
Substitutions
- olive oil – any kind of neutral oil will work.
- eggs – leave off if you have an egg allergy or sensitivity.
- chicken breast – chicken thighs can be substituted for chicken breasts. You can also use shrimp or tofu to change up the protein.
- garlic – garlic powder will work instead. Use 1 teaspoon.
- sweet potato noodles – pad thai noodles (rice noodles) will work instead of sweet potato noodles. Simply follow the instructions on the box and add them in at the end with the chicken, eggs, and sauce. You can also try zucchini noodles, I would suggest adding them when you add the mushrooms as they do not take long to cook.
- veggies – we are using your standard pad thai vegetables, but you can adjust as you like or add more. Carrots or zucchini would be great to add to this.
- coconut aminos – soy sauce substitute
- almond butter – peanut butter or cashew butter can be used instead.
- rice vinegar – apple cider vinegar will work instead.
- fish sauce – this adds a great umami flavor to the sauce. If you don’t have it, you can use more coconut aminos or soy sauce.
- tamarind paste – more lime juice will work instead.
- red pepper flakes – leave off if you don’t want it spicy
More healthy chicken recipes
- sheet pan za’atar chicken with veggies
- Thai coconut chicken curry
- peanut butter chicken stir fry
- greek chicken meatballs
- buffalo chicken casserole
If you love quick and easy meals and want to learn how to build a balanced plate, check out our FREE How to Build a Balanced Plate Guide!
Healthy Chicken Pad Thai Recipe
ingredients
Chicken Pad Thai
- 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
- 3 large eggs, whisked
- 1 pound chicken breast (thinly sliced)
- 1 cup sliced onion (110 grams)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 small-medium sweet potatoes, spiralized (24 ounces)
- 2 cups julienned red bell pepper (220 grams)
- 3 heaping cups sliced mushrooms (210 grams)
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1/4 packed cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
- for serving: bean sprouts, chopped cilantro, crushed almonds or peanuts, chopped green onion, lime juice
Pad Thai Sauce
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 3 tablespoons almond butter
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper, to taste
instructions
- Make your sweet potato noodles. Run your sweet potatoes through your spiralizer on the smallest settings and set aside.
- Make the pad thai sauce. In a small bowl or jar, add the sauce ingredients and whisk to combine, or use an immersion blender (my preference). Adjust according to taste and set aside.
- Scramble eggs. In a large sauté pan or wok over medium-low heat, add 1/2 tablespoon oil, and let it get hot. Add the eggs and stir constantly until scrambled, but not cooked all the way through (they will go back in the pan), about 1-2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Cook the chicken. Add your remaining tablespoon of oil. Add sliced chicken and salt and pepper and saute for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Remove from the pan, leaving the juices behind, and set aside.
- Saute the veggies. Add onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Next, add sweet potato noodles and peppers and sauté for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in mushrooms and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.
- Assemble. Add cooked chicken and residual juices, scrambled eggs, and sauce to the pan, and mix well to combine. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes until everything is cooked through and the flavors are combined. Turn off the heat and stir in green onion and cilantro.
- Enjoy! Serve with sides of your choice and enjoy!
Lori Cooney says
My family loved this. I was told my 85 year old mom that I could make this any time for any occasion! Thats saying a lot cause she’s a tough one to please. Because I was cooking for someone with a strict calorie intake, I subbed 1/2 sweet potato and 1/2 zucchini for the “noodles”. It cut the calories just a bit to come in under 500 which was the goal.
Kelly says
Yay, that makes me so happy to hear! Glad to hear the zucchini works well too. Thanks for trying it, Lori!
Amber says
This dish was delicious!! I cannot wait to try more from your site!
Kelly says
So glad you enjoyed it, Amber! Thanks for trying it!
Dad says
Love chicken and peanut butter can’t wait to try it
Kelly says
I hope you enjoy it!!
Albert says
WOW. I’ve NEVER written a comment for a recipe but I HAD TO with this one. This is INCREDIBLE and so happy we found this. We did not have tamarind paste but that didn’t change how AMAZING this is. Makes whole30 a breeze. Tank you!!!
Kelly says
So happy to hear that Albert! Thank you for trying the recipe!!
Taylor Jansen says
Seriously so unbelievably delicious! I want to eat this every single day.
Kelly says
Yay! Glad to hear you enjoyed it so much Taylor – thanks for trying!
Laura says
I made this tonight and it is excellent. I couldn’t stop eating it!
Just an FYI, it makes a TON and not everything would fit in my very large pan as directed. I had to cook in batches so it all would fit. So delicious, will definitely be making this again!
Kelly says
Ah yes, you need like a super super large pan haha! I will make note of that though. Thanks Laura! Glad you enjoyed it!