Throw away those takeout menus, this Easy Spicy Chicken Pad Thai will be your new favorite dinner that’s quicker than delivery!
Are you a Pad Thai lover like me? It’s always my go-to order when we get takeout, so I had to have a version I could make at home. This Easy Spicy Chicken Pad Thai is where I landed, and I’m so pleased with the outcome!
We actually rarely order in. My problem is, by the time we’ve ordered our food and taxes and fees are added, our bill is $55 and it makes me feel ill. I absolutely hate spending that amount of money on food when I could go to Whole Foods and buy the ingredients to make the dish myself for $15.
For this reason, I almost always end up making whatever we want at home. The good thing about this is that when you do get to order in, it feels like a real treat! So, the next time you’re sitting at work craving a big bowl of Pad Thai, make yourself swing by the grocery instead of ordering food!
Ingredients & Subs
- rice noodles — If you want to make this dish low-carb, you can try using zoodles or shirataki noodles. Fettucini would also work in a pinch!
- Chicken — Feel free to sub any protein you wish! Shrimp or tofu would be great or just add more veggies.
- Cilantro — Basil would be great or even better, Thai basil!
- Brown sugar — Honey or maple syrup.
- Soy sauce — Tamari or coconut aminos.
- Fish sauce — can omit if needed but is SOOOO good
- Smooth peanut butter — I’ve used both almond butter and cashew butter in a pinch! I like to match the nuts in the sauce with the nuts on top, so if I use cashews I’ll chop cashews to use on top, etc.
- Sriracha — and chile paste would do! Gojuchang would be great. Use as much or as little as your taste buds prefer
How to store
Pad Thai will last 3-4 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer!
Hot Tip
Try adding some crispy tofu on top as well! My favorite local Pad Thai is very close to this version, only it also incorporates crispy tofu that perfectly absorbs the sauce. I love this method for crispy tofu!
More takeout recipes you’ll love!
Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza with Dill Pickle Aioli
Mango Ginger Turkey Meatballs with Honey Soy Glaze
Bacon Cheeseburger Meatball Subs
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Take a browse around the site and please let me know if you make anything by leaving a comment and rating the recipe below. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, concerns, or requests!
- 4 oz flat rice noodles
- 3 tbsp canola oil, divided
- ½ lb. chicken breast, sliced into very thin strips
- ½ red bell pepper, halved and thinly sliced
- ¾ cup carrots, shredded or julienned
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 green onion, chopped
- ¼ cup unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped
- 2 tbsp packed brown sugar
- 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 1 tbsp Sriracha or another chili paste
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp pepper
- Prepare rice noodles according to package directions. Rinse noodles in cold water, drain, and toss in with 1 tbsp canola oil. Set aside.
- Add all of the sauce ingredients to a medium mixing bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
- While rice noodles are soaking, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken and let cook for 3-4 minutes until cooked through. Transfer to a plate while you cook the vegetables.
- Heat one tablespoon canola oil over in the same skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and sauté 1 minute. Add carrots and garlic and sauté 1 additional minute. Reduce heat to medium and pour beaten egg over vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, just until scrambled.
- Add sauce and noodles and increase heat to medium-high. Toss until evenly combined and continue to stir and cook for 1-2 minutes, taking care to not let noodles overcook. Stir in chicken, green onions and peanuts, and heat through.
- Taste and add one additional seasoning as necessary. You can add more Sriracha if you want it spicier, soy sauce for a salty bite, or a squeeze of lime for a tang. Top with cilantro and serve.
Making Pad Thai recipe t asked for red bell peppers. Can i substitute
The orange peppers or yellow peppers?..
Absolutely!
Wow made tonight and it was SO delicious loved it thankyou! Will be making again and again!
How awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Made for the fambam today. Turned out perfect. I will add more sauce next time.
Awesome! Glad everyone enjoyed it. Thanks for checking it out and letting me know. 🙂
I am a college student learning how to cook and this is the best meal I’ve made so far! Thank you for a great recipe. I’m so excited to eat the leftovers tomorrow. 🙂
Awe, that’s so sweet. I love you! 😘
This was absolutely delicious and tasted like it came from a restaurant. I added a whole lot of extra siracha, because we like it hot, and I had to make 3 times the sauce, possibly because I used an entire package of rice noodles. I don’t recommend making the noodles first, and I mixed and cooked all of the vegetables at the same time, including the cilantro and topped it off with the peanuts at the end. I also baked the chicken in the oven at 375 for 50 minutes marinated overnight with jalapenos and cajun spice, garlic plus spice, pepper and EEVO. I used all the other ingredients to a T, and I highly recommend making this. Thank you!!
Haha! I’m all for the extra spicy. I love that you marinated the chicken overnight, such a great idea and I’m sure added so much extra flavor! Thanks for checking it out.
This is super good and fairly easy to make. I did modify it slightly. I doubled the sauce and for the sauce I used 3 tbsp peanut butter and 2 tbsp red curry paste (times two).
Love the modifications and also that you enjoyed it! Thanks for checking it out. 🙂
This is a keeper! Easy tasty delicious!
Thanks so much for letting me know! I’m so happy you enjoyed it. 🙂
Best chicken pad Thai I’ve ever made! The store didn’t have fresh cilantro so I used cilantro paste in the sauce and also used some ginger paste (1 Tbsp) instead of ground ginger. I love how this recipe has a good balance of flavors in it. There isn’t one ingredient that overpowers the others like with some recipes. Definitely a keeper! Thank you!
This is soooo good!!
Loved every bite
It’s so delicious. I’m glad you enjoyed it and thanks so much for giving it a go!
I’ve been on the quest for the perfect pad thai ever since our favorite Thai restaurant closed. THIS. IS. IT. SOO delicious! I think the peanut butter in the sauce made all the difference. I also didn’t have ginger or chicken, so I went without and it was still phenomenal. When I ran out of green onions I subbed a finely chopped shallot and it was perfect. Thank you for this recipe!
Thanks, Kathryn! I make this all the time without meat and it’s so good every time!
My son loves spicy food and he asked me if I would make him a Spicy Chicken Pad Thai … well I went exploring recipes and after pouring through many decided to go with your recipe … why – it seemed like it truly was easy and the ingredients were recognizable. I made it and it was a winner! It tasted and and presentation wise – looked great! My son and husband were impressed and I too have to say it was delicious. I’m pretty fussy when it comes to food and this recipes gets top marks from me. I encourage others to give it a try – it won’t disappoint! Bon appetite!
Thank you so much, Jeannie! Your son sounds like a foodie in the making! He’s lucky to have you trying out new recipes for him. Have a great day!
Big fan of this recipe!! So delicious. We will definitely be making this again while quarantined!
So glad you enjoyed it! Stay safe!
Hi Paige!
Thank you for a great recipe. We just made this tonight. Sooooo good!! We used fish instead of chicken as I had thawed it out, then our son showed up! Great surprise, but then I had no plan for supper. Your recipe was awesome! I love that it has ingredients we already had in hand and it’s so quick. We all loved it and we will be making it again soon. Maybe with chicken this time! 😁
Hi there,
I recently pinned this recipe and just made it last weekend. The recipe was easy to follow, easy to make and the pad thai turned out GREAT. I will defintiely be making it again!
Wow! This was amazing!!! I chose this recipe on a whim because I needed to use up a pack of chicken breasts and already had all the sauce ingredients in the pantry. My boyfriend claimed it to be better than our local Thai restaurant, and that’s high praise coming from him. I doubled the main ingredients (except the egg because I got distracted. Oops!) and tripled the sauce. I added 4 or 5 small minced Thai chilis because we like SPICY. I had to substitute a little due to what was available at the store: orange bell pepper instead of red, brown rice noodles instead of white (they were good, will buy again), and I used frozen julienned carrots + peas as I was feeling too lazy to chop carrots, and there were no bags of pre-shredded available. I am always on the lookout for new and interesting gluten and dairy free recipes. This dish is definitely going in our regular rotation.
I just made this dish this afternoon for supper and we absolutely loved it. We love spicy so I made it a little more spicy by adding a couple of chipotle peppers. Will definitely make again. Thanks
This was sooo good! I don’t usually comment, but wanted to thank you for posting!
Absolutely delicious! My family gave me a standing ovation! I also doubled the sauce as suggested and have already shared this recipe with all my friends.