18 Sep

30-Minute Chicken Pad Thai

The takeout icon at homemade macros: chewy rice noodles, seared chicken, egg, and crunchy bean sprouts in a proper sweet-sour-salty tamarind sauce, finished with crushed peanuts and lime. One wok, half an hour, 44 grams of protein.

Prep Time 15 min
Cook Time 15 min
Total Time 30 min
Servings 4
30-Minute Chicken Pad Thai
515 Calories
44g Protein
13g Fat
56g Carbs

Method

  1. Soak the noodles in just-boiled water for 6 to 8 minutes until pliable but still firm. Drain.

    💡 Tip: Undercooked at this stage is correct. Soft now means mush later.
  2. Whisk the tamarind, fish sauce, soy, and honey with 3 tablespoons of water.

  3. Heat the oil in a wok or large pan over high. Sear the chicken 3 to 4 minutes until golden and just cooked, then push to one side.

  4. Scramble the eggs on the empty side, then add the garlic and pepper for 1 minute.

  5. Add the noodles and sauce and toss constantly for 2 to 3 minutes until the noodles are tender and glossy.

    💡 Tip: If it tightens up, a splash of water loosens it straight back to glossy.
  6. Toss through the bean sprouts and spring onions for 30 seconds, then serve with peanuts and lime wedges.

Notes

Tamarind paste is the flavor of pad thai and worth buying. It keeps for months in the fridge.
Soak the noodles until pliable but not fully soft. They finish cooking in the sauce.
Have everything chopped and sauced before the wok goes on. This dish cooks in minutes and does not wait.
The peanuts are measured, not a free-for-all. They are the densest calories in the dish.

Nutrition Information

Per Serving 1 of 4
Calories 515kcal
Total Fat 13g
Total Carbohydrates 56g
Protein 44g
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Frequently Asked Questions

Why tamarind instead of ketchup?

A lot of lightened pad thai recipes swap tamarind for ketchup, and that is where they stop tasting like pad thai. Tamarind carries the sour backbone of the real dish at almost identical calories, so there is nothing to gain from the substitute.

How do the macros compare to takeout?

Restaurant pad thai commonly clears 800 to 1,000 calories from the oil and sugar load. This build keeps the noodle portion honest, triples down on chicken, and lands under 500 with 44 grams of protein.

Can I add shrimp instead?

Straight swap, 2 minutes a side, and slightly leaner. A half-chicken half-shrimp version is the classic street order for a reason.

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