Pad Thai Recipe (Chicken, Shrimp, and Tofu)

Pad Thai with chicken shrimp and tofu in white bowl.

Pad Thai Recipe (Chicken, Shrimp, and Tofu)

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A stovetop pad thai with chicken, shrimp, tofu, and eggs in a tamarind-based sauce that balances sour, salty, and sweet. Real tamarind, proper technique, and better than takeout.

Servings

Ingredients

Tofu

4 oz. tofu extra-firm, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce or to taste

Sauce

3 tablespoon tamarind paste plus up to 2 teaspoons more to taste [See Note 3]
4 tablespoon fish sauce
3 tablespoon oyster sauce
⅓ cup palm sugar or brown sugar

Noodles

8 oz flat rice noodles medium width [See Note 4]
1 t vegetable oil to coat the noodles

Proteins [See Note 5]

4 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into small pieces
4 oz shrimp medium 31-50 per lb. (peeled and deveined)
2 teaspoon soy sauce

Wok

3 tablespoon vegetable oil divided
½ cup shallots or yellow onions, diced
1 tablespoon garlic minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper or to taste
3 eggs beaten

Garnish

½ cup bean sprouts
4 green onions (or ½ cup chives), sliced
½ cup peanuts chopped
fresh lime wedges

Instructions

Tofu

In a small bowl, toss the 4 oz. tofu with ½ teaspoon vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Air fry tofu for 15 minutes at 400 degrees F, shaking the basket every 5 minutes. Or stir fry in a pan, until golden brown on all sides. You can do this ahead of time. Set aside.[See Note 6]

Sauce

In another small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoon tamarind paste, 4 tablespoon fish sauce, 3 tablespoon oyster sauce, and ⅓ cup palm sugar until the sugar dissolves. Set aside. [See Note 7]

Noodles

In a large bowl, soak the 8 oz flat rice noodles in very hot water for 3 to 5 minutes or until pliable, but still firm. Drain, rinse, and coat with 1 t vegetable oil to prevent sticking. Set aside. If they stick together before you use them, rinse with cold water and drain again.

Proteins

Toss 4 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon soy sauce. In a separate bowl, toss 4 oz shrimp with 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Set both aside.

Garnish

Mix together the ½ cup bean sprouts, 4 green onions or chives, and ½ cup peanuts. Set aside. Having this ready means the final step takes about 10 seconds.

Sauté

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wok over medium-high heat until shimmering and almost smoking. Add ½ cup shallots and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon garlic and 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper and cook for 20 to 30 seconds. The garlic should smell fragrant but not brown.
Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the wok. Once hot, add marinated chicken and increase the heat to high. Stir fry until cooked through and lightly seared, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add marinated shrimp and cook until pink and just done, about 1 to 2 minutes. Don't overcook - they'll cook a little more later.
Push everything to one side of the wok. Add a teaspoon of oil to the empty side, add the 3 eggs, and scramble until just set - you want them barely cooked. Immediately stir them into the rest of the mixture and move to the next step.
Drizzle 1 teaspoon of oil down the sides of the wok. Add half the noodles and toss until they start to sizzle and char at the edges. Drizzle another teaspoon of oil down the sides of the wok and add the remaining noodles and toss until they're sizzling. Stir constantly.
Add the sauce in two batches, pouring around the edges of the wok each time. Stir carefully to coat. If noodles are too firm, add a tablespoon of water and continue tossing over high heat.
Add ¾ of the peanut garnish mixture and toss. Remove from heat and add tofu. Stir gently - tofu breaks easily. Add the remaining peanut mixture, and serve immediately with fresh lime and prik nam som (chilies in vinegar). [See Note 8]

Notes

Note 1: Prep everything in advance because you'll have to move fast once the wok is hot. Make the sauce, soak and drain the noodles, marinate the meat, cook the tofu, beat the eggs, and assemble the garnish.

Note 2: You need the room to be able to toss everything without crowding. A smaller pan will steam everything instead of stir frying it. If you only have a smaller pan, make the recipe in 2 batches.

Note 3: You can use store-bought Thai tamarind paste. Avoid the Indian Tamicon tamarind paste. Making your own tamarind paste gives the most authentic flavor. I prefer to use Thai tamarind blocks labeled "me chua". Indian tamarind blocks work fine too. Try and get a softer pack. If it’s hard, it might need a longer soak.

To make a larger batch of tamarind sauce, follow the recipe card on my tamarind paste blog post. To make a small batch for this recipe, break off about 3 oz. (85 grams) from a tamarind block and soak in ⅓ cup boiling water. Let it sit for 30 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Place a small mesh strainer over a bowl and strain the pulp by pressing it with the back of a spoon or with clean hands through the strainer. You should have a smooth, thick paste. If it's too thick to strain, add some more hot water.

Note 4: Use medium width noodles. They’re sometimes labeled “pad thai noodles” or “rice stick noodles”. Don't boil the noodles, as some packages suggest, or they'll overcook. Only soak them in a bowl with very hot water. Stir a couple of times to keep them from sticking together. They should be pliable but still firm - they will cook more during the sauté step. If you find that the noodles are not softening enough, soak them for a bit longer.

Note 5: I use a total of 12 ounces of protein (4 ounces each of chicken, shrimp, and tofu). Use whatever combination you like.

Note 6: I prefer to air fry the tofu, but pan fry also works. This can be done ahead. For a tofu-only version, use a whole block of tofu.

Note 7: Taste the sauce - this is your chance to adjust. If you want more sour, add a little more tamarind. If you want it sweeter, add more sugar. The sauce will keep up to a week in the fridge, so you can make it in advance too.

Note 8: Prik nam som is a traditional Thai condiment and it's easy to make: slice 3 to 4 jalapeños or serrano peppers and soak in ¼ cup rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes before serving. Keeps in the fridge for weeks.

Note 9: Pad thai will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan with a splash of water.

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