Thai · main

Chicken Pad Thai

Chicken Pad Thai reads umami 7.7, salinity 6.3 and funk & ferment 6.2 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Thai main, about 37 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.7 · Salinity 6.3 · Funk & Ferment 6.2 · Citrus 5.4 · Sourness 5.4 · Marine & Briny 5.0 · Richness 4.2 · Nutty 3.5 · Allium 3.4 · Sweetness 2.7 · Heat 2.5 · Herbaceous 1.7 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Bitterness 0.6 · Earthy 0.5

What's in it (13)

Time & effort: about 37 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 138 kcal, 9.7 g protein, 4.2 g fat, 15.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

  1. Place the rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with hot tap water. Soak, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are pliable but still a little firm at the center, 20-25 minutes; drain well and set aside.
  2. While the noodles soak, whisk together the fish sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves; set the sauce aside.
  3. Season the sliced chicken with the salt.
  4. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear undisturbed until browned on the bottom, 2 minutes, then stir-fry until just cooked through with no pink remaining, 165 F, 2-3 minutes more; transfer to a plate.
  5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then push it to one side, pour the eggs into the cleared space, and scramble until just set, about 1 minute; stir the eggs into the garlic.
  6. Increase the heat back to medium-high, add the drained noodles and the sauce, and toss constantly with tongs until the noodles are tender and have absorbed the sauce, 2-3 minutes.
  7. Return the chicken to the skillet along with half the bean sprouts and the green onions; toss to combine and heat through, 1-2 minutes.
  8. Remove the skillet from the heat and toss in the cayenne and half the peanuts.
  9. Divide among plates and top with the remaining bean sprouts, remaining peanuts, and lime wedges.

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Keep reading: what umami, salinity, funk & ferment mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.