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30-Minute Chicken Pad Thai

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on November 8, 2011

Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

30-Minute Chicken Pad Thai

Ingredients

8 ounces dried rice stick noodles, about ⅛ inch wide¾ cup warm water ¼ cup fish sauce ¼ cup juice from 2 limes¼ cup packed dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups)4 garlic cloves, minced¼ cup bean sprouts ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Before You Begin

If you can't find fish sauce, substitute a combination of four minced anchovy fillets and 1/4 cup of soy sauce. Rice stick noodles can be found in the Asian section of most supermarkets. If desired, top the pad thai with chopped peanuts and scallions.

Instructions

  1. Cover rice sticks with hot tap water in large bowl and soak until softened but not fully tender, about 20 minutes. Drain noodles. Meanwhile, whisk 3/4 cup warm water, fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar in bowl until sugar is dissolved.
  2. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add chicken and garlic and cook until lightly browned and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add noodles and fish sauce mixture and cook until noodles are coated with sauce, about 3 minutes. Scatter bean sprouts and cilantro over noodles and continue to cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are fully tender, about 3 minutes. Serve.
30-Minute Chicken Pad Thai

30-Minute Chicken Pad Thai

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

30 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 ounces dried rice stick noodles, about ⅛ inch wide
¾ cup warm water
¼ cup fish sauce
¼ cup juice from 2 limes
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups)
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup bean sprouts
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Ingredients

8 ounces dried rice stick noodles, about ⅛ inch wide
¾ cup warm water
¼ cup fish sauce
¼ cup juice from 2 limes
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups)
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup bean sprouts
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Ingredients

8 ounces dried rice stick noodles, about ⅛ inch wide
¾ cup warm water
¼ cup fish sauce
¼ cup juice from 2 limes
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups)
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup bean sprouts
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Why This Recipe Works

Pad thai recipes often cook quickly, but we wanted to cut down on some of the prep work, too. Our streamlined recipe makes for a flavorful 30-minute option. Preparing the chicken, garlic, cilantro, and bean sprouts while the rice noodles soaked ensured maximum efficiency. Keeping an eye on the chicken and garlic as they cooked over high heat was essential; garlic can burn easily, which can result in an unsavory, bitter sauce.

Before You Begin

If you can't find fish sauce, substitute a combination of four minced anchovy fillets and 1/4 cup of soy sauce. Rice stick noodles can be found in the Asian section of most supermarkets. If desired, top the pad thai with chopped peanuts and scallions.

Instructions

  1. Cover rice sticks with hot tap water in large bowl and soak until softened but not fully tender, about 20 minutes. Drain noodles. Meanwhile, whisk 3/4 cup warm water, fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar in bowl until sugar is dissolved.
  2. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add chicken and garlic and cook until lightly browned and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add noodles and fish sauce mixture and cook until noodles are coated with sauce, about 3 minutes. Scatter bean sprouts and cilantro over noodles and continue to cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are fully tender, about 3 minutes. Serve.

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