Delicious Chicken Pad Thai

Pad thai is one of the first thai foods I fell in love with when I was introduced to it in my teenage years. The flavors were so amazing and worked well to complement each other. No flavor overpowered another, it was pure food heaven. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do! Here's what you'll need to make about 5 servings:

Photo byAlyssa

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. ¼” wide rice noodles
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil
• 1 lb. chicken breast, sliced into thin strips then 2” pieces
• 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced then halved
• 1/3 cup minced onion
• 1 1/2 cups matchstick carrots
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3 cups (6 oz.) Bean Sprouts
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Sauce:

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 Tbl tamarind paste
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 3 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 Tbl tomato paste
• 1-1 1/2 tablespoons hot chili paste (like Sambal Oelek)
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions, making sure they remain slightly firm or al dente, as they’ll continue to cook in the sauce. Rinse the noodles in cold water, drain, and toss with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients. Set aside.

While the noodles are soaking, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable or peanut oil in a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is very hot, add the chicken and let it cook undisturbed for 1 minute, then stir-fry until just cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and wipe out the skillet.

Heat another tablespoon of oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and shallots, sautéing for 1 minute. Add the carrots and garlic, sautéing for another minute. Reduce the heat to medium and pour the beaten eggs over the vegetables, stirring constantly until just scrambled.

Increase the heat to medium-high and pour in the sauce along with the noodles. Toss everything together until evenly combined, cooking for 1-2 minutes until the noodles are al dente. Stir in the chicken, bean sprouts, green onions, and peanuts, cooking until heated through.

Taste and, if desired, add an additional tablespoon of lime juice for extra tang and adjust with chili sauce to taste. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges and enjoy!