Easy Pad Thai Recipe: Close Your Eyes & You're In Thailand (30 Minutes) by Jan Mostrom

Pad Thai is one of my go-to recipes to order when we are out in an Asian restaurant. This Pad Thai recipe is so easy it can be made your way, with any protein you like, right in your own kitchen in about 30 minutes.

For this easy high-protein Pad Thai recipe you will need to shop for the following ingredients: rice noodles, cooking oil, a protein (chicken breast, tofu or shrimp), a shallot, fresh garlic, eggs, limes, fish sauce, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar and soy sauce. You may also want some fresh bean sprouts, crushed red pepper flakes, green onions and peanuts for garnishing.

Serve this easy Thai recipe for lunch or dinner. It's a great meal-prep recipe, too! This is the perfect Thai recipe to be enjoying while you watch season three of The White Lotus, which is set in Thailand!

Cuisine: Asian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 4 ounces rice noodles
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil or your favorite cooking oil (divided)
• 8 ounces chicken breast, tofu or shrimp (peeled and deveined)
• 1 large shallot, finely diced
• 4 fat garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 eggs, scrambled with a fork with a generous pinch of salt
• 1 lime

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

Optional Toppings

• lime wedges
• fresh bean sprouts
• crushed red chili flakes
• chopped green onions
• roasted peanuts  
• Thai basil

Here's how to make it: 

1. Soak the rice noodles. Put rice noodles in a shallow pan and cover with boiling water for 5 to 7 minutes or until just soft and then drain. Rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
   
2. Whisk the two eggs in a bowl with a fork and add a generous, three-finger pinch of salt. Set aside.
   
3. Make the sauce by whisking the fish sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar and soy sauce in a small bowl. Set aside. (Don't substitute white vinegar for the rice wine vinegar in this recipe. It will make the dish too sour. I prefer low-sodium soy sauce.)
   
4. Season your protein with salt and black pepper (thin-sliced chicken, chunks of tofu blotted dry or shrimp, peeled and deveined). Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan or wok over medium-high heat. Cook the seasoned chicken, shrimp or tofu until cooked through. Set aside.
   
5. Have all your ingredients near to the saucepan, chopped shallots and garlic, eggs, cooked noodles, your protein and the sauce. On medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté shallots and garlic for about 1 to 2 minutes.
   
6. Move the vegetables to the side and add another tablespoon oil. Pour in the egg. Cook the egg and break into small chunks and push to the side.
   
7. Add the last tablespoon of oil and the rice noodles. Keep stirring the noodles until they are warmed and a little crispy. Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
   
8. Add the sauce and mix thoroughly.
   
9. Add the protein, mixing for another 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat, squeeze the juice of one lime and taste. Add salt or sweetener, as needed.
   
10. Add half of the toppings you would like and toss. Divide into two plates and top with the remaining toppings.
    

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