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This easy homemade Rainbow Chicken Pad Thai is the perfect date night or weekday family meal that everyone will go crazy for. No need for take-out with this recipe. Vibrant, crisp veggies, tender, juicy chicken and soft rice noodles all mixed in a luscious salty and sweet pad thai sauce. Gluten-Free and ready in under 30 minutes.
My husband and I have not really gone out on a date night in a while so we decided to have our own date night-in with this amazing Rainbow Chicken Pad Thai. A dish that is not only interesting to make but also packed with a ton of flavor plus veggies and protein.
This dish would go perfectly with these veggie egg rolls with crispy tofu that we make all the time and are also an exciting date night activity + meal you can make with your significant other.
This Pad Thai was so delicious that we ate it twice in one week for a quick and easy healthy dinner and then as a healthy breakfast with a fried egg on top. Plus it was very easy and quite fun to make. This is a recipe that will truly break up any boring weeknight dinner routine and get everyone in the family excited about eating their veggies.
The radiant combo of veggies with all of their beautiful colors coupled with the juicy chicken and tender rice noodles is just the perfect combination. Mix that all in with an amazing sweet and spicy sauce made from pantry ingredients and it is one incredible meal!
Better yet, make it lower carb by using these Butternut Squash Noodles or this Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash in place of the brown rice noodles in this recipe.
Why you will love this recipe
- It’s packed with nutritious, crazy good ingredients
- So fun to make for a date-night in
- Colorful and vibrant veggies mixed with protein packed chicken
- Stores great and tastes even better the next day
- Gluten-free and ready in less than 30 minutes
What is Pad Thai?
Pad Thai is a traditional thai noodle bowl mixed with veggies, some kind of protein like chicken, shrimp or tofu and mixed in with a pad thai sauce to pull it all together.
You can get pad Thai at most Thai restaurants and it is usually one of the most popular menu items. You can usually order a Vegetarian Pad Thai version or other versions like this Chicken Pad Thai. I have definitely ordered some version of pad Thai too many times to count and every time is was literally amazing.
Is this recipe a traditional pad thai?
This is not technically a traditional pad thai recipe but it is healthier, loaded with similar ingredients and an easy recipe that anyone can make.
I used less oil, swapped out a few non-pantry ingredients but still created a version that tastes very similar to the restaurant-style dish you would get for take-out.
What kind of protein can you use in a Pad Thai?
I used chicken in this recipe but you could also use shrimp or pork. For a meat-free version you could use edamame or tofu as your protein.
Adding chopped peanuts and sesame seeds as a garnish will also bump up the protein in this dish.
Ingredients needed to make this amazing chicken pad Thai
How to make chicken pad thai
- Cook the noodles. Simply cook them according to the package instructions and set them aside. I used Thai Kitchen Brown Rice Noodles in this recipe.
- Whip up the sauce. Add all ingredients (soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, fish sauce, lime) to a small mixing bowl and whisk well to combine. It is so tasty!
- Cook the chicken. Heat a skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat with some olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook until tender and cooked through. This takes about 6 minutes. Set aside.
4. Cook the veggies. Add the veggies to the same pan you cooked the chicken in, drizzle in a little bit more oil if needed and sauté the veggies until tender. Toss in the minced garlic and ginger and cook for 1- 2 minutes.
5. Cook the eggs. Make a well in the center of the veggies and pour in the eggs. Scramble until cooked, about 3 minutes. Then mix the eggs in with the veggies.
6. Add the chicken and noodles to the pan with the veggie and egg mixture.
4. COOK THE VEGGIES 5. ADD THE EGGS AND COOK 6. ADD IN THE CHICKEN & NOODLES
7. Pour the sauce in and mix it all together. Top with lime juice, chopped peanuts and freshly torn cilantro. So good!
Pour into bowls and serve with more chopped peanuts and cilantro. I also like to add in a little sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds for even more crunch.
This pad Thai is a quick and easy take-out inspired recipe that is a fun weeknight meal everyone will go crazy for! Furthermore, the fact that it is loaded with veggies and protein is the extra added bonus of this amazing dish!
Make it even faster by buying pre-cut veggies in the produce section of your grocery store. It may cost you a little bit more money but it will certainly save you time.
What to Serve with this pad Thai
Looking for some healthy side dishes to serve with this recipe? Here are some additions that I am loving right now.
- Add in more veggies. Such as this Easy Oven Roasted Broccoli, Roasted Butternut Squash, these Roasted Carrots, or some Garlic Green Beans
- Have it with some crunchy side dishes. Such as these Baked Eggplant Fries, or these Oven Roasted chickpeas
- Add a side salad. Like this Easy Kale Salad or this Simple Kale and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad.
- Other Asian inspired dishes that work so great with this recipe. Such as these Easy Vegetarian Potstickers or these Veggie Egg Rolls With Crispy Tofu
More easy chicken recipes
- 10 Minute Crunchy Curry Chicken Salad
- 15 Minute Crispy Air-Fryer Breaded Chicken
- Easy Veggie Pizza Chicken Bake
Recipe Tips and Variations
- You can add in more veggies like sliced kale, edamame, or bean sprouts for more variety and crunch.
- To kick up the spice, add red pepper flake or minced Thai red chili peppers.
- Switch up the protein and add in shrimp or sliced cooked pork.
- Make this recipe vegetarian by swapping the chicken with crispy cooked tofu or tempeh. You can also check out this Easy Vegetarian Pad Thai.
- Make this low-carb by leaving out the rice noodles and adding in some cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles. Butternut squash noodles would also be delicious in this recipe.
- To store this recipe. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 60-90 seconds or over low heat on the stove.
Did you try this recipe? If you did, then please leave a comment and rating below. I would love to hear from you!
PrintRainbow Chicken Pad Thai
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Rainbow Chicken Pad Thai is the perfect date night or weekday family meal that everyone will go crazy for. No need for take-out with this recipe. Vibrant, crisp veggies, tender, juicy chicken and soft rice noodles all mixed in a luscious salty and sweet pad thai sauce. Gluten-Free and ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For the Pad Thai Mixture
- 1 package of brown rice noodles – 4-6 ounces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1 large green bell pepper
- 1 cup thinly sliced or shredded carrots
- ½ purple onion – thinly sliced
- ½ cup chopped scallions
- 3 cloves of garlic – minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger – minced
- 2–3 large eggs
For the Pad Thai Sauce
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice (optional)
Extras for topping
- Limes
- Cilantro
- Dry roasted peanuts – chopped
- Toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Cook the noodles
- Cook the noodles according to the package instructions and set aside.
Mix up the sauce
- Add all sauce ingredients to a small mixing bowl and whisk well to combine. Set aside.
Cook the chicken
- Heat up a large skillet, wok, or heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat and add in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the chicken to the pan once the oil is hot, and toss and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate or bowl.
Cook the veggies and eggs
- Add the veggies to the same pan you cooked the chicken in and toss. Add a little drizzle of oil if needed. Cook the veggies for 3-4 minutes until tender. Add in the minced garlic and ginger, toss and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Crack the eggs into a small bowl and lightly whisk. Make a well in the center of the veggies and pour in the eggs. Scramble and cook the eggs then mix them in with the veggies.
Put it all together
- Add the chicken and noodles to the veggie/egg mixture and toss. Pour in the sauce and mix it all together.
- Sprinkle everything with fresh lime juice and garnish with cilantro and chopped peanuts.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- You can add in more veggies like sliced kale, edamame, or bean sprouts for more variety and crunch.
- To kick up the spice, add red pepper flake or minced Thai red chili peppers.
- Switch up the protein and add in shrimp or sliced cooked pork.
- Make this recipe vegetarian by swapping the chicken with crispy cooked tofu or tempeh. You can also check out this Easy Vegetarian Pad Thai.
- Make this low-carb by leaving out the rice noodles and adding in some cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles. Butternut squash noodles would also be delicious in this recipe.
- To store this recipe. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for 60-90 seconds or over low heat on the stove.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: healthy dinner ideas
- Method: Saute
- Cuisine: thai
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