Skip the takeout and make this Healthy Chicken Pad Thai recipe instead! This gluten free pad thai recipe is a healthier version of a classic takeout dish. Packed with veggies, chicken and brown rice noodles.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Click here to read my policy and more about affiliate links. This post was originally shared in 2016 but has since been updated.
I feel like I start every blog post by saying the recipe is my favorite, but in reality.. this Healthy Chicken Pad Thai recipe has 100% taken the number 1 spot on my list of favorite recipes.
It is ridiculously delicious, simple to make, and a healthier version of one of everyones favorite takeout meals… what’s not to love?!
Jam packed with ALL the veggies, lean protein, and healthy carbs thanks to brown rice noodles – it’s an easy meal everyone will love!
Thai food is one of my favorite cuisines. It’s our go to whenever I’m sick of cooking (which usually happens on Friday or Saturday night).
What makes this recipe healthier?
There is a lot to love about this boneless chicken breast recipe. It’s one of our favorite proteins for a healthy dinner because it’s:
- Lower in salt: Some Thai dishes are high in salt (most restaurant meals are!) This dish is lower in salt than most Pad Thai recipes, but it is still higher in salt than most recipes on our site.
- Few ingredients: This recipe is only made with a few ingredients, all of which can be found at the store,
- Extra Veggies: I always order my pad Thai with extra vegetables – so I loaded this recipe up with veggies.
Ingredients for Healthy Pad Thai:
To make this Healthy Pad Thai, you’ll need a few ingredients that you can get at almost any grocery store!
You’ll need:
- chicken breasts
- peppers, bean sprouts, carrots
- brown rice noodles
- peanut butter
- honey
- lime juice/zest
- rice wine vinegar
- fish sauce
- coconut aminos
- peanuts
- red pepper flakes
I’ve included substitutions for all of these ingredients below under ‘Substitutions’
We love to get our chicken from ButcherBox. Learn more about why we love it in this Butcher Box Reviews Post.
How to make Healthy Chicken Pad Thai:
- In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil. Cook chicken over medium heat for 12-15 minutes until completely cooked.
- While chicken is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil + cook rice noodles according to the directions on the package
- While noodles/chicken are cooking, whisk together the sauce ingredients + set off to the side. Chop vegetables.
- Once chicken has cooked, remove chicken from the pan + set aside in a large bowl. Try to leave the oil in the pan. Add in peppers, carrots, garlic and onion to the oil and sauté uncovered for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, stir in bean sprouts and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Push vegetables to one side of the pan + crack eggs into the pan. Scramble eggs until cooked, approximately 2 minutes. Stir veggie / egg mixture together. Remove from the pan and set aside with the chicken.
- Add the sauce mixture to the empty pan (you do not need to clean the pan!) and bring to a boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. The sauce should bubble and slightly thicken.
- Add cooked veggies, cooked chicken and cooked noodles into the pan with the sauce and toss to combine. Garnish with peanuts. Optional garnish: lime, cilantro, green onions.
The next time you’re craving takeout, try making this instead.
It takes the same amount of time to make as you’re probably going to have to wait for delivery anyways, so you might as well try it!
You can also make this recipe in the instant pot! Scroll down and in the recipe you’ll see ‘Instant Pot Instructions.
Important Note: This is not an authentic pad Thai recipe. My goal is always to share recipes that are a bit healthier and made with affordable, accessible ingredients so everyone can enjoy them regardless of their food allergies or dietary restrictions. If you are looking for an authentic pad thai recipe – check out this recipe!
Substitutions for this lower calorie pad thai:
There are lots of substitutions for this recipe! Here are some that we recommend:
Egg free: You can simply omit the eggs.
Bean Sprouts: You might have a hard time finding bean sprouts. You can just skip them or sub in more vegetables.
Oil: You can sub olive oil with avocado oil or canola oil
Vegetables: You can omit the bean sprouts if you’re having a hard time finding them. Bulk up the dish by adding more carrots or peppers! I’ve also added in mushrooms and match-stick sliced zucchini and it was yummy!
Vegetarian: Feel free to skip the chicken and bulk up on veggies to make this vegetarian!
Protein: You can sub in shrimp for the chicken if you’d like. Shrimp take much less time to cook, depending on their size I would cook about 2 minutes on each side until shrimp begin to turn pink. You can also use shaved steak/beef if you prefer! I have not tried this recipe with cooked tofu but I think it would work!
Chicken: Boneless skinless thighs or chicken tenders will also work. We also have a Thai Chicken Wings recipe that is delish!
Fish Sauce: If you can’t find or don’t have fish sauce you can sub it in for more coconut aminos or soy sauce. It won’t taste the same but it will still be good! I promise you will not taste the fishy-ness of fish sauce.. I don’t eat fish and absolutely love the flavor it gives! (It does have a bit of an off-putting smell if this is your first time cooking with it, don’t be alarmed!)
Coconut Aminos: If you don’t have coconut aminos – substitute soy sauce or Bragg’s liquid aminos. If you use Bragg’s use 1/2 the amount as it is much saltier.
Peanut Butter/Peanuts: I have not tried making this recipe without peanuts/peanut butter. Sunflower butter or cashew butter may work but I’m not sure how they will affect the taste.
Do you need to use fish sauce in this recipe?
If you can’t find fish sauce near you, you can sub in more coconut aminos for it. It definitely will not taste as good as the fish sauce adds such a yummy flavor, but it will be ok!
I like to buy red boat fish sauce from Trader Joe’s, it’s cheapest there and has the best ingredients.
Storing/Serving Pad Thai:
Storing: This pad thai will last for 3-4 days in an airtight container in a refrigerator
Reheating: You can reheat this pad thai in the microwave or on the stove. Sauté over low heat on the stove or microwave until warmed through.
Freezing: I haven’t tried freezing this pad thai, but I don’t think it would work well.
Can you use zucchini noodles instead of brown rice noodles?
Yes, I’ve also tested this recipe with zucchini noodles and it was delicious. I definitely prefer brown rice noodles, but the last time I made it I did a 50/50 split zoodles to brown rice noodles and it was so yummy!
Lower in carbs and extra veggies. Make sure to really squeeze all the liquid out of the zucchini noodles to avoid them from getting soggy!
Other healthy takeout recipes:
Looking for other easy meals? Check out these 40+ Healthy Dinner Recipes. Click here to grab our free healthy 30 minute dinners cookbook.
Popular The Clean Eating Couple Recipes:
We love cooking with chicken because it’s SO versatile. Here are some of our other favorite chicken recipes
- How Long to Roast a Chicken
- Crock Pot Pot Roast
- Easy Turkey Soup
- Fast Crock Pot Recipes
- Pulled Chicken Instant Pot
- Pumpkin Muffins Healthy
- Roasted Russet Potatoes
- Instant Pot Beef Bone Broth
- French Fries in Oven
- Pulled Pork in Crock Pot
- Blueberry Crisp Recipe
- Easy Creamy Potato Soup
Need more ideas for dinner? Check out these 40+ Healthy Dinner Recipes. Love chicken? Check out our favorite healthy chicken breast recipes!
Healthy Chicken Pad Thai
Ingredients
- 5 oz brown rice noodles
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded thinly
- 1 cup red bell peppers sliced into thin pieces
- 2 cup carrots sliced into thin pieces
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 2 eggs
For the Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1.5 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- ¼ cup coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce
For Garnish:
- 1/4 cup green onions sliced thinly
- ⅓ cup peanuts crushed or chopped
- red pepper flakes (optional)
- lime wedges (optional)
- cilantro (optional)
Instructions
- Cut chicken in 1 inch square pieces. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in cubed chicken to the pan and cook over medium high heat for 12-15 minutes until completely browned and cooked!
- While chicken is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil + cook rice noodles according to the directions on the package
- While noodles/chicken are cooking, whisk together the sauce ingredients + set off to the side. Chop vegetables.
- Once chicken has cooked, remove chicken from the pan + set aside in a large bowl. Try to leave the oil in the pan.
- Add in peppers, carrots, garlic and onion to the oil and sauté uncovered for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, stir in bean sprouts and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Push vegetables to one side of the pan + crack eggs into the pan. Scramble eggs until cooked, approximately 2 minutes.
- Stir veggie / egg mixture together. Remove from the pan and set aside with the chicken.
- Add the sauce mixture to the empty pan (you do not need to clean the pan!) and bring to a boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. The sauce should bubble and slightly thicken.
- Add cooked veggies, cooked chicken and cooked noodles into the pan with the sauce and toss to combine.
- Garnish with peanuts. Optional garnish: lime, cilantro, green onions.
Instant Pot Instructions
- To make this in the instant pot – it is important to DOUBLE the sauce recipe. All other ingredients remain the same.
- Bring a separate pot of water to a boil (outside of instant pot) and cook the rice noodles according to package directions. While the rice noodles are cooking, turn instant pot on Sauté- High. Heat 1 tablespoon. of the olive oil, add the eggs in and scramble them quickly. Put them on a plate and set aside.
- Drizzle in the other 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the whole chicken breasts. Sear them 2 minutes per side to get them nice and golden brown. Meanwhile mix together your sauce ingredients. Make sure to double sauce ingredients from recipe.
- Move the chicken breasts onto a cutting board and chop them into one inch pieces.
- Add the garlic and onion into the instant pot. Saute for 30 seconds then add in the chicken, peppers and carrots. Mix it all together and pour the sauce over top.
- Set the Instant Pot to Manual High Pressure and Cook for 3 minutes. Keep in mind the Instant Pot takes 3-5 minutes to come to pressure before counting down the 3 minutes you’ve set.
- When the time is up quick release the steam. Remove the chicken and vegetables with a slotted spoon. Set aside.
- Turn the Instant Pot to the high sauté setting once more and bring the sauce up to a bubble. Allow it to bubble for 10-12 minutes until it thickens slightly. You’ll know it’s done when it begins to look darker and when you drag a spoon across the bottom of the pan and it takes just a second or 2 to come back together.
- Add in your noodles, eggs, chicken and veggies. Toss it all together. Garnish with peanuts, green onions. Note – nutritional facts will vary slightly because of the increase in sauce.
Video
Notes
- Egg free: You can simply omit the eggs.
- Oil: You can sub olive oil with avocado oil
- Veggies: You can omit the bean sprouts if you’re having a hard time finding them. Bulk up the dish by adding more carrots or peppers!
- Protein : You can sub in chicken for shrimp if you’d like. Shrimp take much less time to cook, depending on their size I would cook about 2 minutes on each side until shrimp begin to turn pink
- Make sure to cook the chicken whole and then cut it into cubes. Due to shape, the instant pot just doesn’t have the browning power of a wok or skillet when doing small pieces of chicken.
- DO NOT cook the noodles in the Instant Pot. They are just too starchy and will not work.
- Add in your noodles, eggs, chicken and veggies. Toss it all together. Garnish with peanuts, green onions. Note – nutritional facts will vary slightly because of the increase in sauce.
Cassie says
This looks incredible! I would love to try this out, but if only I hadn’t eaten all of my zoodles before! Now I have to go to the grocery store to get some more zucchini!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
You’ll have to go get more zucchini – you’re going to want to try it!
Christopher says
Pad Thai is one of my favorite dishes. Made this for my picky father who has never tried Thai food before and he loved it. I didn’t use bean sprouts but tossed in some bok choy and green pepper instead. I doubled the sauce because of the extra veggies which worked out great but ran out of honey, so I filled in the missing bit with brown sugar and it worked out well. The coconut aminos were new to us, but we are watching sodium, and the dish had a great taste. We will definitely be making this again.
Jennifer says
girl, gimme that — it looks so yummy and I am huuuuuungry
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Come on over! I’ve got an extra dish 😉
GiGi Eats says
We totally are both craving some ASIAN flare in our mouths!!! 😉
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Great minds think alike 😉
Deborah @ Confessions of a mother runner says
Looks like an easy weeknight dinner that the rest of my family would love!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
You should try it! I’m sure your family would love it!
Kayla @ Blondes Have More Run says
Man, does this sound good!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Thanks, Kayla! It is pretty tasty 🙂
Christina Bauer says
This looks so fresh! I’d make it with chickpeas in place of the chicken 🙂
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Great idea for a vegan/vegetarian substitute! I bet that would be yummy!
glenneth says
gorgeous photos! my hubby would LOVE this meal!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Thank you so much, Glenneth! You should make him this 🙂
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
This is gorgeous!!! Love all the fresh color in your version. Can’t wait to try it.
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Thanks, Julie! I love any recipe that is packed with veggies/bright colors!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
This is pretty good, but there’s nothing like the real deal!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
That is so awesome! I wish we had a place like that near us.
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Oooh I’m going to try it with spaghetti squash next time!! What a good idea 🙂
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Thank you so much, Abbey!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
You have to try it!! It is soooo delicious! I was skeptical at first too – but I’m so glad I tried it!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
I hope you’ll change your mind and try it!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Give it a try! 🙂
Patty Gordon says
Now I’m craving Pad Thai. I haven’t had really good Pad Thai in years since I moved away from my favorite Thai place. I can’t wait to see about trying this recipe. Hubby is picky, but the next time he goes away on business, momma is gonna cook this up. Pinned it for later. Thanks for adding this to the the Thursday share-fest post on facebook!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
So happy to hear this, Pat! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
dixya @food, pleasure, and health says
thai is one of my all time fav too!!! im not into chinese food but thai/vietnamese – im in 🙂
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
It has such a yummy flavor!
Aarika says
Beautiful photos! I love Pad Thai and yours looks truly flavorful and delicious. Thanks for sharing this incredible recipe. Yum!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Thank you so much, Aarika!
Elizabeth Mayberry says
Oh yum! I need to try this!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Thanks, Elizabeth! It’s super tasty!
Laura says
LOVE pad thai! This looks delicious!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Thank you, Laura! It is delicious 🙂
Chrissa - Physical Kitchness says
Pad Thai = dinner weakness, takeout favorite, overall obsession. I’ve made countless versions at home, each all a little different. I can’t wait to make yours now too!!!!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Same here, Chrissa! I could honestly order/eat it for take out every night!
Tez @ Chile and Salt says
This looks AMAZING Elizabeth! I love Pad Thai & am thinking this is perfect! Can`t wait to give this a try! Thanks for the GREAT recipes!
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Thanks so much, Tez! Let us know if you try it 🙂
Stephanie says
I’ve been searching for the perfect pad thai recipe – you just made my day by posting this! Pinned to try it 🙂
Stephanie | drunkonvogue.com
thecleaneatingcouple@gmail.com says
Let us know if you give it a try! It’s so yummy!
Pam says
Can you substitute or leave out the fish sauce?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Pam – I haven’t tried it, but you can probably just sub in soy sauce and I’m sure it will work fine!
Kaitlyn says
I just made this and oh my goodness it is AMAZING! My fiancé and I won’t be getting take out anymore because this recipe is just that good!!!! Definitely adding this to our weekly rotation of dinner recipes <3 yall should seriously make this ASAP
The Clean Eating Couple says
Yay!! I’m so glad you liked it, Kaitlyn <3 We love it just as much as you do!
Ashley says
Can you leave the egg out? They have recently started making me sick ?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Ashley – You totally can leave the egg out and it will be just as delicious! I make it without eggs all the time because I’m personally not a fan of them, but included it in the recipe because usually pad thai has them 🙂
Samantha says
This is one of my favorite dinner to make at home! It’s very easy and simple to make! You can find everything at Aldi besides the fish sauce and coconut aminos.
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you like it Sam!! It’s one of my favs too! I normally get the fish sauce and coconut aminos at Trader Joe’s – I find they have the best prices!!
Johanna says
Sweet potato noodles work well also
The Clean Eating Couple says
Oooh I need to try that!! Sounds yummy!
Annette Feinson says
We LOVE Pad Thai so I was a bit nervous to try this and it not be up to par. It was really good! We didn’t have coconut aminos so I just used low sodium soy sauce. Once that is gone I’d like to use the coconut stuff instead. My husband isn’t a big fan of fish sauce but still ate 2 helpings. I may try it with 1/8th cup next time and the rest coconut, but I’m not sure. I really liked it the way it was. Even had it cold today as a left over and was so good that way too.
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m glad you all liked it!! I’m pretty picky about my pad thai too but we love this even more than takeout!! You definitely could make these with the substitutions you mentioned above – the fish sauce isn’t necessary if you’re not a fan!
Katey says
Ok, this was delicious! I’ll definitely be making this again! I used spaghetti squash instead of noodles and I highly recommend! Only thing I could say is it was a little salty, but that might’ve been because I added to much to my chicken…lol. Thank you, thank you for this!
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you liked it, Katey! We actually don’t have any salt added to this recipe because fish sauce and coconut aminos are naturally salty – so it probably was because you added it to the chicken! Next time leave it out!! I’m definitely going to try it with spaghetti squash 🙂
Teagan says
Made the Pad Thai
Whole family loved it, they craved more so the next night they went and brought some pad Thai but it wasn’t the same so I have to make it in bulk this week for all of them lol
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Teagan – I’m so glad you liked it!! I feel the same way about it – it always disappears in our house, lol!!
Melanie Smith-Cervera says
This was delicious!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Melanie!!
JT says
Just made this with spaghetti squash instead of noodles and it was great! I was glad my husband was out of town so I didn’t have to share 🙂
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you liked it! I need to try it with the spaghetti squash – that sounds delicious 🙂
Ashley Orfitelli says
I’ve been wanting to make this for so long and finally made it tonight. It was so good!! Easy recipe to follow! And I love that the ingredients are clean! It’s clean “take out” food!
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you liked it, Ashley!! It’s my favorite recipe on the site.. I seriously could eat it every night!!
Elizabeth says
This recipe is so delicious! I made It once for my boyfriend, and now it’s in our weekly roundup.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Love hearing that 🙂 Thank you!!
Hayley says
This is SO yummy!! The flavor of the sauce is amazing and it was a filling meal that all of my kids ate—hooray!!! One of my favorite recipes from Liz (whose recipes we use multiple times a week) and we will definitely make this again soon! Oh, and don’t skip the garnishes, they add so much good texture and flavor!!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Hayley!! It makes me so happy that you and your family love this recipe as much as I do 🙂
Veronica says
Love this recipe!! Super yummy and easy to make too!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Veronica! I’m so glad you liked it!!
Chanelle says
Best Thai I have ever had! So glad to know it’s got ingredients that are nourishing to the body. I wish I found this recipe earlier.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Chanelle! I’m so glad you like it!
Kelli says
Loved this recipe! We love Asian food, and it was a real treat to eat pad Thai without all the guilt! My husband had three helpings and won’t stop asking when I’m going to make it again. Thank you for such a great recipe!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks Kelli! I’m glad you and your husband enjoyed it. We always go in for seconds with this recipe too – it’s just too good not to!
Rebecca says
Tastes amazing, so easy to make. I forgot to get a lime/lime.juice but it was just as good.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Rebecca! The lime juice is really yummy on it though – try it next time 🙂
Shannon says
Hi there! So yummy and have made it twice but can get the sauce to look exactly like your (less thick). Any suggestions?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Shannon- If you want to make the sauce thicker, I’d just let it boil for longer, while stirring. Sometimes depending on the exact ingredients/brands you use sauces will thicken/look differently!
Briana says
Really good! A great way to get a bunch of veggies into your day and feel satisfied.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you Briana! It’s the perfect recipe to use up any veggies you have in your fridge 🙂
Morgan says
Obsessed with this recipe!! Will definitely be making this over and over again.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Yay! Love to hear that, Morgan! So glad you enjoyed it!
Ashley Orfitelli says
Recipe is so easy to follow and I love that it has clean ingredients. It tastes like take out which is so great because being gluten free limits my take out options!! I will definitely be making this again!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’m so glad you liked it, Ashley!
Lynda says
can you use black bean pasta with this recipe?
The Clean Eating Couple says
I’ve never tried this so I’m not sure! I think it would work. Let me know if you try it!
Brooke says
I LOVE Pad Thai! I also love that it works great to use up all the extra veggies in the frig. Always a crowd favorite. Thanks of sharing your recipe
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Brooke! It’s the perfect way to use up extra veggies!
Alyssa says
This is SO good!! So delicious and such a healthier/cleaner version! 10/10 would recommend!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Alyssa!! So glad you liked it!
Angela says
Try this!!!! Even if you don’t have all the ingredients – I had to eliminate the fish sauce and bean sprouts as well as the toppings. I also had to sub green pepper for red pepper. It was still incredible, and even my husband agreed! I think the sauce makes it! I will say by the time I chopped my vegetables and had everything together, it took me more like 45 mins to make, but totally worth it! Enjoy!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Angela!! Nice job for subbing in what you have – we’re all about getting creative!
Tana says
So easy & delicious 😋 and ww friendly so this recipe is a win at my house. It will definitely be in the meal rotation. Now I just need to find bean sprouts 😂
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Tana! Bean sprouts can for sure be kind of hard to find at the store.. we usually just sub in zucchini, mushrooms, or whatever veggies we have!
Anon says
Just tried this recipe and it was delicious! Since I put 8oz of noodles I made the sauce x1.5. The only issue was it was pretty salty. When I looked at fish sauce nutrition facts there’s more sodium content than soy sauce. Not sure how healthy fish sauce is but if you could explain that’d be great. I’m concerned I just gave my family high blood pressure.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Anon – Glad you liked it! Fish sauce is naturally high in sodium, but other than the fish sauce and coconut aminos, there is no added salt in this recipe. This recipe is much healthier than a traditional pad thai recipe as it is loaded with veggies, lean protein, and less sauce/ingredients with MSG that you would find at a typical pad thai restaurant. One dish isn’t going to give your family high blood pressure 🙂
Jessica says
This is the best healthy Pad Thai I’ve had!! YUMMY!! It’s packed full of veggies and protein so my kids don’t know they are eating good 😉It’s also a easy recipe to follow. My kids are picky eaters and I have a hard time finding recipes my whole family loves but everyone gobbled this all up and there were no leftovers!! Thank you for putting this recipe out there!! I’ll definitely be making this again♥️♥️
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Jessica!!
Chris P says
I think it’s fair to warn everyone (who bothers to scroll all the way down to this comment…) that, before being cooked and mixed with everything else, I found the smell of the sauce to be *very* off-putting! BUT: all is forgiven when everything gets combined and tastes “normal” 😉
This is a solid recipe! I doubled it (except for eggs and chicken) and included 400g of shrimp – 95% of the pad thai I’ve consumed has had chicken *and* shrimp.
I plan on making the following adjustments:
– Half the fish sauce, as the result is saltier than what I usually make for myself
– Add a green vegetable (e.g. broccoli, snap peas) and red cabbage (which I like adding to just about everything)
The Clean Eating Couple says
Fish sauce smells like fish, so yes this sauce does have a scent to it. You’re welcome to add shrimp or any veggies to this recipe! Halving the fish sauce will result in a less salty dish, but as is this dish has about half the sodium than what you would get at a typical Thai takeout dinner!
Natalie says
We LOVE this recipe and make it about once a month. All the good Pad Thai flavors but with lighter ingredients. I usually make double sauce and add roasted broccoli.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you like it, Natalie! I need to try this with roasted broccoli!
Jessica Dawn says
Such a fun/clean and yummy recipe! Would definitely recommend! Thanks for sharing!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Jessica! Glad you liked it!
Jeanette says
Literally the best dinner made in Quarantine. This site is amazing not only does it provide a video, recipe but also offers substitutes !! Super easy to follow and my husband ranked it high against his favorite Thai place. It was also super clean for our 5 year old !!!! I am in love with this recipe ❤️
The Clean Eating Couple says
Yay!! This makes me so happy to hear!! Thank you so much Jeanette!
Sandra says
This was my first time making Pad Thai and it was amazing. I couldn’t find coconut aminos and used Light Soy sauce instead. I used chicken thighs because I’m known to dry out chicken breast. My Italian family loved it and can’t wait for me to make it again.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you enjoyed it, Sandra! Love those substitutions!
Stacey Barton says
Loved this, Liz! Have never attempted much Asian or Thai at home, so was excited to try this recipe finally—I doubled it and could feed an army. 😁
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Stacey! Glad you enjoyed it.. and the leftovers are even better!!
Lisa Mv says
My family and I loved it! Even my 7 year old nephew was a fan. Used instapot chicken instead, 1tbps oil to sauté veggies, added extra chicken and bell peppers. Since I added too many things, it was dry so I added some of the broth from the instapot chicken. Added sriracha and red paper flakes for heat. I accidentally added 8oz noodles instead of 5 (hence why it was dry) so this made 6 plates. Will 100% make again. Thank you!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Lisa! This makes me so happy to hear!
Megan Gefert says
My husband saw your post last week and sent it to me… I never had Pad Thai before but figured I would try it. We both loved it!! Can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Megan! This makes me so happy to hear 🙂 I think the leftovers are almost better than the first time!
Tatiana says
This looks really yummy, will definitely have to try out! By chance do you know what I can sub rice wine vinegar for? I don’t have that in hand!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Tatiana – I’m sorry but I’ve never substituted rice wine vinegar. This article has some ideas but I can’t be sure how they will work. Let me know how it works out!
Nicole says
I used apple cider vinegar, it turned out great!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Glad it worked for you! Thanks for sharing!
Mallory Landuyt says
I swear Asian is the best food to eat and the most challenging to master! I have never tried Pad Thai, so I’m thankful that the directions and different ways it can be made is all laid out. Seriously one of my favorite things about this website! I thought the sauce turned out really well and ended up being easier to make than I thought! This is a recipe I’ll make again!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked the pad thai, Mallory! It’s so easy and delicious!
Allie Urban says
Great recipe! Easy to make, healthy and delicious! Will definitely make again
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank. you so much, Allie!
Nicole says
I had to make some adjustments based on allergies/what I had in the house (I’m not sure I’m capable of ever following a recipe 100% as written, lol) but this was delicious! I used shrimp instead of chicken, shredded green cabbage in place of the red peppers (I have a nightshade allergy), and omitted the bean sprouts because I didn’t have any. I usually feel like something is missing in Asian inspired peanut based sauces since I can’t add red pepper flakes to give it that touch of something, but this sauce recipe will be one I come back to again and again. It was perfect!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Nicole! Thank you so much!
Rosemarie says
How can you call this healthy when there is an extraordinary amount of sodium per serving??
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Rosemarie – While still being high in sodium, this recipe has about half the amount of salt classic takeout pad thai has. Most Thai sauces are based with soy + fish sauce, many of which include high fructose corn syrup + MSG. This recipe has no HFCS or MSG, as well as being high in protein, veggie loaded and lower in fat. This is a healthier version of a not-so-healthy classic dish. It’s not meant to be eaten every day. Hope that helps you understand!
Jess says
I love me some Pad Thai and making it at home is even better! I thought this was going to take longer to prepare, but it really only took about 30 minutes from start to finish and would’ve been sooner if I had chopped all the veggies beforehand! Definitely will make this again! Even my 2 year old loved it! And it made quite a few servings for me to take some to work tomorrow!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Jess!
Kim says
This Pad Thai was amazing! My husband was skeptical as I pulled out the ingredients but man when it all comes together it’s the real deal and he said it was the best thing I’ve made to date and also tastes as authentic as our little Thai restaurant we frequent here in town. Amazingly delicious!! Thank you!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Kim! I know the ingredients seem a little strange but when you put them all together it is seriously the best!
Christina says
Easy to make and best of all it was super tasty! We’ve made this a couple of times and each time it exceeds my expectations!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you enjoyed it, Christina! Thank you!!
Larissa Perez says
So good, and so easy to make! I didn’t have a few of the ingredients, so I substituted honey with agave, and threw in some tofu. This recipe was quick, simple, and tasted like I spent the whole afternoon cooking 🙂
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Larissa! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Anna says
Another option for omitting the eggs and adding an alternative protein is to add scrambled tofu! I tried this once because I realized too late that I didn’t have eggs, and it turned out really well-I barely missed the eggs! Bonus that it’s almost completely vegan with that substitution for the eggs and meat (besides the fish sauce)!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks for those ideas, Anna! I actually don’t like eggs so I never make this with them. Tofu is a great idea! While I haven’t tried it, I think you could omit the fish sauce and maybe swap the honey for agave nectar (and obviously the chicken!) to make this vegan.
Kristen B says
Love this recipe! Skipped the fish sauce although I would try it sometime, just didn’t have it and did extra coconut aminos. Doubled the sauce just to have a little extra. Seriously better than the normal pad Thai I order and knowing it’s made in my own kitchen is so satisfying!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you, Kristen!! I appreciate it! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Megan says
I make this recipe a couple times a month and it never gets old! My husband and I love it!! It’s a great recipe to add more veggies too!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Love when people bulk up on the veggies, Megan! Thank you so much!
Rachel says
This was insanely delicious!! Going to become a dinner staple in our house.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much! So glad you liked it!
Jeanmarie says
This was so delicious. I very rarely eat leftovers but I ate this.. so good
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Jeanmarie! Glad you liked it!
Alyssa says
SO SO GOOD!!! tastes just like takeout and I feel way better afterwards! Definitely recommend!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy you liked it!! Thank you!
Jamie says
Liz, this was so delicious!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy you liked it!! 💙💙💙
Anthony says
This pad thai is fantastic!! I just made it and am already looking forward to making it again. I used natural local honey and it definitely makes a difference. 10/10 recommend!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Anthony! Thank you so much!
Jenna T says
Really good except I think there is too much fish sauce for me at least. I would use about half of the fish sauce and maybe use a little more of the other ingredients. I used cauliflower rice instead of noodles and it was delicious
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Jenna! Appreciate the feedback.
Molly Sullivan says
This was amazing!!! Came out delicious and whole family loved! Thanks for this fantastic recipe that I’ll always be making. So healthy!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Love to hear this, Molly! Thank you so much!
Michelle Miller says
This is the perfect HEALTHY weeknight recipe. This came together so quickly – it was easy and l so delicious. I walkways struggle after working long days for a healthy yet quick and delicious recipe to whip up. THIS IS IT!!! I substituted hearts of palm linguini for rice noodles and omitted the eggs. 5 stars!!!!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Michelle! Thank you so much!
Vasso says
This is my go-to Pad Thai recipe! It’s sooo delicious!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Vasso! So happy you enjoy it 💙
Anne says
Easy and tasty!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Glad you liked it!
Courtney says
Whether I’m making pad Thai or any kind of stir fry, this is my go-to sauce to use. It’s so easy and delicious!
Mollie says
THE BEST CHICKEN PAD THAI!!! We loved it!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Mollie!
Erin D. says
My husband said this is the best he’s ever had!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy to hear this!
Jeanette says
Literally my favorite Pad Thai recipe ! My husband asks all the time for this !!!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much, Jeanette! So glad you both like it!
Jess says
So darn good. I don’t think I’ve actually had real pad Thai so was not actually sure What o was expecting. But so good. Love the pb flavor. But not overwhelming. Great way to use up veggies that need to be cooked.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Jess! Thank you!!
Lyn Ingram says
I was already to make the pad Thai recipe tonight I realized I had all the ingredients necessary and I was going to switch up the chicken to shrimp. But then I saw the calories in the fat content and cholesterol and sugar oh my gosh, honestly I don’t understand how this can be considered a healthy meal. I just started weight watchers a few months ago. Help me out here please. It looks amazing along with fried rice!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Lyn – This is not a low calorie food. It’s a healthier option when compared to takeout per the reasons listed in the post. I’ve pasted them here.
Lower in salt: Some Thai dishes are high in salt (most restaurant meals are!) This dish is lower in salt than authentic Thai food.
Few ingredients: This recipe is only made with a few ingredients, all of which can be found at the store,
Extra Veggies: I always order my pad Thai with extra vegetables – so I loaded this recipe up with veggies.
As for WW – WW Freestyle note: Save 1 SP per serving by using olive oil spray instead of actual olive oil to cook. Save 4SP by using zucchini noodles instead of brown rice noodles
Sarah says
This was so good!!! I’ve been putting off trying to make it because I wasn’t sure that my husband would like it but he did. Now I wish I would’ve tried it sooner. I appreciate your recipes because they are straightforward, use ingredients that are clean, easy to find and don’t cost an arm and a leg. Thank you!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Sarah! Thank you so much!
Lauren K says
I made this recipe with shrimp instead of chicken, and it was DELICIOUS! I also substituted mushroom for bean sprouts, and used white wine vinegar rather than the rice vinegar just because I had it on-hand! I didn’t have fish sauce so used some additional soy sauce instead, and it turned out absolutely perfectly. Thanks for a great recipe!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it! Thanks, Lauren!
Liz kane says
Made this again and I still love it! I used Thrive market brown rice spaghetti (just broke in 1/2 before boiling) and tasted great. I didn’t have fish sauce so I added toasted sesame oil instead. Can’t wait to eat leftovers for lunch again today !
Elizabeth Taylor says
I love Pad Thai, but have never tried making it at home before because my husband has been hesitant to try it. I decided to try it and hope he would like it. He LOVED it and I did too! Next time, I will definitely make sure to have fresh limes for topping.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy you both enjoyed it!!
Terralynne Chapman says
I made this last night for my family, it was delicious, very easy to make, I will definitely be making this again😃
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Terralynne! Glad you liked it!
Amara zimmerman says
Bomb .com. I think it tastes better than most Pad Thai at restaurants, and way cleaner too.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it! Thanks Amara!
Foodswithfinn says
This recipe was so easy and delicious! I didn’t have bean sprouts so I just used whatever veggies I had including zucchini and water chestnuts. I would have never thought to use brown rice noodles, great option! Thanks again for a great and easy to follow recipe.
The Clean Eating Couple says
That sounds perfect!! So glad you liked it!
Melanie Hunt says
We love cooking at home and only ordering take out on special occasions. We prefer to know what all the ingredients are in our food. This recipe is AMAZING! Seriously – try it. It could be considered a bit labor intensive, but trust me when I say it’s totally worth it!! Pad Thai is one of my favorite Thai food choices and I’ve missed the great pad thai I could get when I lived in Chicago. This recipe is better then the paid thai we can get locally. We also love that we can use brown rice noodles and that the recipe is healthy 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Melanie! Thank you!
Liz kane says
Love, love, love this recipe!!!! once you buy all the staples like fish sauce,, coconut aminos and brown rice noodles (all from thrive) it’s super easy and all other ingredients I always have on hand. So good leftover as well!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thanks, Liz! So glad you enjoy it!
Lisa Davis says
This is the best chicken pad Thai recipe I’ve ever found. I make it exactly as suggested and my family loves it and it’s so healthy!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it, Lisa!
Kim says
Can you sub a different nut butter instead of peanut butter? Husband can’t have peanuts but not sure what it would do to the flavor? Thanks!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Kim – I haven’t tried this. If I were to suggest anything I would probably sub in cashew butter/chopped roasted cashews for the crunch at the end, and I think it would be fine but without trying it I can’t be sure how it will affect the taste!
Reina says
I’ve made this recipe so many times, it’s one of our favorites!! Simple to make and delicious!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you like it, Reina! Thank you!
Alyse says
I made this tonight with shrimp instead of chicken because I didn’t have any chicken thawed, and it was delicious!! I liked that it only used one pan to cook everything. I love that it didn’t have sugar in it like traditional recipes. It’s definitely much healthier and was still a delicious meal!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Sounds awesome, Alyse! So happy you enjoyed it!
Tianna says
SO GOOD! I’ve never even attempted pad thai before so I was excited to try this recipe and it came out amazing! My sauce was actually a little thick so I ended up having to thin it out with some water – plus I made a ton of veggies/noodles (more than the recipe called for), so it ended up being good that I had more sauce. Will definitely make again! Thank you Liz!!
The Clean Eating Couple says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂
Adrianne says
This was really good. I was making it to meal prep for the week but ended up having it for dinner after my test bite! The only “down side” is that fish sauce has a terrible smell but you truly can’t taste anything remotely fishy in the recipe. Next time I will probably add more veggies too.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it. You can skip the fish sauce if the smell bothers you – sometimes I just use coconut aminos because the smell is very offputting – I totally agree with ya!
AshleyMara says
This is better (and healthier) than takeout. My boyfriend LOVED it. Thansk so much for the recipe!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So happy you both enjoyed it! Love hearing that! Thank you!
Lili says
Have tried it and it is amazing!
Any suggestions for substitutes for the peanut in the sauce as my hubby is allergic and could not try my ate and was quite jealous 🙂
Thank you
The Clean Eating Couple says
I have not tried making this recipe without peanuts/peanut butter. Sunflower butter or cashew butter may work but I’m not sure how they will affect the taste.
Vivian says
Husband exclaimed, wow – this is something we should feed people when they come over! Made without bean sprouts because the grocery store was out and it was still fabulous. Great job!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it! Thank you so much, Vivian!
Maggie says
We LOVED this!! Quick and easy… Had my husband grill the chicken because I always get nervous of over or under cooking it. He used to be a chef and even after his first bite it was “mmm this is great babe”!
Will be making again 🙂
The Clean Eating Couple says
so happy you both enjoyed it! Thanks, Maggie
Sarah says
I just made this tonight for dinner and it was a huge hit. My kids, my husband and myself all loved it. I prepped everything beforehand and it came together really quickly. I’m always intimidated by what seem to be more difficult recipies, but this was incredibly easy and tasted amazing. It’s definitely getting added to our rotation.
Also, I made a separate batch for myself with minor adjustments and it was like I wasn’t eating “diet” food. I did an all vegetable version and swapped out the rice noodles for hearts of palm pasta plus used PB2 powder and sugar free syrup in the sauce. Still absolutely delicious.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you and your family liked it, Sarah! Thank you!
Taylor says
I make this all the time for my husband and I and it is one of our all-time favorite recipes. I add a lot more peanut butter and omit the sprouts but besides that make it according to the recipe and it’s incredible!
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you liked it!
Travis says
Excellent base recipe, I always reference it when making a big batch of pad Thai and don’t stray much at all.
Note: it freezes AMAZINGLY well. I make about 12 servings at once, and the frozen portions never last long at all. Just wanted to share that since this recipe has been such a helpful staple in my kitchen for a couple years already.
I will say, if you add broccoli it is excellent while fresh, but cooked broccoli does NOT do well after being frozen- stays soggy.
Thanks for the excellent recipe.
The Clean Eating Couple says
So glad you like it, Travis! I’ve never frozen this before so this is great to know- thanks!
Sara says
Yellow or white onion?
The Clean Eating Couple says
Yellow and white onions can be used interchangeably. White onions have a bit more flavor so that’s what we use but it’s such a nominal amount it will have no impact on this recipe.
Nikki says
Amazing recipie and one that turns out super every single time. Whole family of adults n kids enjoy it every week !!! Sometimes I add cooked prawns too
Angela says
Delicious! Easy to follow instructions.
Alden G says
YUM! This was such a delicious weeknight meal that tasted like Friday night takeout. I love how veggie packed it is!
Ashley says
This is the best healthier pad Thai I’ve ever had! I’ve made it twice – the first time I doubled the sauce which didn’t work out at all. The amount of sauce the recipe calls for doesn’t look like a lot but it’s the perfect amount once you add it in. The second time I followed the recipe to a T and it was amazing. My husband also loved it! It’s definitely best topped with peanuts, cilantro and extra lime!
Joanne Sprickman says
Can this be frozen?
The Clean Eating Couple says
I wouldn’t recommend freezing this- the noodles will get a little bit soggy!
Monica says
This looks delicious and I’m definitely going to try it. I’m a 50+ diabetic and most definitely looking for better ways to eat.I hope The Clean Eating Couple can get me off to a good start!
Carol says
Excellent dish. One of our favorites.
Katie says
539 calories!? 🤣🤣🤣 That’s not low calorie. Nice try
The Clean Eating Couple says
Hi Katie – If you don’t like the estimated nutrition facts on this recipe, simply don’t make it – No need for the snarky comment! 🙂 This is not a low calorie food and no where does it say this. It’s a healthier option when compared to takeout per the reasons listed in the post. I’ve pasted them here.
Lower in salt: Some Thai dishes are high in salt (most restaurant meals are!) This dish is lower in salt than authentic Thai food.
Few ingredients: This recipe is only made with a few ingredients, all of which can be found at the store.
Extra Veggies: I always order my pad Thai with extra vegetables – so I loaded this recipe up with veggies.
Beth says
I made this for dinner for my family last night and it got rave reviews from each member! It was easy to make and full of flavor. Will definitely make it again!
S says
We love this! We triple the sauce because we like it saucy. Couldn’t find bean sprouts so we grated up carrots and added in grated broccoli stocks.
Thank you for this recipe!
Lily says
LOVE this recipe!! Couldn’t find any rice noodles so we used fettuccine! Super easy to follow and love all the extra tips and tricks 🙂
Sarah says
This is my first time making Thai food. This was so good, my vegetables were a little different,(no peppers, I added shredded cabbage) but this sauce with my brown rice noodles was everything! I didn’t mix the noodles and sauce together because my husband prefers his sauce separate from the noodles, he made a face when he saw it, tasted the sauce and loved it! This recipe is a keeper!
laura kiley says
Loved it so much! Easy to make and all of my picky eaters couldn’t get enough of it. I Doubled the recipe and they still cleaned out the pan. Thanks so much !
Cassie says
Easy to make and great for weeknights! Will be adding this to my rotation 🙂
Christie says
This is one of our favorite recipes and we can eat on this for days. My 11 year old gets excited when I make this and even my picky husband loves it. I’ve made it for many people who have never tried Pad Thai and they have all loved it. I have even printed it out to save it to my book so I don’t have to keep searching for it when I crave it.
Donna Dawson says
I just made this and it was wonderful! My husband loved it and has already asked for the leftovers for lunch! I feel more confident cooking, will be trying other recipes soon!
Brenda says
Reading through the first dozen or so comments, I see no one has actually cooked this dish. It would be better to leace off comments from those who have not prepares the dish.
I did make it. The flavor is pretty good but heavy on the vinegar taste. We opted to sub out most of the 1/4 cup of soy sauce (even lo sodium is very high in that amount.) We used coconut aminos with much less soy sauce. Overall, a nice option to takeout pad thai.
The Clean Eating Couple says
There are over 240 comments on this post with over 130 5 star reviews, so I can assure you that plenty of people have tried and liked it 🙂 the recipe actually calls for coconut aminos, not soy sauce! glad you enjoyed it. either way
Sally says
This was the first of your recipes that I’ve tried but it certainly won’t be the last! This Pad Thai was delicious! A little labor-intensive (I enlisted my husband to be my sous chef but prep still took longer than 10 minutes) but so worth it! I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
Natalie Dimercurio says
Was very good! We will definitely be making it again. Actually, every recipe from this page has been 🔥
Cathe says
Delicious!!
April says
This was delicious! I couldn’t find bean sprouts and used soy sauce. Also, I don’t have peanut butter, but used my almond butter, and I could not tell the difference. I loved it so much, I made twice in one week. I also used regular rice noodles.
Miranda says
This pad Thai recipe is AMAZING!!
I’ve made it several times with a few variations. I made it with green bell peppers instead of red, and subbed fish sauce for more aminos. I can’t get enough of this, and I am so happy it turned out well on the first try too.
Chelsea says
Super filling and tasty!
Liz H says
Is Fish Sauce necessary ?
The Clean Eating Couple says
We cover this in the green substitutions section listed in the blog post.
Jeanene Mitchell says
I have tried several pad thai recipes and not one tasted just right until this one! This is it! So tasty! I even made it with Tofu instead of chicken one time and it was great. The only modification I made was that I added 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha to the sauce. And a squeeze of lime and the cilantro are not optional they are a must!
Silvia says
This was delicious! I doubled the amount of noodles though…5 oz are really not enough for 4 people (at least for my family).
Michelle says
I meal prepped this for my husband and I. I premade the chicken using my sous vide. I also used a different style noodle I had on hand that didn’t require boiling. The sauce is amazing and it turned out incredible. I did the veggies the same and just added the noodles and chicken after cooking the sauce. My husband asked for it again this week. Absolutely one of our favorites. Thank you for such a delicious recipe