Chicken Pad Thai

Ingredients — tap to check off as you gather

• 3 Tbs (45 mL) oil
• 8 oz (225 g) boneless chicken thighs — thinly sliced
• 3 cloves (9 g) garlic — minced
• 2 large (100 g) eggs
• 8 oz (225 g) rice noodles — pad-thai width
• 3 Tbs (45 g) tamarind paste
• 3 Tbs (45 mL) fish sauce
• 3 Tbs (40 g) brown or palm sugar
• 2 Tbs (30 mL) water
• 2 cups (100 g) bean sprouts
• 3 (45 g) scallions — in 2-in pieces
• ⅓ cup (45 g) roasted peanuts — crushed
• 1 Tbs (15 mL) lime juice — ≈ wedges for serving

Steps

1. Prep — Everything by the stove before the pan gets hot — this cooks in 6 minutes.
2. Heat (high, until shimmering) — 3 Tbs (45 mL) oil.
3. Stir-fry (3–4 min, until the chicken takes color) — the heat from step 2, 8 oz (225 g) boneless chicken thighs, 3 cloves (9 g) garlic.
4. Scramble 30 sec (push the chicken aside, eggs into the space) — the stir-fry from step 3, 2 large (100 g) eggs.
5. Soak 20–30 min (in hot tap water until pliable but not soft; drain) — 8 oz (225 g) rice noodles.
6. Stir until dissolved — 3 Tbs (45 g) tamarind paste, 3 Tbs (45 mL) fish sauce, 3 Tbs (40 g) brown or palm sugar, 2 Tbs (30 mL) water.
7. Toss 2–3 min (until the noodles drink the sauce) — the scramble 30 sec from step 4, the soak 20–30 min from step 5, the stir until dissolved from step 6.
8. Toss 1 min (just until the sprouts barely wilt) — the toss 2–3 min from step 7, 2 cups (100 g) bean sprouts, 3 (45 g) scallions.
9. Finish (peanuts over the top; lime squeezed at the table) — the toss 1 min from step 8, ⅓ cup (45 g) roasted peanuts, 1 Tbs (15 mL) lime juice.