Pad Thai

I've had Pad Thai on my mind ever since I ordered a delicious, big bowl of it last week at Noodles & Co. We don't have the chain near us, so I figured I would try and recreate it at home. I dug out a recipe I'd snagged from Family Fun magazine over the winter, made a few adaptations, and went to work. Now, this claims to be "Picky Eater" Pad Thai that kids will love. . . and I have to say, this may not be so. If you're a bit on the picky side like me, I would suggest nixing the fish sauce. But if you're like my husband, and you douse the plate in extra sriracha sauce, you won't really be tasting the fishiness anyway ;)

Ingredients:

For the sauce,
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 cup brown sugar

Juice of two limes

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup fish sauce

2 teaspoons sriracha or hot sauce

1  1/2 cups boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in strips

For the Pad Thai,

12 ounces Pad Thai rice noodles

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 garlic cloves, minced

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup carrots (optional)

For garnish,

Chopped green onion/scallion

Chopped peanuts

Lime wedges

Cilantro (optional)

Directions:

For the sauce, in a medium bowl, pour the 1/2 cup of boiling water over the brown sugar, and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add in the lime juice, vinegar, fish sauce, sriracha, and mix together. Put the chicken in the bowl, stir to coat, and set the bowl aside in the fridge to marinate while you prep the noodles and veggies. 

Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions. (I like to let them soak in a bowl of very hot tap water while I start the stir fry.)

Pour the vegetable oil into a wok or large skillet over high heat. Cook the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the eggs and let them scramble up. Add the chicken and the sauce and cook the chicken until it's no longer pink (about 8 minutes). Next, drain the noodles and incorporate them into the stir fry until they are warmed up.

Remove the pan from heat. (At this point, I sometimes feel like my stir fry is too watery, and I strain out the extra liquid.) Mix in your sprouts and carrots, if desired. Garnish the plates with green onion, lime wedges, peanuts, and cilantro.

Serve and enjoy!