Chicken Pad Thai

If you served me this pad thai at the age of twenty and told me that one day in the future I’d be making it on my own, I would have never believed you. Granted my culinary skills at twenty were…nonexistent. I was so unfamiliar with the art of cooking that grilling a chicken breast was practically sorcery. I’ve come a long way since then. However, even as a seasoned chef, I’m really proud of this dish. Anytime I make it, I joyfully blurt out to my boyfriend “I can’t believe I made this!” in between bites.

That’s why I am sooo excited to share this recipe with you! If you’re newer to cooking, you’ll get a boost of confidence making it. And if you’re an expert in the kitchen, this recipe is a great addition to your repertoire. No matter your skill level, I want you to have the same “I can’t believe I made this!” outburst.

I planned on sharing this recipe with you sooner, but no matter how much I made, my boyfriend and I never had leftovers, so I couldn’t take a picture. There’s some dishes that no matter how many servings you make, there’s never enough, and this pad thai is definitely one of them. It’s packed with balanced, rich flavors. The peanuts and bean sprouts provide a crunchy contrast to the smooth noodles. It tastes so fresh and complex that each bite brings a new depth of flavor that’ll keep you going back for more.

The only downside with this recipe is that once you make it, you’ll never want restaurant or takeout pad thai again. I honestly think this pad thai beats a lot of restaurants in a blind tasting. Plus, it’s a fraction of the cost to make at home.

Okay, time for chicken pad thai!

Ingredients

Sauce

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• one pea size amount of tamarind concentrate*

Noodles

• 2 chicken breast halves, raw and thawed
• 1 (12 oz. package) dried rice (or pad thai) noodles
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp. garlic, minced
• 4 eggs
• 1 & 1/2 tbsp. white sugar
• 1 & 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup peanuts, ground
• 1/2 cup fresh chives (or green onion), chopped
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 1 (8 oz. package) bean sprouts

Directions

1. Bake chicken breasts in preheated oven at 350° for 20 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Cut chicken breasts into cubes and set aside.
2. Soak rice noodles in water according to package directions. Drain noodles. In large skillet or wok over medium heat, warm oil. Add garlic and eggs. Scramble the eggs. Add noodles and stir until noodles are cooked (if required). Add chicken cubes and stir.
   
3. In medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/2 cup white sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and tamarind concentrate.
4. In large bowl, combine noodle/chicken mixture and sauce. Stir in 1 & 1/2 tablespoons sugar, salt, peanuts, chives, and paprika. Serve with bean sprouts on top.
   

*Use very, very little tamarind concentrate- the size of one pea.