Chicken Pad See Ew (Thai Stir Fried Noodles)
This chicken pad see ew is an easy fresh rice noodle recipe perfect for busy weeknights. The Thai stir-fried noodles come together in just 20 minutes with a balanced salty-sweet sauce for a family-friendly dinner that’s both quick and delicious.
There are countless Thai noodle recipes, so for those who are new to Thai food, here’s a slight introduction to two of the most popular noodle dishes.
Pad see ew vs pad Thai
Beef pad see ew is prepared with fresh wide rice noodles, dark soy sauce, and Chinese broccoli. Its flavor is rich, savory, and a bit sweet.
Beef pad Thai is more tangy and sweet, thanks to the tamarind-based pad Thai sauce. It’s typically served with thinner rice noodles, and some classic ingredients are bean sprouts, dried shrimp, and peanuts.
Pad see ew noodles
The most common noodles for pad see ew are fresh wide rice noodles, known as sen yai in the Thai language. Another noodle variation is with rice vermicelli, known as sen mee pad see ew.
At Thai food markets, the fresh rice noodles are typically charred in a wok to give them a unique smoky flavor. In our former Thai restaurant, this was easily done as we had large carbon steel woks and an extremely high heat stove.
When I make homemade chicken pad see ew, I typically toss the fresh noodles with dark soy sauce before adding them to the wok.
This way, they get their signature rich, caramel color and a slightly sweet flavor that’s unique to this Thai stir-fried noodle dish.
If you want to get that signature smoky flavor, make sure your pan is hot and cook in batches to keep it from getting too crowded.
Thai chicken noodles stir-fry
You’re going to love how easy this pad see ew chicken comes together. It’s the perfect dish for busy days, it’s suited for kids, and you can customize it to anyone’s taste.
It’s a simple Thai noodle dinner that can be made with different proteins – just swap the chicken for pork, beef, or make some tasty shrimp noodles. For the vegetarians, firm tofu works great.
And if you’re having trouble finding fresh wide rice noodles, you can use dried wide rice noodles as a substitute. Just make sure to soak them according to their package labeling.
Plus, it’s fantastic for meal prep – you can easily reheat the noodles when you’re ready, or prepare the vegetables in advance for an even quicker cooking time.
Ingredients
Ingredients can be sourced at Asian grocery stores and Asian markets.
The exact measurements are in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Chicken – Opt for chicken fillets or chicken thighs, or use any protein of your choice.
- Fresh wide rice noodles – You can buy pad see ew noodles, or sen yai, at Asian grocery stores and Asian markets.
- Dark soy sauce – This is the signature pad see ew sauce for tossing with the noodles, giving them a dark color and molasses-like sweetness.
- Oyster sauce – Adds a savory, slightly sweet flavor.
- White pepper
- White sugar – Essential for a flavor balance.
- RosDee seasoning powder – This is a popular Thai seasoning powder that enhances the flavors. Get it at Amazon or Asian supermarkets.
- Chinese broccoli – This is also known as gai lan and Chinese kale. You can try using bok choy if you can’t find Chinese broccoli.
- Carrots – Feel free to customize this recipe with your favorite stir-fry vegetables.
- Onion
- Garlic
- Egg – Coats the noodles, adding richness and texture.
- Oil – Use a neutral oil with high smoke-point, like canola oil or vegetable oil.
How to make pad see ew
Step 1: In a bowl, mix the fresh wide rice noodles with dark soy sauce until evenly coated.
Step 2: Blanch the Chinese broccoli and sliced carrots in boiling water for 30 seconds, then remove them from the water.
Step 3: Heat oil in a pan over medium heat, then cook the chicken until fully cooked. Remove the chicken and set it aside, leaving the oil in the pan.
Step 4: Add garlic to the same pan and sauté until golden brown and fragrant.
Step 5: Break the eggs into the pan and scramble them until fully cooked.
Step 6: Add the wide rice noodles into the pan along with oyster sauce, white pepper, white sugar, and rosdee seasoning powder. Stir well and cook until the noodles are soft.
Step 7: Add the previously cooked vegetables and chicken to the pan. Stir everything together to combine, then serve immediately. Enjoy!
Kitchenware
- Large mixing bowl for tossing the noodles with dark soy sauce
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Knife and a cutting board
- Wok or large frying pan
- Spatula or tongs
Chicken pad see ew recipe tips
Room temperature noodles: Make sure your fresh rice noodles are at room temperature before stir-frying. If you have refrigerated them, let them rest first.
Avoid overcrowding: Cook in batches if needed to make sure you’re frying rather than steaming.
Medium-high heat: Stir-fry over the highest heat that you’re comfortable with to get that smoky flavor.
Prep ahead: Before stir-frying, chop and measure all your ingredients.
Serving suggestions
Serve your chicken pad see ew warm. I like to garnish it with some Thai chili flakes and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Serving noodles with a refreshing drink like Thai tea is always a good idea!
Storing and reheating Thai noodles
Storing: If you have leftovers, let them cool to room temperature before transferring them to an airtight container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Give it a quick reheat in a pan or wok over medium heat. Stir gently to avoid breaking the noodles.
Frequently asked questions
Is pad see ew healthy?
Thai pad see ew can be healthy when made with lean protein, vegetables, and not too much oil.
How many calories in pad see ew?
A typical serving of pad see ew contains approximately 500 to 700 calories, depending on the ingredients used.
Does pad see ew have gluten?
Pad see ew is not gluten-free, as it’s prepared with soy sauce. Additionally, some Asian rice noodle varieties can contain gluten and other ingredients may contain gluten too.
Authentic Thai noodle recipes
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Chicken Pad See Ew (Thai Stir Fried Noodles)
Ingredients
- 7 ounces chicken thinly sliced
- 17.5 ounces fresh wide rice noodles
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1.5 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 tablespoon rosdee seasoning powder see notes
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 3.5 ounces Chinese broccoli peel stems and slice thinly, leaves chopped
- 1.8 ounce carrots thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons oil
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix the fresh wide rice noodles with dark soy sauce until evenly coated.
- Blanch the Chinese broccoli and sliced carrots in boiling water for 30 seconds, then remove them from the water.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat, then cook the chicken until fully cooked. Remove the chicken and set it aside, leaving the oil in the pan.
- Add garlic to the same pan and sauté until golden brown and fragrant.
- Break the eggs into the pan and scramble them until fully cooked.
- Add the wide rice noodles into the pan along with oyster sauce, white pepper, white sugar, and rosdee seasoning powder. Stir well and cook until the noodles are soft.
- Add the previously cooked vegetables and chicken to the pan. Stir everything together to combine, then serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
- RosDee flavor seasoning - This is a popular Thai seasoning powder that enhances the flavors. Get it at Amazon or Asian supermarkets.
Your recipes are always so detailed and easy to make. This pad see ew is one of my favorites.
Thank you so much, Vicki!