Authentic Chicken and Shrimp Pad Thai
Authentic Chicken and Shrimp Pad Thai will deliver on all of the genuine flavors that Thailand is known for. This recipe will become an instant classic that you and your family will fall in love with.
Pad Thai is perhaps the dish that Thailand is best known for. Pad Thai is essentially a stir-fry consisting of a protein, scrambled eggs, rice noodles, vegetables, peanuts, bean sprouts and a Pad Thai sauce. Typical proteins for this dish are chicken, pork, beef and tofu.
I always leave the bean sprouts uncooked. I stir-fry my main ingredients. Then, once done cooking, the pad Thai is added to a large mixing bowl. The bean sprouts, cilantro and chopped unsalted peanuts remain fresh and uncooked.
The unexpected huge burst of freshness is what sets this pad Thai recipe apart from the rest. The first time that I had Pad Thai prepared for me in this manner was at my surprise bridal shower.
My Stepfather’s family threw me a beautiful shower. It was one of those perfect, summer days. My Stepdad Kevin’s brother-in-law prepared large trays of Pad Thai, paying homage to my Thai heritage. And I must say, it was the best that I had ever had. I’ve only had pad Thai with all of the ingredients stir-fried together. Pad Thai is always delicious but it can be a bit heavy and rich. That’s why having it mixed with fresh ingredients makes such an enormous difference.
Make this Authentic Chicken and Shrimp Pad Thai one time and you will see that it is a game changer! The freshness is next level and the crunch that you get from the unsalted peanuts is perfection. I love any meals that add texture… particularly in the form of nuts. Very Easy Thai Cashew Chicken is one of my favorites.
For this recipe, you will definitely want to aim for that very authentic Thailand feel. That being said, most of the ingredients should be readily available for you at your local grocery store in the Asian food aisle.
For the others, you will have to visit your closest Thai food grocery store. If you don’t live anywhere near one, we live in an amazing day and age where, thankfully, you can order groceries online. I think for the most part, the only item you may have difficulty finding at the grocery store would be tamarind powder. I’ve included a photo below of the one that I purchase.
Thai food is always amazing. It’s fresh, healthy and delicious. Thai food consists of components that are equal parts sweet, sour, salty and hot. Thai Coconut Chicken Drumsticks with Brown Sauce and Spinach is a perfect example of how these flavors all work together. Also, it’s a great recipe to try if you’re just starting out as a beginner on your Thai cooking journey.
Thai food can seem a little intimidating when you begin learning to make it. There are a lot of layers of flavor so you use a lot of different spices and herbs. But once you master your favorite Thai dishes, you’ll never want to order takeout again.
What can I use instead of chicken and/or shrimp?
Pad Thai can be made with a variety of different protein options. Some great substitutions are:
-Beef
-Pork
-Turkey
-Tofu
What other vegetables could I add into my Authentic Chicken and Shrimp Pad Thai?
Adding additional veggies to any dish is never a bad idea. If you’re feeling creative and you want to throw a couple of vegetables into the mix, go for it. Here are a few suggestions:
-Zucchini
-Summer squash
-Carrots
-Snow Peas
-Edamame
-Spinach
Directions:
In an extra large pan sprayed frying pan, add the boneless skinless chicken. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 7 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 7 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside once the chicken is done cooking. While the chicken is cooking, remove the shells from the shrimp.
To the same frying pan, add butter, extra large shrimp, the juice from half of one lime (about 2 tablespoons), ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side until cooked through. Chop the shrimp in half and cut the chicken into 1-inch slices. Set aside. Be sure to add the sauce from the cooking pan into the bowl with the chicken and shrimp. It contains a lot of flavor that you won’t want to lose.
In the meantime, prepare the rice noodles according to the package instructions. Make sure the noodles are cooked al dente. You want the noodles to have a bit of firmness to them because you will be pan frying them as well. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Stir together all of the ingredients for the Pad Thai Sauce. Make sure everything is well combined.
In the extra large frying pan, heat the vegetable oil. Add the chopped garlic, grated ginger and dried Thai chili peppers (chopped in half). If you want a less spicy Pad Thai, remove the seeds from the dried Thai chili peppers. Allow to cook for 1 minute. Then, add the large eggs. Scramble the eggs around in the pan for 1-2 minutes until cooked through.
Add the drained rice noodles to the pan. Mix in half of the Pad Thai Sauce, and the chopped chicken and shrimp. Continue to mix and pan fry for about 2 minutes. Add the remaining half of the Pad Thai Sauce and continue to mix everything well for another 2-3 minutes. If needed, you may add a few more dashes of fish sauce to taste.
Add bean sprouts, chopped unsalted peanuts and chopped cilantro to a large mixing bowl. Add the pan of Pad Thai into the mixing bowl. Mix all of the fresh uncooked ingredients to combine with the Pad Thai fully. Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!
Let me know in the comments below how your Authentic Chicken and Shrimp Pad Thai turned out!
Authentic Chicken and Shrimp Pad Thai
Ingredients
- 1.25 Pounds boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
- ½ + ½ Teaspoon salt
- ½ + ½ Teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 16 Ounces extra large shrimp
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice
- 32 Ounces rice noodles
- ½ Cup vegetable oil
- 5 Cloves garlic
- 3 Tablespoons ginger grated
- 2 Dried Thai chili peppers
- 2 Large eggs
- 12 Ounces bean sprouts
- 1 Cup unsalted peanuts finely chopped
- ¼ Cup cilantro
Pad Thai Sauce
- ½ Cup soy sauce
- ⅓ Cup fish sauce
- 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon sriracha
- 1 Teaspoon tamarind powder
Instructions
- In an extra large pan sprayed frying pan, add the boneless skinless chicken. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Cook for 7 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 7 minutes until cooked through. Set aside once the chicken is done cooking. While the chicken is cooking, remove the shells from the shrimp.
- To the same frying pan, add butter, extra large shrimp, the juice from half of one lime (about 2 tablespoons), ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side until cooked through. Chop the shrimp in half and cut the chicken into 1-inch slices. Set aside. Be sure to add the sauce from the cooking pan into the bowl with the chicken and shrimp. It contains a lot of flavor that you won't want to lose.
- In the meantime, prepare the rice noodles according to the package instructions. Make sure the noodles are cooked al dente. You want the noodles to have a bit of firmness to them because you will be pan frying them as well. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Stir together all of the ingredients for the Pad Thai Sauce. Make sure everything is well combined.
- In the extra large frying pan, heat the vegetable oil. Add the chopped garlic, grated ginger and dried Thai chili peppers (chopped in half). If you want a less spicy Pad Thai, remove the seeds from the dried Thai chili peppers. Allow to cook for 1 minute. Then, add the large eggs. Scramble the eggs around in the pan for 1-2 minutes until cooked through.
- Add the drained rice noodles to the pan. Mix in half of the Pad Thai Sauce, and the chopped chicken and shrimp. Continue to mix and pan fry for about 2 minutes. Add the remaining half of the Pad Thai Sauce and continue to mix everything well for another 2-3 minutes. If needed, you may add a few more dashes of fish sauce to taste.
- Add bean sprouts, chopped unsalted peanuts and chopped cilantro to a large mixing bowl. Add the pan of Pad Thai into the mixing bowl. Mix all of the fresh uncooked ingredients to combine with the Pad Thai fully. Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!
This is by far one of my favorite dishes, it is delicious and healthy! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for checking out my blog post 🙂