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Pad See Ew is one of those dishes that gets in your head. You eat it once, and the next thing you know, you’re thinking about it at odd hours, wondering how something so uncomplicated can taste so perfect. Chewy flat rice noodles, tender chicken, fresh Chinese broccoli, and a hit of smoke from the blazing hot wok. Simple ingredients that come together to make magic.
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You don’t need anything fancy to make this. It’s just a handful of ingredients, and some high heat. And, yeah, you could keep going back to that little Thai spot you love, but with this recipe, you can make it in your own kitchen. You won’t even miss takeout.
How Chicken Pad See Ew Connects to Thai Street Food
Traveling through Thailand, I saw pad see ew everywhere—from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, this stir-fry shows up in market stalls, street-side pop-ups, and restaurants. The smoky flavor comes from the high-heat cooking and the sauce that clings to each noodle. What I love most about this dish is how easy it is to adjust. Chicken is a classic choice, but you can swap it out for pork, beef, or tofu. The key is keeping the wok or skillet scorching hot to develop that slight char on the noodles.
This recipe doesn’t require tons of ingredients—it’s all about how they come together. Once you’ve made this dish a couple of times, it’s easy to experiment by throwing in extra veggies or changing up the protein. But really, the simplicity is what makes it special.
Ingredients You Need
Most of the ingredients you need to make Pad See Ew with Chicken are available at any supermarket, but there are a few you may need to visit an Asian grocery store for. Here’s what you need:
- Chicken breast: Sliced thin for quick cooking and marinated for extra flavor.
- White pepper: A little goes a long way in seasoning the chicken.
- Garlic: Chopped, not minced, to give you a nice punch of flavor.
- Thai or Chinese light soy sauce: Not your regular soy sauce—this is thinner and less salty.
- Oyster sauce: Adds a rich, umami flavor to the stir-fry sauce.
- Sweet soy sauce: Thicker and sweeter than regular soy sauce, it balances out the saltiness.
- Fish sauce: Adds depth and that signature funky flavor.
- Sugar: Just a touch to balance the savory elements.
- Oil: For stir-frying, and make sure to get your wok or skillet hot before adding it. Use a high smoke point oil. I use avocado oil because it has a very high smoke point and practically no flavor at all.
- Gai lan (Chinese broccoli): Adds a fresh, slightly bitter crunch that balances out the rich sauce.
- Eggs: Scrambled in the wok to add extra richness.
- Fresh wide, flat rice noodles: Essential for the chewy, satisfying texture of the dish.
- Chili oil: Optional, but it’s great for adding a spicy kick when serving.
How To Make Pad See Ew with Chicken
Despite the longer ingredient list, you’ll be surprised at how quick this dish is to make. Here’s how:
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- Marinate the chicken: Toss the chicken with white pepper, half of the garlic, and some soy sauce. Let it sit for about 10 minutes while you prep the other ingredients.
- Mix the sauce: Combine the oyster sauce, sweet soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and the remaining soy sauce in a small bowl.
- Prep the noodles: Pour boiling water over the fresh rice noodles to soften them, then drain and separate them with your hands.
- Stir-fry the chicken: Heat your wok over high heat until it’s smoking hot. Add the oil, then the marinated chicken. Stir-fry until the chicken is just cooked through.
- Add the gai lan: Throw the remaining garlic and gai lan into the wok with the chicken. Cook until the gai lan has wilted down a bit.
- Scramble the eggs: Push the chicken and vegetables to one side of the wok and crack the eggs in. Scramble them until they’re cooked, then mix everything together.
- Finish with the noodles: Add the noodles and sauce to the wok, letting the noodles get a slight char. Toss everything together until well-coated with the sauce and heated through.
- Serve: Transfer the stir-fry to a serving dish and drizzle with chili oil, if desired.
Expert Tips for Success
This dish is all about simplicity. Here are a few key tips to guarantee it turns out just right.
- Prep ahead: To save time, peel and chop the garlic ahead of time, and have your sauces mixed and ready to go.
- High heat is key: Make sure your wok or skillet is screaming hot before you start cooking. This is what gives the noodles that slightly charred flavor that makes Pad See Ew so good.
- Don’t overcook the noodles: Fresh rice noodles just need a quick soak in hot water to soften—they’ll cook in the wok or skillet. Overcooking them will make them mushy.
More Ways to Use Flat Rice Noodles
Flat rice noodles are incredibly versatile, and Pad See Ew is just the start. You can use them in stir-fries like Beef Chow Fun and the classic Pad Thai. If you’ve got extra noodles on hand, you can also try making Garlic Chili Oil Noodles.
This recipe is special because it takes a beloved street food and makes it accessible for the home cook. The balance of flavors, the high-heat stir-fry, and the texture of fresh noodles make it one of my go-to comfort meals. Once you try it, you’ll see why Pad See Ew is such a favorite. Try it out the next time you want something hearty, satisfying, and easy to make. You won’t be disappointed.
Pad See Ew with Chicken
Ingredients
- ½ pound boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced into thin strips
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 4 garlic cloves chopped
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon Thai or Chinese light soy sauce* divided
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ¾ pound gai lan Chinese broccoli
- 2 large eggs
- 16 ounces fresh wide flat rice noodles
- Chili oil for serving
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with white pepper, half of the garlic, and ¼ cup soy sauce. Let marinate for 10 minutes.
- Combine the oyster sauce, sweet soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and remaining soy sauce in a small bowl.
- Pour boiling water over the fresh rice noodles to soften. Drain and separate the noodles by hand.
- Heat a wok over high heat until smoking. Add the oil, then the chicken. Stir-fry until browned.
- Add the gai lan and remaining garlic. Stir-fry until the gai lan wilts.
- Push everything to one side of the wok and scramble the eggs on the empty side.
- Add the noodles and sauce, tossing to coat and char slightly.
- Serve with chili oil if desired.
Nutrition
Robin Donovan is an AP syndicated writer, recipe developer, food photographer, and author of more than 40 cookbooks including the bestsellers Ramen Obsession and Ramen for Beginners. Her work is featured by major media outlets including Huffington Post, MSN, Chicago Sun-Times, Orlando Sentinel, Buzzfeed, Cooking Light, Mercury News, Seattle Times, Pop Sugar, and many others. More about Robin