Description
Pad See Ew is a classic Thai stir-fried noodle dish featuring wide rice noodles, tender chicken, and crisp Chinese broccoli all tossed in a flavorful sauce made from dark soy, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. This quick and easy stir-fry delivers a perfect balance of savory, sweet, and slightly tangy flavors with a delightful smoky caramelization on the noodles.
Ingredients
Scale
Noodles
- 200g / 7 oz dried wide rice stick noodles, or 450g / 15 oz fresh wide flat rice noodles (Sen Yai)
Sauce
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp white vinegar (plain white vinegar)
- 2 tsp sugar (any type)
Stir Fry
- 3 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil, separated
- 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
- 150g / 5 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced
- 1 large egg
- 4 stems Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan), trimmed and cut
Instructions
- Prepare the Vegetables and Noodles: Trim the ends off the Chinese broccoli and cut into 7.5cm (3 inch) pieces. Separate the leaves from the stems, and slice the thick stems vertically in half so they’re no wider than 0.8cm (0.3 inches). Prepare the noodles according to packet instructions and drain. Set aside the sauce by mixing dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar until the sugar dissolves.
- Heat the Oil: Heat 1 tablespoon of peanut or vegetable oil in a very large heavy-based skillet or wok over high heat until hot.
- Sauté Garlic and Chicken: Add the finely chopped garlic to the hot oil and cook for 15 seconds until fragrant. Add the sliced chicken thighs and stir-fry until the meat changes color from pink to mostly white.
- Cook Chinese Broccoli Stems: Add the Chinese broccoli stems to the wok and continue stir-frying until the chicken is almost cooked through.
- Add Chinese Broccoli Leaves: Toss in the Chinese broccoli leaves and stir-fry until just wilted, careful not to overcook.
- Scramble the Egg: Push all ingredients to one side of the wok and crack in the egg. Scramble it gently until cooked.
- Remove Cooked Ingredients: Transfer the chicken, vegetables, and egg out of the wok onto a plate, scraping the wok clean.
- Caramelize the Noodles: Return the wok to the stove and heat 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat until it begins to smoke (very hot). Add the prepared noodles and the sauce mixture. Toss as few times as possible over 1 to 1.5 minutes, allowing the noodles to caramelize and develop slightly charred edges.
- Combine and Finish: Quickly add the cooked chicken, vegetables, and egg back into the wok with the noodles. Toss everything together to combine and heat through evenly.
- Serve Immediately: Plate the Pad See Ew hot and enjoy the crunchy edges and savory-sweet flavors.
Notes
- Pad See Ew is traditionally made with fresh wide rice noodles called Sen Yai, which can be hard to find outside Thai grocery stores. Using wide dried rice stick noodles commonly found in supermarkets is a convenient substitute.
- Dark soy sauce gives a deeper flavor and a rich brown color; it can be substituted with regular soy sauce but flavor and color will be lighter.
- The light soy sauce adds saltiness without overpowering the dish; do not substitute it with more dark soy sauce.
- Chicken thighs can be substituted for other proteins suited to stir-frying, such as tofu, prawns, or beef.
- If Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan) is unavailable, use pak choy, bok choy, or broccolini cut lengthwise as alternatives.
- Cook noodles just before stir-frying to avoid them breaking apart in the wok.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/2 recipe)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
