Pad See Ew
Thai street food at its finest — wide rice noodles wok-fried until smoky and charred at the edges, tossed with tender chicken, soft egg and Chinese broccoli in a sweet-savory soy glaze. Ten minutes in a screaming-hot wok and dinner tastes like Bangkok.
Prep
20 min
Cook
10 min
Total
30 min
Serves
4
Ingredients
Noodles
- 14 oz fresh wide rice noodles (sen yai), separated into strands
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided, plus more as needed
Protein
- 12 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs, sliced thin against the grain
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
Vegetables
- 8 oz Chinese broccoli (gai lan), stems sliced thin on the diagonal, leaves coarsely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp regular soy sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp white sugar
To serve
- White vinegar, for drizzling
- Crushed dried Thai chiles (optional)
Method
- 1
tir the dark soy, regular soy, oyster sauce, fish sauce and sugar together until the sugar dissolves, and set everything within arm's reach — stir-fries move fast. If the rice noodles are cold and stuck together, microwave 30 seconds and gently separate into strands. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Sear the chicken in a single layer, undisturbed, for 1 minute, then stir-fry 1–2 minutes more until just cooked. Transfer to a plate. Add a splash of oil, pour in the eggs and scramble about 30 seconds until just set but soft, then push to the side.
- 2
Add the remaining oil and the noodles. Spread them out and leave them completely alone for 45–60 seconds until you smell char and see browned edges — that's the wok hei. Toss and char once more. Push the noodles aside, add the garlic and broccoli stems to the space and stir-fry 30 seconds, then toss everything together and add the leaves for 30 seconds until just wilted. Return the chicken and eggs, pour the sauce around the wok's edges so it sizzles on the hot metal, and toss vigorously 30–60 seconds until the noodles are glossy and coated with caramelized spots. Serve immediately with vinegar and crushed chiles on the side.
Tips
- Fresh wide rice noodles are the dish — find them refrigerated at Asian markets labeled "hor fun" or "sen yai." Dried won't give the right chew.
- A blazing-hot wok is non-negotiable; if your stove runs cool, cook in two batches so the heat never drops.
- Vegetarian? Pressed tofu instead of chicken, mushroom oyster sauce and extra soy instead of fish sauce.
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