I love me some Thai cuisine. The fried rice, the noodle dishes, the spicy kick of curry – it’s all so good. I’m picky when it comes to dining out, but I have a few select favorite Thai restaurants that never disappoint in the delicious department. Two weeks ago I decided to get a little wild and crazy in the kitchen and try my hand at chicken Pad Thai. After sharing a couple of pictures on Instagram and Facebook people immediately started requesting me to share the recipe. And for good reason, because it tastes just as good as it looks!
Now traditional Pad Thai calls for fish sauce, which honestly never appeals to my senses, however, it’s a staple ingredient in this popular dish, so I didn’t want to leave it out. But when making this, I wanted something that was authentic but different and homemade tasting at the same time. Basically, I wanted it to taste like my own, not like I bought it from a restaurant. Cooking is so much more than just putting a few random ingredients together and calling it a meal. For me, it’s an art. It’s all about being creative in the kitchen, and playing with spices, flavors and fresh ingredients to really make each dish my own. I really had noooo idea how it would come out when it came down to giving this a shot. But it was love at first bite and my husband enjoyed it so much he went back for seconds and thirds. It was flavorful, healthy and simple to make.
So if you’re a fan of Thai fare, and you’re feeling like you need to switch up what you whip up in the kitchen, give this recipe a shot. It’s healthy, unique and flavorful, and it has quickly become a #ChefParke family favorite!
Enjoy!
- 1lb boneless chicken (breast or skinless thighs)
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 pepper, chopped (any color)
- 2-3 small carrots, shredded
- 1 cup baby corn
- 3/4 cup of peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
- 1/2 cup unsalted chicken broth
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup of honey
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 freshly squeezed lime
- Crushed red pepper (to taste)
- Rice noodles or brown rice (I used rice noodles)
- Garnishes
- 1-2 Lime, cut into wedges
- Cilantro
- Crushed peanuts
- Scallions
- Place chopped pepper, onion and chicken into the crockpot
- In a mixing bowl, add peanut butter, chicken broth, soy sauce, fish sauce, honey and 1 freshly juiced lime and stir to mix well.
- Evenly spread sauce on top of the chicken, peppers and onions
- Add baby corn and shredded carrots
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4.
- When the chicken is fully cooked, take two forks and pull chicken apart to shred. Stir well and serve over rice noodles or brown rice. Garnish with crushed peanuts, cilantro and/ or scallions, freshly squeezed lime and crushed red pepper to taste.
- Leftovers reheat better on the stove than in the microwave.