Inspired by the pad thai at Thai Tom, this recipe features a tamarind paste, vinegar, sugar, and fish sauce mixture over perfectly stir-fried eggs, chicken breast, and rice noodles, garnished with peanuts, chives, and fresh bean sprouts.

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces dried rice noodles
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • ½ cup distilled white vinegar
  • ¼ cup fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons garlic, minced
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 1 ½ tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup coarsely ground peanuts
  • 2 cups bean sprouts
  • ½ cup chopped fresh chives
  • 1 tablespoon paprika, or to taste
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

Step 1
Place rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with several inches of room temperature water; let soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Drain.

Step 2
Whisk sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, and tamarind paste in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, remove from heat.

Step 3
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir until chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.

Step 4
Heat 1 tablespoon oil and minced garlic in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Stir in eggs; scramble until eggs are nearly cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add cooked chicken breast slices and rice noodles; stir to combine.

Step 5
Stir in tamarind mixture, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and salt; cook until noodles are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in peanuts; cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with bean sprouts, chives, paprika, and lime wedges.