Description
When you make chicken mushroom pad thai with peanuts and lemon, you’re bringing together chewy noodles, tender chicken, and earthy mushrooms in one satisfying pan. Rice noodles get tossed with a tangy-sweet sauce, finished with crushed peanuts and fresh lemon to give you that perfect balance of flavors you’re after.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins and Base:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cups cooked Pad Thai noodles (about 14 ounces cooked)
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms (button or cremini)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 2 green onions (scallions), finely sliced
- 4 lemon wedges, for serving
Sauce and Seasonings:
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 4 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce for a non-fish version)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium if desired)
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 4 tablespoons chopped peanuts (plus extra for topping)
Instructions
- Combine 4 tablespoons fish sauce, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes in a small bowl, whisking until your sugar dissolves completely.
- Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a large wok or skillet to medium-high heat.
- Add your 4 thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken thighs and cook for 5-6 minutes at medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until they turn golden and cook through.
- Stir in 1 cup sliced mushrooms and let them soften for 3-4 minutes at the same temperature, until they develop light browning.
- Add 2 teaspoons minced garlic and cook for just 30 seconds at medium-high heat until the aroma hits your nose.
- Push your chicken mixture to the side and crack 2 large eggs into the empty space, scrambling them until fully cooked at medium-high heat.
- Mix the cooked eggs back into your chicken and mushroom combination.
- Add 3 cups cooked Pad Thai noodles and 1 cup bean sprouts to the skillet.
- Pour your prepared sauce over everything and toss for 2-3 minutes at medium-high heat, stirring frequently until the noodles turn glossy and soak up the sauce.
- Remove from heat and fold in 2 finely sliced green onions and 4 tablespoons chopped peanuts.
- Transfer to your serving plates and top with extra peanuts, then serve with 4 lemon wedges alongside for squeezing.
Notes
- Don’t skip dissolving the sugar completely in your sauce, as it ensures even flavoring throughout the dish rather than grainy pockets of sweetness.
- Cook your chicken in a single layer at first so it browns properly instead of steaming, then stir only occasionally for the best color.
- If your noodles seem dry after tossing, add a splash of water or extra sauce since rice noodles absorb liquid quickly and can clump together.
- A squeeze of fresh lemon right before eating brightens the flavors and cuts through the richness of the peanuts and sauce, so let each person adjust the tang to their taste.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-17 minutes
- Category: Sautéed Chicken
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 950 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg