Chicken Pad See Ew

By Arnold Myint

Updated Dec. 2, 2025

Chicken Pad See Ew
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.
Total Time
55 minutes
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Rating
4(16)
Comments
Read comments

As more people have become hip to Thai food, they’ve begun abandoning the classics that got them hooked on the cuisine in the first place. I’m all for skipping pad Thai, but this version of pad see ew, adapted from my book “Family Thai” (Abrams, 2025), written with Kat Thompson, is a kid favorite that I will never give up on. The char on the chewy rice noodles, the fresh and leafy gai lan, and the fluffy bites of egg make this dish a textural masterpiece. I’ve never gotten sick of it. “Pad” means stir-fry or wok-fry, and “see ew” means soy sauce, so the dish is exactly what it claims to be. One thing I love about it is that it goes with pretty much every protein: Chicken works great, and so do fatty cuts of pork, beef, shrimp or tofu. I even occasionally swap the rice noodles for pappardelle for a Thai-Talian twist I’ve coined “papp see ew.” In fact, you can use any size rice noodle (although wide, flat noodles are most traditional). Although pad see ew is hard to make at home without really high heat and a wok, it’s still possible to replicate it and get the street vendor vibes you want by using a stainless-steel skillet that can heat evenly and stay hot throughout the cooking process. In true Thai fashion, this dish gets finished with prik nam som (chile vinegar).

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For the Noodles

    • 1(8-ounce/225-gram) package dried long, flat rice noodles or fresh noodles or dried pappardelle (see Tips)

    For the Oyster-soy Sauce Chicken

    • ½cup oyster sauce
    • ¼cup Thai seasoning sauce or low-sodium soy sauce
    • ¼cup black soy sauce (see Tips)
    • 2tablespoons sugar
    • 6ounces skinless, boneless chicken thighs, sliced (about 2 thighs)

    For the Stir-fry

    • 2tablespoons neutral oil, such as sunflower
    • 2large eggs
    • 4ounces firm or extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into ¼-inch-wide rectangles
    • ¼white onion, sliced
    • 2tablespoons finely chopped garlic
    • 2cups mixed mushrooms (4 ounces), such as trumpet, oyster, shiitake and cremini, trimmed and sliced
    • 4ounces gai lan (Chinese broccoli), cut into 2-inch pieces
    • 4scallions, pale green and white parts only, cut into 1-inch pieces
    • ½teaspoon ground white pepper, plus more for serving
    • Store-bought or homemade fried garlic, for serving
    • Store-bought or homemade prik nam som (chile vinegar), for serving (see Tips)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

635 calories; 27 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 66 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 31 grams protein; 2667 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the noodles: If using dried rice noodles, put the noodles in a large bowl and pour warm water over them (for other types of noodles, see Tips). Let stand until soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain and set aside. Just before cooking, fill a large saucepan three-quarters full of water and bring to a boil over high heat.

  2. Step 2

    Make the oyster-soy sauce chicken: In a medium, nonreactive bowl, combine the oyster sauce, Thai seasoning, black soy sauce and sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Coat the chicken with ¼ cup of the sauce and let stand for 5 minutes to marinate. Reserve the remaining sauce.

  3. Step 3

    Stir-fry the noodles: In a large skillet, heat the oil over high until it shimmers. Crack the eggs into the pan and cook until the whites begin to set and the yolks harden, breaking them slightly. They’re not scrambled in pieces but should look more like a broken omelet. Add the marinated chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is opaque, about 2 minutes. Add the tofu, onion and garlic, and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, gai lan and scallions, and stir until combined. Stir in the white pepper.

  4. Step 4

    Blanch the drained rice noodles in the boiling water for 10 to 15 seconds. Drain the noodles, transfer them to the skillet and stir together. Drizzle in as much of the remaining oyster-soy sauce as desired, adjusting to taste (and keeping in mind that the sauce will reduce and intensify as it heats), and cook, stirring, until the sauce deepens in color and the noodles are tender, about 2 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Transfer to a platter and then garnish with fried garlic and white pepper, and serve immediately with a side of prik nam som.

Tips
  • If using fresh noodles, place them directly into the skillet — there is no need to soak them or blanch them in boiling water. Or, to make “papp” see ew, cook pappardelle noodles according to the package instructions and place them directly into the skillet when the noodles are added.
  • Black soy sauce is a dark, less salty version of soy sauce used in Thai cooking to add savory flavor and a dark, rich color to dishes. Find it online or at Thai or Asian markets.
  • To make prik nam som, combine 1 cup distilled white vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt in a 16-ounce lidded glass jar. Cover and shake until the sugar is fully dissolved. Add 6 sliced large garlic cloves and 4 sliced large serrano chiles, then cover and shake again to combine. Store in the refrigerator overnight. Serve at room temperature. (The vinegar will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)

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4 out of 5
16 user ratings
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Comments

Russ

Step 3 begins with "Stir-fry the noodles:" then goes on to describe how to cook the eggs, chicken, tofu, and veggies, without ever mentioning the noodles. The noodles aren't added to the skillet until Step 4. Step 3 should be retitled something like "Stir-fry the eggs, meat, and veggies".

Megan

@Careful Reader One of my Thai friends swears by Maggi seasoning sauce.

JJ

Question: What is "Thai seasoning sauce"

ADR

Any tips on finding these noodles? I have never had any luck at H Mart.

MarianneCT

I have a shellfish allergy; does anyone have a good substitute for oyster sauce?

B

Broccolini is a good substitute for those wondering where to source gai lan

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Credits

Adapted from “Family Thai,” by Arnold Myint and Kat Thompson (Abrams, 2025)

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