Nothing Fishy About This Pad Thai

I really like Pad Thai. There’s just something about fish sauce I can’t quite stomach, so that’s why I tried this No Fish Sauce Veggie & Chicken Pad Thai. If a dish is prepared for me with it, no problem. If I have to use it, I just can’t do it. Although the fish sauce does add that tanginess and a richer flavor to Thai dishes, I’d rather omit it. I kept the tanginess and acidity by adding soy sauce. For this vegan/vegetarian Pad Thai sauce, keep the whole dish meatless by substituting the chicken and egg for tofu as your protein, but either way, it’s gluten-free! I added more veggies than the traditional dish and kept it 50/50 with rice noodles and zoodles. The bean sprouts and chopped peanuts add a contrasting crunch to the soft noodles, while the cilantro contributes a whole new level of freshness. Toss in shredded carrots, snap peas and bean sprouts and this dish is packed with a little something extra.

Ingredients (serves 4-6).

For the Sauce:

1 T light olive oil
1½ T brown sugar
Fresh lime juice from 1/2 lime
3 T reduced sodium soy sauce
1-2 t sriracha to taste
2 T creamy peanut butter, no salt added

For the Dish:

16 oz chicken (breast, thighs or tenders)
6 oz. Pad Thai rice noodles
1 egg, beaten
1 T light olive oil
1 large zucchini, spiralized
2 c matchstick carrots
2 c snap peas
1 scallion, finely shopped
2 c bean sprouts, washed
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
1/4 c chopped peanuts
Lime wedges to garnish (optional)

Directions.

Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place chicken in a deep baking dish. Bake for about 30 min or until fully cooked through. Once cool, cut into small 1/2 inch cubes. Set aside.
In a wok, whisk together ingredients for the sauce over medium to high heat. Continue stirring until peanut butter dissolves. Carefully pour out of pan and into a dish for later use; set aside sauce.
In the same wok, add 1 t oil and scramble egg. Once cooked, remove from heat and keep covered and warmed on a plate.
To same wok, add remaining 2 t of oil and “cook” zucchini noodles and carrots. Once zucchini noodles are translucent, about 3-5 minutes, add in reserved sauce, cooked rice noodles and baked chicken. Toss until noodles are well-coated.
Steam snap peas according to package directions. Add cooked snap peas into noodle-veggie mixture. Reduce to low heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes until everything is warm. Remove from heat.
Fold in washed bean sprouts and chopped scallions to Pad Thai mixture.
Top with chopped peanuts and chopped fresh cilantro (optional) and garnish with a lime wedge (optional).
Serve warm and enjoy!