Look on the menu of any Thai restaurant and you’ll see Pad Thai. It’s Thailand’s most well-known noodle dish. It’s typically made with cooked rice noodles, chicken, tofu, or shrimp, crushed peanuts, bean sprouts, garlic, and egg, all stir-fried together in a sauce. My version has chicken and still incorporates all the other ingredients. I’ve made it skinnier by using only 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, egg whites, and boneless, skinless, chicken breasts. For a bit of spice, I’ve added red pepper flakes. Each serving has 360 calories and 5 grams of fat. Don’t be surprised if it becomes one of your most requested Asian-style dishes to make. My husband loves it so much we recently had it three days in a row!
Ingredients
Ingredients for Pad Thai:
- 8 ounces rice noodles, see shopping tips
- ¼ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, about 2 limes
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar or rice vinegar, see shopping tips
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Cooking spray, I used olive oil spray
- 1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breast or tenders, cut into bite-size strips
- 6 cloves garlic, (about 2 tablespoons) minced
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil or any vegetable oil, see shopping tips
- 1½ cup bean sprouts
- ¼ cup green onions, sliced
Ingredients for Topping:
- ¼ cup peanuts, chopped, optional
- ¼ cup green onions, sliced
- Red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in noodles. Let stand for 8 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together the chicken broth, lime juice, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- Coat a large nonstick pan with cooking spray. Add chicken and cook over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Stir often. Add garlic and continue to cook and stir for about 2-3 minutes until chicken is no longer pink. Transfer to a plate or bowl and set aside.
- Coat the pan again with cooking spray. Add the egg whites and scramble until cooked. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add drained noodles and sprouts. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth mixture, cooked chicken, and egg whites. Continue to cook and stir for 1-2 minutes until hot.
- Divide Pad Thai among 5 bowls or plates. Top each with little peanuts (optional) and green onions. Add a very little amount of red pepper flakes to each or let everybody add their own if desired.
Notes
Makes 5 servings (each serving about 1½ cups)
Food Facts
Many restaurants let diners choose how hot their food is by asking how many stars they’d like it to be (one star being on the milder side). In a Thai restaurant, those who like fiery food can add more heat by adding a famous Asian chili sauce called Sriracha. I’m using red pepper flakes to add some heat.
Shopping Tips
I bought a box of Thai Kitchen’s Stir-Fry Rice Noodles. These are gluten-free. All Asian noodles can be found in the Asian section of the supermarket. Be sure to buy rice noodles. Small bottles of sesame oil can be found in the Asian section. I like toasted sesame oil, but any sesame oil will work or vegetable oil, such as canola. Trader Joe’s also carries toasted sesame oil. Seasoned rice vinegar can also be found in the same Asian section or where vinegar is sold.
Prep Tips
This dish is much easier to cook if you gather all the ingredients and do the prep work first. Once ready to stir fry, it will come together very quickly!
WW Freestyle SmartPoints 7-Blue (without peanut topping)
WW SmartPoints 9-Green (without peanut topping)
WW POINTS PLUS 10 (without peanut topping)
Food Facts
Many restaurants let diners choose how hot their food is by asking how many stars they’d like it to be (one star being on the milder side). In a Thai restaurant, those who like fiery food can add more heat by adding a famous Asian chili sauce called Sriracha. I’m using red pepper flakes to add some heat.
Shopping Tips
I bought a box of Thai Kitchen’s Stir-Fry Rice Noodles. These are gluten-free. All Asian noodles can be found in the Asian section of the supermarket. Be sure to buy rice noodles. Small bottles of sesame oil can be found in the Asian section. I like toasted sesame oil, but any sesame oil will work or vegetable oil, such as canola. Trader Joe’s also carries toasted sesame oil. Seasoned rice vinegar can also be found in the same Asian section or where vinegar is sold.
Prep Tips
This dish is much easier to cook if you gather all the ingredients and do the prep work first. Once ready to stir fry, it will come together very quickly!
WW Freestyle SmartPoints 7-Blue (without peanut topping)
WW SmartPoints 9-Green (without peanut topping)
WW POINTS PLUS 10 (without peanut topping)
| SKINNY FACTS: for 1 serving (about 1½ cups) 360 calories, 5g fat, 1g sat. fat, 27g protein, 54g carbs, 1g fiber, 225mg sodium, 8g sugar |
| FACTS: for Freestyle SmartPoints 217 calories, 0g sat. fat, 6g sugar, 3g protein |
Skinny Facts
Serving: 1.5cupsCalories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 27gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 225mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gBlue Smart Points: 7Green Smart Points: 9Plus Points: 10
