Authentic Pad See Ew noodles stir-fried with chicken is one of the most delicious Thai noodle dishes! It uses wide rice noodles, garlic, eggs, sauces, and Chinese broccoli. This popular street food has a silky and savory flavor from Thai sauces, making this Pad See Ew recipe delightful.

Make a run to your local Asian grocery stores and grab some key ingredients to make Pad See Ew. Once you have all the ingredients, you’ll master this popular Thai noodle dish in no time! It’s a perfect dish for an easy weeknight dinner.

What is Pad See Ew?

Pad See Ew is a popular Thai noodle stir-fried with wider rice Noodles seasoned with various soy sauces and seasonings. It is typically cooked with eggs and leafy greens. Chinese broccoli is added to make it a hearty and tasty Thai dish. Like many stir fry dishes in Thai food, Pad See Ew has a strong influence originating from Chinese cuisine.

Wok Hay, Wok Hey, Wok Hei. Oh, Hi & Hey!

In restaurants, Pad See ew is typically cooked at high temperatures to achieve the wok hei flavor, a chargrilled flavor from a quick cook of stir-fried dishes in wok. It’s a cooking technique common in Asian cooking that is hard to achieve when doing a home cook version. Use your highest setting possible when making Pad See ew.

These are just some of the names and spellings of this popular Thai noodle dish (ผัดซีอิ๊ว). Pad Sew Ew, Phat Si-io, Pad Siew, Phat See Ew. Look for these spellings or names in Thai or Asian restaurants that serve these stir fry noodles.

How do you pronounce Pad See Ew?

How do you pronounce pad see ew properly? Let’s break down the words. Pad = Stir fry, See Ew = Soy Sauce.  Instead of Pad, it’s pronounced Pud.  “See, Eew,” emphasizing a higher pitch tone on the word “Eew.” That’s how the dish gets its name. A stir-frying noodles dish using soy sauce.

Ingredients for Making Pad See Ew

• Wide rice noodles. Use fresh wide rice noodles for best results. Large fresh flat rice noodles like chow fun noodles are best for making Pad See ew. Use fresh noodles as soon as possible since they tend to harden quickly. But if you can’t find fresh or supple wide rice noodles, find the widest dry ones.
• Using dry noodles. If fresh rice noodles are unavailable, use the widest dry ones. Soak the dry noodles in a large bowl in hot water to hydrate them back to life before stir-frying. Once soft, drain, rinse once with cold water, and add a tablespoon of oil to keep the noodles from sticking to each other. Leave at room temperature while prepping other ingredients.
• Chinese broccoli. Or called Gai Lan in Chinese, it uses both the leafy parts and the stems. Regular broccoli, both the stems and the broccoli florets, broccolini, and bok choy are fine as substitutes.
• Protein. This recipe uses chicken, but protein like beef, pork, shrimp, or tofu works great. Cut the protein into small pieces for a quicker cooking time. All pair well, and it’s up to your personal preference on this one. (:
• Sugar. This recipe can use white, palm, or brown sugar. Honey and agave are also great options for sweeteners. Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved in the sauce before cooking. Microwave for a few seconds to help melt the sugar if necessary.
• Ground white pepper. Don’t skip out on this distinctive Thai flavor, but substitute black pepper if you can’t find white pepper instead.

Authentic Pad See Ew Sauce

• Oyster Sauce. Oyster sauce is crucial for making Authentic Pad See Ew. Use a Thai brand from your local Asian stores if you are able.
• Light soy sauce. Find it at your local Asian stores. Substitute regular soy sauce or coco aminos.
• Dark soy sauce. The black soy sauce helps color the noodles with that beautiful golden-brown color that Pad See Ew is known for. The black soy sauce also has a distinctly deep, caramelized flavor that gives the recipe a little edge that I find missing in many Thai restaurants.
• Soybean paste. I recommend you don’t skip out on this key ingredient when Making Pad See Ew. It makes the recipe Authentic with its very distinctive umami flavor.
• Dark sweet soy sauce. Sweet soy sauce has a thicker consistency than regular soy sauce and adds a sweet flavor to the stir-fry. You can use molasses instead if you can’t find the sweet soy sauce, make sure to adjust your Pad See Ew taste towards the end.
• Rice wine vinegar. You can substitute apple cider vinegar, lime, or lemon juice. My recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar. If you use a substitute, try adding just 1 table first, taste a small sample, then add more if necessary.

How to make authentic Pad See Ew noodles stir-fried with chicken

Step 1. Prepare the noodles by cutting them into 4-6 large pieces, microwave until they are softened, then separate the sheets. Set aside. See note for more detailed instructions. Combine the sauces in a small bowl, stir, and set aside.

Step 2. Heat a large wok or large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until lightly browned.

Step 3. Add chicken and cook until it turns slightly brown. It takes about 5-6 minutes.

Step 4. Push the chicken to one side of the wok and add the eggs to the other side. Scramble the egg for 2-3 minutes until you get a nice fluffy egg texture. Gently mix the eggs in with the chicken. Add half the sauce to the chicken mixture, and stir lightly.

Step 5. Add the Rice Noodles and the stems of the Chinese broccoli. Save the leafy part towards the end. 

Step 6. Add the rest of the sauce and stir gently together. Cook for 2 minutes or so until you get tender and chewy pan-fried rice noodles in the wok.

Step 7. Add the remaining leafy part of the Chinese broccoli, stir well with the rest of the mixture, turn the heat off and remove from the stovetop.

Step 8. Serve the noodles on serving plates, and add ground white pepper and chili vinegar to add heat and zest. Enjoy!

Kitchen notes and helpful tips 

• Use a flat and thin-edge wooden spoon or spatula for stir-frying. The thinner tip will not break up the noodles or the eggs as much since they are both very fragile and soft and break easily during tossing and stir-frying.
• For a more tender and juicy chicken, soak 1 teaspoon of baking soda and ¼ cup of water with the chicken in a medium bowl for 15 minutes. Rinse well before cooking. This technique will tenderize the meat for a tender and silky chicken. This extra step is worth the effort!
• Pre-make the sauce ahead of time is also an option to help speed things up. Just be sure to stir the sauce well before using it to help “wake up” all the pieces that have settled to the bottom. (:
• When you come to the steps where you are pouring the sauce into the stir fry, use only half of the sauce first, carefully stir the sauce into the noodles, and wait a minute or two before you pour the rest of the sauce into the wok to finish it all off. This technique will help the stir-fry not get too mushy from the excessive sauce used simultaneously. This technique saves me time and time again.
• Another helpful technique is to pour the sauce on the outer edges of the wok during the second half of the sauce. This technique allows the sauce to cook and reduce slightly quicker while still seasoning the food in the wok.

FAQs

What is the meaning of Pad See Ew?

Pad See Ew means stir-frying rice noodles in soy sauce.

Is Pad See Ew healthy?

Yes and No. Adding extra vegetables and protein to the dish, Pad See Ew is relatively healthy. The wide rice noodles are gluten-free, but the indulging part of the recipe is in the sauces used. Pre-made sauces are essential in Asian cooking.  The ingredients used are out of our control, but we can limit the amount used. Like all food, Pad See Ew in moderation is key to staying balanced and still enjoying tasty food.

Is Pad See Ew spicy?

Pad See Ew is typically not spicy. You can jazz up the spiciness by adding fresh or ground chilis flakes as a garnish.

How do you pronounce Pad See Ew?

How do you pronounce pad see ew properly? Let’s break down the words. Pad = Stir fry, See Ew = Soy Sauce. Instead of Pad, it’s pronounced Pud, “See, Eew,” emphasizing a higher pitch tone on the word “Eew.” The dish means stir-frying soy sauce. 

Is Pad See Ew the same as Drunken Noodles?

Pad see ew is not the same as drunken noodles or Pad Kee Mao, though its ingredients and flavor are very similar. Drunken noodles are known to be spicier, commonly referred to as great after-party food, because the spiciness helps sober up the late-night drinking folks. (:

Drunken noodles also add a tad bit more vegetables, whereas a Pad See Ew recipe tends to stick to one vegetable like Chinese Broccoli, broccoli, or broccolini. Pad see ew typically uses soft and wide rice noodles called Sen Yai Noodles. Drunken noodles typically use long wide noodles. 

For more information on the varieties of Thai noodles, check out my detailed blog post here on Thai rice noodles.

What is the difference between Pad Thai and Pad See Ew?

Again, there is a difference between the world-famous Pad Thai and pad see ew. Pad Thai noodles are typically very thin, like linguini-size noodles, whereas Pad See Ew noodles are wide, soft, and supple. The sauces used are also different between the two recipes. Pad Thai recipes call for tamarind pulp, fish sauce, and palm sugar, whereas Pad See Ew uses a few different types of soy sauces, sugar, and bean paste. Pad Thai also uses a few more vegetables as well. You can check out my delicious pad Thai recipe here.

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