I’ve made this Healthy Chicken Pad Thai dozens of times now, and it’s one of those recipes that feels restaurant-worthy but is actually straightforward to pull off on a weeknight. The key is getting the sauce right and not overcooking the noodles. This version uses brown rice noodles for extra fiber, lean chicken breast, and plenty of vegetables, so it hits that sweet spot between comforting and nourishing without feeling heavy.

Why This Recipe Works

The sauce is where everything comes together. Coconut aminos (or low-sodium soy sauce) give it that salty umami base, while fish sauce adds depth you can’t skip. Honey balances the acidity from lime juice and rice vinegar, and peanut butter brings a subtle creaminess that coats the noodles beautifully. I tested this with both coconut aminos and regular soy sauce—both work, but coconut aminos keep it a bit lighter and naturally gluten-free if that matters to you.

Brown rice noodles hold up better than white rice noodles when you’re tossing everything together, especially if you’re planning to store leftovers. They don’t turn mushy as quickly, which is a win if you’re meal prepping. I also found that cooking them one minute less than the package directions keeps them from getting gummy once they soak up the sauce.

Ingredients and What They Do

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch cubes
5 oz brown rice noodles
2 cups thinly sliced carrots
1 cup thinly sliced red bell peppers
½ cup diced onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup bean sprouts
2 eggs

Sauce:

¼ cup coconut aminos or low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Garnishes:

¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
⅓ cup chopped peanuts
Lime wedges (optional)
Cilantro (optional)

The vegetables here aren’t just for color. Carrots and bell peppers add sweetness and crunch, while bean sprouts bring a fresh, light texture at the end. If you can’t find bean sprouts, you can skip them, but they do add that classic Pad Thai feel.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Start by heating the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the cubed chicken and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s browned on all sides and cooked through. Don’t rush this step—browning adds flavor that boiling or steaming just won’t give you.

While the chicken cooks, bring a separate pot of water to a boil for the noodles. Cook them according to the package directions, but pull them off the heat one minute early. They’ll finish cooking when you toss them with the hot sauce later.

For the sauce, whisk together the coconut aminos, fish sauce, honey, lime juice, peanut butter, and rice vinegar in a small bowl until everything is well combined. Set it aside within reach—you’ll need it soon.

Once the chicken is done, remove it from the pan and set it aside in a large bowl. Try to leave the oil in the pan; you’ll use it to cook the vegetables. If the pan looks dry, add a tiny bit more olive oil or give it a quick spray.

Add the carrots, peppers, onion, and garlic to the pan. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Then stir in the bean sprouts and cook for another 2 minutes.

Push the vegetables to one side of the pan and crack the eggs directly into the hot space. Scramble them until cooked, about 2 minutes, then stir them in with the vegetables. Remove the egg-vegetable mixture and set it aside with the chicken.

Now add the sauce to the empty hot pan—no need to clean it—and turn the heat to high. Bring it to a rolling boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. You want it to bubble and thicken slightly. This step concentrates the flavors and helps the sauce cling to the noodles.

Add the cooked chicken, vegetables, eggs, and noodles back into the pan with the sauce. Use tongs to toss everything until it’s evenly coated.

Finish by garnishing with chopped peanuts and sliced green onions. Serve with lime wedges and cilantro on the side if you like.

Instant Pot Method

If you prefer using an Instant Pot, there are a few adjustments to make. First, double the sauce recipe—all other ingredients stay the same.

Cook the rice noodles in a separate pot of boiling water outside the Instant Pot. Do not cook the noodles inside the Instant Pot; they’re too starchy and will turn mushy.

Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté-High and heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Scramble the eggs quickly, then remove them to a plate.

Drizzle in the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the whole chicken breasts. Sear them for 2 minutes per side until golden brown. While they sear, mix together the doubled sauce ingredients.

Move the chicken to a cutting board and chop it into 1-inch pieces. Add the garlic and onion to the Instant Pot and sauté for 30 seconds. Then add the chicken, peppers, and carrots. Mix everything together and pour the sauce over the top.

Set the Instant Pot to Manual High Pressure and cook for 3 minutes. Keep in mind it takes 3–5 minutes for the pot to come to pressure before the countdown starts.

When the time is up, do a quick release of the steam. Remove the chicken and vegetables with a slotted spoon and set them aside.

Turn the Instant Pot back to high sauté and bring the sauce to a bubble. Let it cook for 10–12 minutes until it thickens slightly. You’ll know it’s ready when it looks darker and, if you drag a spoon across the bottom, it takes a second or two to fill back in.

Add the noodles, eggs, chicken, and vegetables back into the pot. Toss everything together and garnish with peanuts and green onions. Note that nutrition facts will vary slightly because of the extra sauce.

Serving Suggestions

This dish works well on its own, but if you want to round out the meal, serve it with a simple cucumber salad or steamed broccoli on the side. For extra protein, you can add more eggs or swap chicken for shrimp or tofu.

Storage and Reheating

Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or lime juice to loosen the sauce. The noodles may absorb some of the sauce as they sit, so a little liquid helps bring everything back together.

Freezer Instructions

This recipe freezes well for up to 2 months. Cool completely before transferring to airtight containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in a skillet or microwave. Add a splash of water or lime juice when reheating to refresh the sauce.

FAQ

Can I use regular soy sauce instead of coconut aminos?
Yes, but regular soy sauce is saltier. If you use it, you may want to reduce the fish sauce slightly or add a touch more honey to balance.

Can I make this vegetarian?
Absolutely. Swap the chicken for firm tofu or extra vegetables like broccoli, snap peas, or mushrooms. Use a vegetarian fish sauce substitute or add a bit more soy sauce for umami.

What if I can’t find brown rice noodles?
White rice noodles or even rice vermicelli work fine. Just be careful not to overcook them, as they soften faster than brown rice noodles.

Can I prep this ahead?
You can cook the chicken, noodles, and sauce ahead of time, then assemble and reheat when ready to serve. Keep the garnishes separate until serving for the best texture.

This Healthy Chicken Pad Thai has become a go-to in my kitchen because it’s flexible, filling, and actually tastes better the next day. Once you get the sauce down, you can swap in whatever protein or vegetables you have on hand.

Ethan Brooks

Healthy Chicken Pad Thai

Skip takeout and make this Healthy Chicken Pad Thai recipe instead! A gluten free pad thai recipe that is high protein and delicious!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings: 4

Course: Pasta

Cuisine: healthy

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into ½ inch cubes
5 oz brown rice noodles
2 cups thinly sliced carrots
1 cup thinly sliced red bell peppers
½ cup diced onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup bean sprouts
2 eggs
Sauce:
¼ cup coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Garnishes:
¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
⅓ cup chopped peanuts
lime wedges optional
cilantro optional

Method

In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the cubed chicken to the pan. Cook the chicken over medium high heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally until completely browned on all sides and cooked through.
While the chicken is cooking, bring a separate pot of water to a boil for the noodles. Cook the noodles per the package directions. We recommend cooking 1 minute less than the package recommends.
While the chicken and noodles are cooking, make the sauce. Whisk together coconut aminos, fish sauce, honey, lime juice, peanut butter and rice vinegar until well combined. Set aside.
Once the chicken has cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside in a large bowl. Try to leave the oil in the pan. You can add a little olive oil if necessary or spray your pan with olive oil for cooking the vegetables.
Add the carrots, peppers, onion and garlic to the pan. Sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Once the vegetables start to soften, add in bean sprouts. Stir together and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Once the bean sprouts have cooked, push the vegetables to one side of the pan and crack the eggs directly into the hot pan. Scramble the eggs until cooked, approximately 2 minutes.
Stir cooked eggs in with the vegetables. Remove the eggs and vegetables from the pan and set aside with the cooked chicken.
Add the sauce to the empty hot pan (you don’t need to clean the pan!) and turn the heat to high. Bring the sauce to a rolling boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. The sauce should bubble and slightly thicken.
Add the cooked chicken, vegetables, eggs and noodles into the pan with the sauce. Toss with tongs until everything is coated in the sauce.
Garnish with peanuts and green onion.
Instant Pot Instructions
To make this in the instant pot – it is important to DOUBLE the sauce recipe. All other ingredients remain the same.
Bring a separate pot of water to a boil (outside of instant pot) and cook the rice noodles according to package directions. While the rice noodles are cooking, turn instant pot on Sauté- High. Heat 1 tablespoon. of the olive oil, add the eggs in and scramble them quickly. Put them on a plate and set aside.
Drizzle in the other 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the whole chicken breasts. Sear them 2 minutes per side to get them nice and golden brown. Meanwhile mix together your sauce ingredients. Make sure to double sauce ingredients from recipe.
Move the chicken breasts onto a cutting board and chop them into one inch pieces.
Add the garlic and onion into the instant pot. Saute for 30 seconds then add in the chicken, peppers and carrots. Mix it all together and pour the sauce over top.
Set the Instant Pot to Manual High Pressure and Cook for 3 minutes. Keep in mind the Instant Pot takes 3-5 minutes to come to pressure before counting down the 3 minutes you’ve set.
When the time is up quick release the steam. Remove the chicken and vegetables with a slotted spoon. Set aside.
Turn the Instant Pot to the high sauté setting once more and bring the sauce up to a bubble. Allow it to bubble for 10-12 minutes until it thickens slightly. You’ll know it’s done when it begins to look darker and when you drag a spoon across the bottom of the pan and it takes just a second or 2 to come back together.
Add in your noodles, eggs, chicken and veggies. Toss it all together. Garnish with peanuts, green onions. Note – nutritional facts will vary slightly because of the increase in sauce.

Notes

Instant Pot Notes:

Make sure to cook the chicken whole and then cut it into cubes. Due to shape, the instant pot just doesn’t have the browning power of a wok or skillet when doing small pieces of chicken.
DO NOT cook the noodles in the Instant Pot. They are just too starchy and will not work.
Add in your noodles, eggs, chicken and veggies. Toss it all together. Garnish with peanuts, green onions. Note – nutritional facts will vary slightly because of the increase in sauc