Pad See Ew (Thai stir-fried wide rice noodles)
Wok-fried wide rice noodles with dark soy, oyster sauce, Chinese broccoli and tender chicken — smoky, saucy and ready in 25 minutes.
Pad see ew is the smoky, saucy noodle dish you order when you want proper Thai street-food comfort. Wide rice noodles get tossed at high heat with dark soy and oyster sauce until they pick up those irresistible charred bits. Make it when you want something quick but full of caramelised, savoury depth — perfect for a midweek supper. Use fresh wide rice noodles if you can; they fold and char beautifully.
Ingredients
- 400 g fresh wide rice noodles
- 300 g chicken thigh, skinless, boneless — slice thinly across the grain
- 45 ml vegetable oil
- 4 garlic cloves — peeled and finely sliced or crushed
- 30 ml light soy sauce
- 45 ml dark soy sauce — gives colour and a little caramelised flavour
- 25 ml oyster sauce
- 15 g soft light brown sugar
- 3 eggs — beaten lightly
- 250 g Chinese broccoli — trim ends, separate stems from leaves
- 5 ml sesame oil
- 5 ml white pepper
Equipment
- wok or large frying pan
- tongs or spatula
Instructions
Prepare everything before you start: slice the chicken thinly across the grain; trim the Chinese broccoli, slice the stems on the diagonal into 1–2 cm pieces and keep the leaves separate; peel and finely slice the garlic; gently loosen the fresh wide rice noodles by teasing them apart with your fingers so they come apart in broad pieces.
Heat a wok over a very high heat until smoking slightly. Add half the vegetable oil and swirl to coat.
Add the garlic and stir for about 20 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
Add the sliced chicken and stir-fry on high for 4–5 minutes until the pieces are browned and cooked through.
Push the chicken to one side of the wok, add the remaining vegetable oil to the empty space, pour in the beaten eggs and scramble briefly until just set but still slightly soft, about 30 seconds, then mix through with the chicken.
Add the fresh wide rice noodles and the sliced Chinese broccoli stems. Toss and press the noodles against the hot base of the wok to get a little char and help them separate, stirring for 1–2 minutes until warming through.
Pour over the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and oyster sauce, sprinkle in the soft light brown sugar and white pepper. Toss continuously for about 1–2 minutes until the noodles are evenly coated, glossy and have a few charred spots.
Toss in the Chinese broccoli leaves and drizzle with sesame oil. Stir for 20–30 seconds just until the leaves wilt and everything is hot.
Taste and adjust seasoning with a little extra light soy if needed. Serve immediately while hot.
Tips
- Always mise en place: once the wok is hot the whole cook takes minutes. Have sauces measured and noodles loosened before you fire up the hob.
- If your wok is small, cook the chicken in a single quick batch and remove, then return it at the end — overcrowding causes steaming not frying.
- Dark soy is for colour and caramelisation; add slowly and taste. Too much will overpower the dish.
- Use fresh wide rice noodles if possible. If your fresh noodles are jammed together, gently tease them apart by hand rather than tearing — they keep their texture better.
- Leftovers reheat in a hot frying pan for best results; add a splash of water and a few drops of oil to loosen the noodles.
Substitutions
chicken thigh, skinless, boneless → pork shoulder or thinly sliced beef, same quantity
Stays closeChinese broccoli → broccoli florets or pak choi (use florets/stems first, leaves last), same quantity
Noticeably differentoyster sauce → vegetarian mushroom stir-fry sauce or vegetarian oyster sauce, same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 620
- Calories
- 30 g
- Protein
- 75 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes — replace the chicken with firm tofu pressed and pan-fried, and use a vegetarian oyster/mushroom sauce instead of oyster sauce. The dish will be slightly different in umami but still very tasty.
My noodles stick together — how do I fix them?
Work with fresh noodles where possible. If stuck, gently separate with your fingers or briefly run under warm water and drain. Avoid tearing; gentle teasing keeps the texture.
How do I get that smoky 'wok hei' char?
Use a very hot wok, high heat and a little oil, toss vigorously and press the noodles against the hot pan to caramelise. Do it in short bursts so ingredients don’t burn.
Can I use dried rice noodles?
You can, but rehydrate them according to the packet and be gentle when stir-frying. Fresh wide rice noodles give the best texture and char.
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