If you’re a fan of salty noodle-based meals, this chicken pad see-ew recipe is meant for you.
For this recipe, start with dried Thai chilies and hot water. Next, you’ll need rice vinegar, boneless and skinless chicken thighs (cut into 1-inch chunks), a package of dried wide rice stick noodles, and sesame oil. For the sauce, you’ll need two types of soy sauce — light and Thai black — along with oyster sauce and fish sauce.
Finally, you’ll need peanut or vegetable oil to stir-fry everything, minced garlic cloves, a large bunch of gai lan (AKA Chinese broccoli), and 2 large eggs.
In a small bowl, combine the dried chilies with 2 tablespoons rice vinegar and 2 tablespoons hot water. Set aside to soften.
Place the chicken in a glass bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon light soy sauce. Cover and set aside to marinate.
Place the rice noodles in a large heat-proof bowl, cover with very hot water, and soak for about 15 minutes until pliable but still firm. Gently pull apart any noodles that are stuck together.
Once the noodles have softened, drain and rinse them with cold water, return them to the bowl, and coat with sesame oil. Cover and set aside.
Remove the chilies from the soaking liquid, discard the stems and seeds, and chop finely. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, the remaining light soy sauce, black soy sauce, oyster sauce, and fish sauce until combined, then set aside.
Prepare the Chinese broccoli by trimming the ends and cutting the stems into 2-inch-long pieces. Cut any stems in half vertically so they are about ¼ inch wide, and cut the leaves into 2-inch pieces.
Heat a wok over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil and heat until smoking.
Add the garlic and chicken and cook, stirring frequently until the chicken has browned and most of the juices have evaporated.
Add the gai lan stalks and stir-fry for about 2 minutes.
Add the gai lan leaves and cook just until wilted, then push everything to one side of the wok.
Add 1 more tablespoon of oil to the pan, crack the eggs into the empty space, and gently scramble with chopsticks or a wooden spoon.
Once the eggs are soft-cooked, mix them into the chicken and broccoli, then transfer the contents of the wok to a large platter.
Wipe the wok clean and place it back over high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and heat to smoking.
Add the noodles and sauce mixture and gently toss, then let the noodles sit to develop some caramelization in the pan.
Return the chicken and broccoli to the pan, gently toss, and mix in the reserved chilies.
Immediately serve the pad see-ew in shallow bowls.
