I receive an email newsletter from Fine Cooking and this recipe was in a recent issue. You can sign up on their homepage if you’re interested. I love recipes that are quick, easy and tasty and this is definitely one of them. I love the fact that you make it using a rotisserie chicken.  What a great shortcut!

I couldn’t find Thai rice noodles, which are flatter and more wide than the ones that I used, but I thought that these thin rice noodles worked just fine.   The next time I make this recipe, I’m going to use 2 jalapeno peppers because I like a little more heat in my dishes.   I’m also going to make 1.5 times the amount of sauce that’s called for in the recipe.    The dish was flavored nicely, but I think a little more sauce would make it even better.    I didn’t have dry roasted peanuts, but I did have honey roasted peanuts, so I used those and found them to be great in the dish.   I didn’t notice the sweet coating on them once they were mixed up with everything else in the recipe.   I also couldn’t find fresh bean sprouts, so I used canned and they worked just fine.   I’ll try to get fresh next time.   With a few small tweaks, I’ll definitely make this again.   Did my boys try it?    Of course not.   My pediatrician says not to fight with them at dinner time, and if I tried to make them try it, it would definitely be a fight.

Pad Thai with Chicken and Shrimp
Recipe from FineCooking.com

6 oz.dried Thai rice noodles
3 Tbs. canola oil or peanut oil
1/2 lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, rinsed, and patted dry
Kosher salt
3 scallions (white and green parts), trimmed and thinly sliced
3 Thai bird chiles or 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
1 Tbs. peeled and minced fresh ginger
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups thinly sliced leftover roast chicken (or store-bought rotisserie chicken)
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1-1/2 Tbs. Thai fish sauce
1 Tbs. rice vinegar
1 Tbs. sugar
1/4 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts
1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving

Fill a medium saucepan with lukewarm water. Add the rice noodles, and soak until just tender, about 15 minutes. Rinse well in a colander under cold running water, then drain well. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.

Heat 1-1/2 Tbs. of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot, about 1-1/2 minutes. Sprinkle the shrimp with 3/4 tsp. salt and cook, stirring often, until opaque and firm to the touch, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large plate.

Add the remaining 1-1/2 Tbs. oil to the skillet and, after a couple of seconds, the scallions, chile(s), and ginger and cook, stirring, until they start to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and cook, breaking them up with a wooden spoon, until just set, about 1 minute. Add the noodles, chicken, bean sprouts, and shrimp and cook, stirring, until the mixture heats through and starts to brown, about 3 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together the fish sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Add to the skillet and cook, tossing, for 2 minutes. Serve immediately, sprinkled with the peanuts and with the lime wedges on the side.

Yield: 2 – 3 servings