A dollop of the paleo pad thai recipe on a flat stone plate with an orange napkin off to the side.
| | | |

Delicious Paleo Chicken Pad Thai Recipe

This paleo chicken pad Thai recipe is delicious!

I love Thai food! I haven’t found a Thai recipe I don’t like yet and I’ve had quite a few, some even in Thailand!

I love that Thai food is often packed with pungent flavors (usually sour, salty, and spicy) and yet adds a sweet component. The combination always has me wanting more!

I love trying new Thai recipes, but good ol’ Pad Thai has always been a favorite! The combination of various flavors and ingredients just come together so nicely! I especially like the crunch of the nuts with the softness of the cooked ingredients. It’s beautiful, both in flavor and in presentation.

Most Pad Thai recipes call for rice noodles. For a Paleo-compliant option, I’m using zucchini noodles instead. They don’t change the flavor of the dish but will need some prep to strain the natural liquid out.

*This post contains affiliate links. We may earn from qualifying purchases when you click on the links. This is at no cost to you.

Is This Simple Paleo Chicken Pad Thai Recipe Easy to Make?

Honestly, I hesitated to write this recipe for you guys. While I regularly share great Paleo recipes here, I try to make sure they are simple and use fewer ingredients. Often, my goal is that the recipes can be made while traveling (both in rental homes and while camping).

Unfortunately, this recipe is not simple. In fact, it takes a lot of ingredients and some time to make. Plan to spend about an hour preparing the ingredients and cooking.

However, after a lot of debating, I decided it was worth sharing. It may not be the easiest to make while traveling, but it is still absolutely delicious.

This would be a great recipe to make for a special occasion, such as a date night recipe to make with or for your significant other or an international cuisine day with the family!

Purple Cabbage, bean sprouts, and cashews cooking
Firstly, the purple cabbage, bean sprouts, and cashews cook together
Chicken and zucchini noodles mixing together
Once the chicken has cooked, add it to the zucchini noodles.
Pad Thai in a bowl served next to a navy blue napkin.
The Final Product!

Ingredients for the Paleo Chicken Pad Thai Recipe

Zucchini– to serve as the gluten-free and grain-free noodle option.

Purple Cabbage and Bean Sprouts– the veggies of the dish (in addition to the zucchini!). Bean sprouts are not the easiest to find these days, but I have good luck getting them at Asian and international markets. This recipe cooks the bean sprouts which prevents food-related illnesses. They also do not store well, so it’s best to plan to eat this dish upon serving.

Chicken– The main protein in the Pad Thai. But you are welcome to swap it out with tofu (if you can eat soy), shrimp, or any protein of your choice.

Eggs– More protein. Eggs are often found in Thai dishes, but you are welcome to eliminate them. You could also add more of them and omit the chicken if you’re a vegetarian.

Cashews– The crunch of the dish! Note: there is some controversy on if cashews are paleo compliant. If you’ve chosen to refrain from cashews, try almonds or another paleo-friendly nut.

Garlic, Lime, Vinegar, Coconut Aminos, Fish Sauce, and Coconut Sugar– these ingredients bring the flavor. Make sure the fish sauce is paleo compliant (just fish and salt, no added ingredients such as this one) if you’re following a paleo diet. Also, the coconut sugar could be substituted for another sweetener of your choice.

Scallions and Carrots– These ingredients top the dish adding additional flavors, nutrients, and crunch!

Substitutions for the Pad Thai

Rice noodles are often used in Pad Thai. If you don’t follow a paleo and grain-free diet, feel free to use rice noodles in place of zucchini as well as soy sauce in place of coconut aminos.

But you are not missing out at all by making this paleo compliant! This recipe is packed full of great flavor with added veggies and chicken. There’s no sacrifice here!

Now, for the Paleo chicken pad thai recipe! Hope you enjoy!

Paleo Pad Thai with chicken, purple cabbage, bean sprouts and carrots in a large white bowl with a navy blue napkin next to it.
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Delicious Paleo Chicken Pad Thai Recipe

Flavorful, paleo-complaint Pad Thai recipe with chicken, cabbage, and bean sprouts.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cut and spiralize the zucchini to make zucchini noodles. Salt to taste and then add to a strainer with a bowl under to collect the liquid. Use a paper towel to pat and soak up the water and mix occasionally as you cook the additionally ingredients.
  • Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pan and add minced garlic. Cook for 30 seconds before adding the purple cabbage, bean sprouts, and half of the cashews. Sautée for 1-2 additional minute(s). Once cooked, set aside.
  • Add another 1 tbsp of olive oil. Once heated, add 2 eggs to the pan and cook, mixing with a spatula constantly to prevent burning. Once cooked, set aside.
  • Pat the zucchini dry one last time before adding it to a cooking pan with 2 tsp of olive oil. Sautée the zucchini for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
  • Put 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan on med heat. Add the diced chicken to the pan and cook covered for 7-8 minutes, mixing occasionally. Then, turn to med-high heat and add the chicken broth, lime, vinegar, coconut aminos, fish sauce, and coconut sugar. Turn off the burner once the chicken is fully cooked and liquid has reduced to half.
  • Add the chicken mixture, the purple cabbage mixture, the eggs, the rest of the cashews, the scallions, and the carrots to the zucchini, mix, and serve!

Notes

*If you’re following a paleo diet, make sure to get fish sauce with just fish and salt (no added ingredients)
*There is some controversy on if cashews are paleo compliant. If you’ve chosen to refrain from cashews, try almonds or another paleo-friendly nut.
*If you are not trying to avoid soy or gluten, soy sauce can be used to replace coconut aminos.
*Bean sprouts do not keep well. It’s best to not store the dish and, instead, plan to eat upon serving.

Looking for other great Paleo recipes? Check out our other recipes such as Dairy-Free Creamy Italian Chicken and Squash, Paleo Salmon Dinner with Lemon and Sage, or Paleo Orange Beef.


Paleo Chicken Pad Thai Recipe

If you love pad Thai and eat a paleo diet, you must try this delicious Paleo chicken pad Thai recipe. It is well worth the effort!

5 1 vote
Article Rating
6 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Luke
Luke
3 years ago

5 stars
My wife loves Thai food, I’m definitely going to make this for her someday soon! She is the best and deserves a meal that is as special as she is, and this looks to be very good.

Debbie
3 years ago

Sounds very healthy!

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
3 years ago

5 stars
Man this looks delicious! Paleo recipes are my favorite and my husband loves pad thai. I will be making this soon!

Last edited 3 years ago by Elizabeth
Cindy Moore
Cindy Moore
3 years ago

5 stars
I could do this one, minus the eggs and chicken!