Instant Pot Pad Thai
This Instant Pot Pad Thai is an easy, comforting dish that the whole family will love. It has so much flavor, texture and tastes similar to your favorite takeout meal. Let the Instant Pot do most of the work for you so you can have a delicious dinner on the table in no time at all.
Backstory:
A little backstory on this recipe, I developed this dish back in 2017 when I was first starting out as a food blogger. I created it for my daughter because she was gluten free and dairy free at the time and loved a frozen pad thai meal from the store. I wanted to recreate a better version for her at home. She loves this recipe.
I want to acknowledge right off the bat, that this is not a traditional pad thai. It is more similar to a peanut noodle dish, but still has a lot of the flavor and texture you love from pad thai. Pad thai is a Thai stir fry dish with tamarind being a key ingredient. This recipe does not call for tamarind, I chose to use peanut butter along with other flavorful ingredients to make my own personal spin on the sauce.
I have received many, many reviews of this Instant Pot Pad Thai. SO many of you love it but there are also some consistent criticisms. So I re-tested and I believe, perfected this recipe so hopefully you will all have a wonderful and delicious outcome.
Recipe Updates:
- Soaking the noodles before adding to the sauce – a consistent note about the recipe had to do with the noodles and how to cook them. I am now updating the recipe to have you pre-soak the noodles before adding to the sauce for the perfect texture. It only takes a few minutes and provides the desired outcome.
- Reducing the salt – I reduced the amount of fish sauce and used water instead of chicken broth in the sauce – the flavor is amazing but without overpowering saltiness
- Veggies – instead of cooking carrots and the green onion with the sauce, we are adding it to the warm sauce with the noodles for improved texture and flavor
FAQs:
I love and use both the Annie Chun’s and Thai Kitchen noodles. You can use plain or brown rice noodles, but the brown rice noodles need to soak just a bit longer
Yes, absolutely. Pad thai traditionally has a bit of a ‘funk’ to it but in a good, addicting kind of way. Fish sauce gives it that flavor, trust me on this one.
Coconut aminos is a ‘soy-free’ soy sauce alternative. It is similar but a little bit sweeter than soy sauce. This is my preferred option for this recipe. It is also gluten free. If you choose to use regular soy sauce, use a low sodium version or the dish can get too salty. To keep the recipe gluten free, use Tamari.
You Might Also Like:
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken
- Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
- Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Beef
- Instant Pot Healthy Jambalaya
- Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie Soup
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Instant Pot Pad Thai
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1.5 lbs Chicken Breasts cubed
- 3 Tbls Peanut Butter creamy
- 1/2 cup Coconut Aminos can also use low sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tbls Fish Sauce
- 1 Tbls Sesame Oil
- 2 Tbls Rice Vinegar
- 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Tbls Fresh Ginger minced (or 1 tsp powdered ginger)
- 1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 cup Water
- 2 Tbls Lime Juice
Noodles
- 8 oz Rice Noodles I use Annie Chuns or Thai Kitchen
- 1/4 cup Green Onion chopped
- 1.5 cups Shredded Carrots
Toppings
- 1/4 cup Cilantro chopped
- 1/2 cup Peanuts chopped
- 1 Lime cut into wedges
Instructions
- Add your cubed chicken breast to the Instant Pot
- In a small bowl, mix the coconut aminos, fish sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, peanut butter, pepper flakes, lime juice, water, ginger and garlic until well combined and pour over the chicken – give it a little stir
- Put the lid on, hit pressure cook and set time to 7 minutes. It will take a minute to come to pressure and then the 7 minute countdown will start
- While the chicken is cooking, boil 3 cups of waterPlace the rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with the boiling water for 5-7 minutes until they are just softened. Drain from the water
- When the timer goes off for the chicken, do a quick release of the steamStir in the drained rice noodles, shredded carrots and green onions. Toss together
- Serve in a bowl and top with chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro and lime wedgesEnjoy!
Notes
- Soaking the noodles before adding to the sauce – a consistent note about the recipe had to do with the noodles and how to cook them. I am now updating the recipe to have you pre-soak the noodles before adding to the sauce for the perfect texture. It only takes a few minutes and provides the desired outcome.
- Reducing the salt – I reduced the amount of fish sauce and used water instead of chicken broth in the sauce – the flavor is amazing but without overpowering saltiness
- Veggies – instead of cooking carrots and the green onion with the sauce, we are adding it to the warm sauce with the noodles for improved texture and flavor
Nutrition
Hi is there anyway to get the old recipe? My family and I all liked that one much better.
Delicious sauce! Like many, I had an issue with the sauce being too watery and the noodles being undercooked even after adding another cup of boiling water and soaking for longer than 7+ mins. In fact, I soaked for 15 minutes or more. Should they maybe cook the 7 mins with the chicken and sauce or will they end up too soft and mushy?
Love this new version! The old recipe always has undercooked noodles and the carrots would disintegrate, but the noodles and carrots were perfect in this version!
I did find this version a little soupy, but that was easily remedied. We just turned on the sauté button on the instant pot after adding everything, and it turned out perfect!
I was craving for noodles for a while and came across this recipe for Instant Pot Pad Thai! Savory and rich, this recipe is awesome with loads of crunchy peanuts served on top. We were absolutely in love with the noodles and my husband is asking me to make it again. This weekend we enjoyed it so much.
I was craving for noodles for a while and came across this recipe for Instant Pot Pad Thai! Savory and rich, this recipe is awesome with loads of crunchy peanuts served on top. We were absolutely in love with the noodles and my husband is asking me to make it again.
It’s like soup. How does it have so many stars?? Way too much sugar too
I liked this recipe. It lacked a little in flavor(easy fix) and it was a little runny, I would reduce the sauce a bit. I also added bean sprouts, I like the crunch🙂
Very yummy and easy to make! I really like the idea of this recipe.
Can I get a copy of the original recipe? I loved it the way of way. This new way is too liquid like soup.
Hi Jennifer, I’m sorry this was your experience. The old recipe actually called for more liquid, so I am not sure what happened. I just changed it from chicken broth to water and used 1 Tbls less of the fish sauce – so you can do that and it is the same as before. I hope that helps.
Hi!
This recipe is made almost weekly at my house, it is one of my all time favorites. I am constantly sending the link to colleagues and friends. I do use the old version and was confused when I came to the site today because it wasn’t what I usually do!
My guess on why it was more liquidy is because if you don’t add the carrots and green onions before cooking, there is less soaking up the liquid/sauce? Also, even though I understand some people’s complaints that the noodles are too tough if you add them right in, I love that they soak up all the sauce if you don’t presoak them.
Sara, this recipe is AMAZING. Thank you so much for sharing it!
I’d also be very grateful to get a copy of the original recipe (w/the original amount of liquid, etc.). I made it multiple times and it was a family favorite. I made the new version last night and my hubby asked, “what happened?” I wish I’d printed it out. Is there any way to get that w/out trying to piece it together from various comments. Thank you!!
I’d love a copy of the original as well!! I seeing so many comments about how great that one was. Man the flavor is definitely there, so delightful! But the idea of adding the noodles after a half soak….sounds amazing. Because mine was very watering too.
How was this done before?
I also noticed in a few comments other ingredients that are not listed anymore?
Exactly! I loved it the old way. Not so much with the soupy texture of the new way!
We used to make this all the time and loved it! I do agree that it was way more watery the new way and would love the old recipe as well.
I make this recipe regularly and it’s one of my all-time favorites! I thought I had the wrong recipe today when I came here and saw the changes. 😉 (I already added less of the salty ingredients and did the noodles separately!) One question: you still have to add a cup of water to the IP before cooking the chicken and sauce? The sauce isn’t liquidy enough, right? I don’t see “adding water” in the directions anymore.
Hi Erika, I’m so glad you enjoy the recipe and have made it for so long! I only made a few minor changes, and it sounds like you have been doing those anyway 🙂 the water is a part of the sauce (included in step 2) this just replaced chicken broth that was in the previous recipe. I hope this helps!
I LOVED the old recipe! I even doubled the sauce ingredients so the noodles could soak it up. I’m glad I found the old recipe in the comments from you!! Kuddos to you for addressing consistent criticism, but I had zero! I think it was user error 😆
Not sure if it’s just the brand of noodles I used, but the noodles were not done by any stretch of the imagination. Soaked them in water for 7 minutes+ and then added to the instant pot like the recipe says. Are they supposed to be cooked again? They are flexible but not soft. Feeling pretty defeated and frustrated for trying to do an easy instant pot recipe on a weeknight and ending up not even being able to eat it.
Hi Bekah, I am sorry to hear that this was your experience. I have a couple of questions. Did you use rice noodles? And did you soak with boiling water? After soaking in the boiling water and being added to the hot sauce in the Instant Pot, they should definitely have been soft enough. I have made this recipe many many times with a variety of different rice noodles and it has never been inedible.
Two additions I made to the recipe (which I followed exactly!)
*i seasoned raw shrimp with paprika & black pepper. Then I sautéed them in the instant pot and set them aside to add at the end with the noodles
*i scrambled 4 eggs in a pan (plain, nothing added) and added them at the end with the noodles
I used 6 cups of boiling water and let the rice noodles sit longer (they were perfect!)
Used coconut aminos and water.
First time I ever made this, my friend, legit, licked their bowl clean! The sauce was more watery than I expected, however, everyone LOVED it, so it’s not a complaint!
I will be making this again!
And in regards to the sauce: my friends said they would have eaten it as a soup! So! Good!
I am so glad to hear that you and your friends enjoyed the recipe so much 🙂 Love the addition of eggs and shrimp!
I first found this recipe 3 yrs ago,and it has been my go to ever since. When I went to make it today I thought I had the wrong recipe, because of the changes.
Not sure what went wrong – I like to put the rice noodles into the IP once it’s done as I find that it makes the noodles more flavorful, because they absorb the sauce. This time the chicken ended up really overcooked, perhaps I cut the pieces too small. I just wanted to say that I thought the recipe was amazing as it was….and I’m sure that the next time I make this it will be better, now that I know. Thanks for sharing it, and trying to accommodate the feedback…I appreciate it!
I forgot to rate it! I’ve done that now…
Hi Leah, thank you for your feedback. The cooking time for the chicken stayed the same, so I am sorry that it came out overcooked. Maybe try 5 minutes if they are cut smaller? There are only a few minor adjustments to the recipe itself, mainly to address the salt level. I am glad to hear that you have enjoyed the recipe for a long time, that means so much to me.
I am very sorry to hear that this was your experience. I wrote this recipe a long time ago, when I was very new to this career. I am currently working on updating the recipe and post to ensure a better experience for my readers.
Delicious! My husband is ridiculously afraid of anything spicy, so I omit the pepper flakes, but otherwise I follow the recipe to a T! I am not a fan of anything that lives in the water , but the fish sauce is no problem for me. It’s one of our most looked forward to meals!
I would give 5 stars but I have an issue with the rice noodles every time I make this. I used the white noodles and always end up having to turn the instapot back on manually bc the noodles are so hard. Am I supposed to manually cook them for the last 10 mins- the recipe says only to put the lid back on for 10 mins.
I just made my first time, noodles came out perfectly, I did soak in hot water for about 7 min. And drained. Then added noodles when the recipe called for and turned out perfectly. I did use the Pad thai rice noodles that recipe called for.
This was easy and tasty! We went with a scant 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes because other IP recipes have been super spicy once the tiniest bit of CRP has been pressure cooked. We also browned the chicken first and added scrambled egg at the very end that my guy cooked in a separate pan. Noodles worked well for us! Appreciated the notes section but agree that maybe noting info about the noodle tips would be more helpful in the directions and/or the ingredient list. Would make it again, possibly with shrimp!
Very tasty and overall very easy recipe! My hubby loved the flavor, too! The only advice I have and what I will do next time is to follow the tip to soak the noodles before adding to the IP. My noodles were not done after 20 minutes so I had to dump the contents into a microwave safe bowl and nuke the rest of the way. We loved the flavor so much that I will be making this again for sure with the tip that I did not follow!
Made this and loved it – my husband was especially happy! Absolutely delicious.
I cooked it for 8mins instead of 7. And I used chicken thighs instead of breasts, but I don’t think that makes much difference. For the tamari I did half tamari and half coconut aminos. I used a smidge less brown sugar. And I soaked the noodles in hot water before adding them, then let it sit longer than the 10mins it calls for. It was wonderful!
I was nervous to try this recipe as I made a lot of changes to make it vegetarian. I subbed frozen Morningstar “chick’n” strips instead of real chicken and veggie broth instead of chicken broth. I also didn’t use fish sauce and subbed it with hoisin sauce. I also had to let the noodles sit longer in the instant pot after the manual release but I think that’s was due to using frozen “chicken” I also added fried tofu cubes and scrambled egg along with the peanuts and it was DELISH. Will def make again!
Although this is a tasty dish, this is *not* pad thai.
This is Thai Chicken Peanut Noodles, AKA, noodles in peanut sauce.
Also, the liquid was not quite enough and the cook time not quite enough. I couldn’t fit all the noodles into the instant pot without some difficulty and submerging them in the liquid was not possible. At the end, none of the noodles were even close to cooked enough.
Still, it is tasty.
I found doubling the sauce recipe works for me plus I like to add more carrots, chicken and 12 oz of noodles so I need the extra sauce to compensate.
My husband and I whipped this up tonight in about 30 minutes. I have never made any sort of pad Thai before because all of the steps are a little daunting. This was super easy to make – I followed the suggestion and used low sodium Tamari. The sodium was a perfect level for us. It did take a little organizing in the pot to get the noodles to fit, but nothing terrible. They finished cooking in exactly ten minutes. We will be making this again!
Made this today. Super easy and cleaning friendly . Thank you so much
I would halve the vinegar and less sugar. Delicious and easy recipe. I used tofu instead of chicken. Thanks!
My family loves this! We typically double the noodles and soak them first. I also make a double batch! Always a hit!
This is a huge family favourite. I feel like if you gave it a low rating, you didn’t follow the instructions. We soaked the noodles as per the tip.
delicious! But not quite gluten free – there’s gluten in soy sauce 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed it. Tamari is gluten free soy sauce and coconut aminos which is recommended as an alternative is also gluten free.
She uses Tamari sauce or coconut aminos-
This was very tasty. My husband and I had it for dinner last night.
Sara | Book Confessions of an ExBallerina
Just wondering what is considered a serving? How many grams, 1 cup, etc?? There is no reference on what the serving is…
What can I use instead of fish sauce? I don’t eat seafood and the fish sauce gets my gag reflux going unfortunately. Can I just leave it out or will the recipe be really lacking without it?
I am ALWAYS looking for wonderful recipes to use in my instant pot and this recipe may be my newest obsession! I love pad thai!
When you say close the lid again, do I set the pressure cooker back on? Or just close lid?
Hi Lea, just close the lid, you do not turn the pressure back on
Have you ever substituted honey or maple syrup for the brown sugar?
I would like to make this recipe but don’t eat chicken. How can I adapt it for shrimp?
I made this recipe last night and it was amazing! My whole family loved it. My daughter is allergic to peanuts so I just omitted them and it still turned out great! Thank you!
I would love to try this with zoodles instead of the noodles – do you think the recipe may need to be altered at all going that route?
GreT recipe. Used several times now. When I soaked the noodles they turned soggy. Much better using IP less speedy method.
Can you do this recipe in a regular crockpot?
Hi! Making this tonight, what is the serving size?
Just made this tonight. It was a huge hit for my family of five. We ate the whole thing along with a bag of Trader Joe’s dumplings. I added 3 scrambled eggs and a half a bag of spinach for more veggies. I did soak the noodles and set the instant pot for 4 minutes. Perfect!! The only thing I would change is use the whole bag of noodles next time. I used the suggested 8 Oz and it didn’t seem as noodley as the video. Good news, there will definitely be a next time 😍
Hi Sara,
Thanks so much for sharing this awesome recipe! I love dishes that remind me of takeout, and making Pad Thai in the Instant Pot? Even better! I can’t wait to try this.
10/10 recipe. Super easy and delicious! My husband loved it & has requested this to be made on a weekly rotation. I’ve also subbed coconut sugar in place of brown & it was just as tasty too.
Made this recipe tonight and the sauce came out very thin. Not sure why.
Made this last night the flavor was good enough for me to try the recipe again. A couple of issues I had was my thighs came out rather dry – I think I’d cut them in larger chunks or strips next time. The sauce was very watery. It did thicken after I added the noodles (I soaked the noodles in hot water while the chicken cooked then added them to the IP and put the lid on – I did not set the IP for time I just let it stay on warm for 5 minutes). It was also a bit salty even though I used Tamari and homemade unsalted chicken stock. I do think I’ll make it again but I may actually cut the liquids (tamari and stick)back to half the amounts and see what happens. I’m also thinking of making this in a wok to get that bit of stir fried texture and flavor. I think it would cook even quicker than in the IP and still a one pot meal.
Will this feed 4 hungry adults? Going to make for my daughter’s birthday this week but I am not sure how many this recipe feeds. I read it several times, my apologies if I’m overlooking it.
It will feed 4 hungry adults, but if you want some leftovers you can double it! The time stays the same.
Could you easily double this recipe?
Yes, as long as it doesn’t go past the fill line in your Instant Pot
Hello and thank you for this great recipe! I made it for my family last night and everyone loved it! I’m hoping to make some for my sister and her family but my sister is a vegetarian. Could I replace the chicken with tuna without effecting the outcome of the recipe too much?
After I put the lid back on after adding the rice noodles for 10 minutes am I to pressure cook for 10 more minutes or just leave the lid on? Thank you so much for your response is such a great recipe 🙂
This is so yummy!! We prefer to add
the carrots in at the same time as the noodles so they don’t get quite as mushy. I might have eaten it for all three meals yesterday…
This was so delicious! The flavors are amazing! My noodles were not cooked AT ALL though, so I had to do a lot of guessing afterwards. It could be because I halved the recipe so there was just not a lot of liquid to cook in. Next time I will pre-cook the noodles like your note said!
Love this recipe! The taste is so there. I used the Annie Chun noodles and had success but the noodles seemed to clump I think next time I may double the chicken and sauce or use half the noodles, but overall this is a great recipe I look forward to making again.
I was wanting to make this and read a lot of the comments but didn’t notice- could I sub tofu for the chicken?
Twas amazing! Added bean sprouts just to thicken it up and was amazing. I have made this 10 plus times already and so good every time! Thank you for this.
Woo hoo! So happy to hear this 🙂
If I wanted to double the recipe, how do you suggest adjusting the time?
Sara, all I can say is WOW!!!! My daughter’s friend has a gluten allergy so I was looking for so to make for dinner for New Year’s Eve. This is a total winner! We all loved it. Sharing this with everyone I know. Adding this to my regular menu list. Happy new year!
This was SO yummy! I left out the fish sauce and didn’t have peanuts or extra green onions for the top, but next time we’ll add those. My husband would have preferred the carrots to be added in at the end so they’re still a little crunchy, but it totally hit the spot for me tonight. Thanks!!
Very yummy and easy to make! We subbed cashew butter due to a peanut allergy.
This recipe turned out so delicious! Definitely soak the rice noodles in hot water for 10 minutes or so first. This way the entire recipe was done in 1/2 hour!!! I love it so much I just got an instant pot and out of the 4 things I have made I have made this recipe twice!
I got the burn message right after adding the noodles…so what’s the trick to avoid that?
When do you add the broth?
This was really yummy! I totally forgot the peanut butter in the sauce until after it cooked, but it was really good even without that. I think it will be even better when I make it next time and add it.
If I wanted to cut this recipe in half would I adjust the cooking time? Thank you
so good & so easy! I swapped out the brown sugar for 1/4 cup of maple syrup & swapped the peanut butter out for Almond butter. I was nervous that there was so much liquid still left in the pot after the initial 7 minutes, but the noodles soaked everything up after adding them in for the last 10 minutes!
I have a ‘newbie to the Instant Pot’ question! Is the 7 minutes of cook time on low pressure or high pressure?
Thanks so much! Can’t wait to try this!
You have to make this I promise you that you won’t regret it. I added Sriracha instead of red pepper chili flakes and it was so good and so easy.
Can you double this recipe in a 6 quart instant pot?
Hi Lanette, you can double it as long as it does not go past the fill line in your Instant Pot. Hope you enjoy!
excited to try this recipe! Do you think using frozen chicken would work?
I do not recommend using frozen chicken with the rest of the ingredients as they will turn to mush, I would thaw it in the fridge first.
Could the chicken be replaced for tofu? If it can be would you suggest less time in the IP or more time?
Tofu has a much different cooking time than chicken and I have not tested that method. Your best bet would be to cook the tofu like you normally would and then add it to the recipe after everything is done cooking.
How would you recommend adding shrimp to this recipe? (When? Raw or cooked? Etc) Thanks!
Hi! How many does this serve?
What if I don’t have an Instant Pot? How can I make this as it sounds deelish!!!!
I really like the idea of this recipe, but it was way too salty for my taste. Although no salt is added, it could be the fish sauce, as mentioned in another comment. If there was a way to eliminate some of that taste, I’d give this another try.
There are many notes about the salt in the post and in the notes section of the recipe card, I would start there.
Looks great! Can you make ahead and freeze this?
My family enjoyed this recipe! And that’s not an easy feat with a picky 3 year old. The next time I make it I want to add in bean sprouts and eggs. Do you suggest canned or fresh and about how much? Thanks!
Does the sesame oil mean toasted or un toasted? I’ve seen both in similar recipes so I wanted to be sure! Thanks for sharing your recipe, looking forward to trying it!
Either is fine, toasted has a little more nutty flavor.
Can I double this? Would it change cool time
The flavor of the Pad Thai was excellent and I made it with pork. Next time I will either precook or soak the noodles as they were a little firm. Definitely a keeper!
I made this tonight and added the scrambled egg. Wow. Just wow. Pad Thai is my favorite dish but I never thought I could make it. Finding that I could not only make it but that it would be easy made my whole year!!!!! I’ll make this recipe so many more times.
I just made this following your recipe exactly and it seems very salty to me. Anything I can do to cut the saltiness?
There are many notes in the recipe post and note section of the recipe card about salt, please see that information.
I’m sorry to hear this was your experience
We used pork instead of chicken and that was great. Did add in couple scrambled eggs and some sprouts which I think really added to it. Suggestion would be much less peanut butter. We all live PB but was pretty rich with even 2 Tbsp so would use even less left time.
I am glad you enjoyed it Leah
Could you cook this just on a stove?
Any danger of getting the “burn” notice because of the peanut butter in the sauce?
Hi Linda, I have never experienced this before because there is other liquid in the sauce as well. Just make sure you stir to combine the ingredients.
Fantastic!! Already made it twice and it’s a hit! Even switched out peanut butter for almond butter for preference and it was delicious! Thanks for the fool proof recipe! 🙂
do I stir in eggs same time as noodles? thanks 4 aw esome recipe!
For the best results, you should scramble the eggs separately and then stir them in at the very end when everything is done cooking. Hope you enjoy!
I have tried making this recipe several times now, and each time my sauce ends up super watery. Any idea why this could be?
Hi Cara, I am sorry to hear that you have had this issue several times now. I don’t know why it would be watery, the only thing I could think of is that the chicken you are using might have a higher water content? Are you changing the recipe at all, like omitting any ingredients? I would love to help you troubleshoot!
This was tasty! I’ll definitely make it again!
So happy to hear that Sarah, thank you for sharing 🙂
Hi! This looks amazing. I love your recipes!! You’re so sweet to share all this goodness with us. Thank you.
Is there any chance you have this recipe to make without an instant pot? My husband would love this (but we don’t have an instant pot)! Thank you so much!
Hi luara, Thank you for your sweet words! I have not tested this recipe with other cooking methods. But you could cook the cubed chicken in a large skillet, add the veggies and then simmer in the sauce until cooked. Pour over cooked rice noodles. I just don’t have the exact timing for you because I haven’t tested it this way. I hope that helps!
This recipe was AMAZING!!!
So glad you enjoyed it Abbey!
This recipe came out really well and even my super picky son liked it. But it didn’t taste anything like Pad Thai. It’s definitely a make-again recipe, but it’s a peanut noodle recipe. I’ll probably omit the peanut butter or half next time. Yum though!
I made this tonight and it was terrific! I don’t have an instant pot, but followed the directions with my pressure cooker. I soaked the noodles 10 min in hot water while the rest of it was cooking. The family enjoyed it, and I’ll be adding it to my summer rotation. Thanks for the recipe!
Excited to try this! Do you cook it on normal or high pressure in the IP?
Haven’t tried it yet, and maybe a dumb question, but did you thaw your chicken first? Thanks!
Hi Jenny, yes the chicken is thawed first. Hope you enjoy!
I like bean sprouts in my pad thai. When would you suggest adding them? I was thinking about throwing them in with the noodles at the end to just heat them through.
Yes, at the end with the noodles would be perfect!
Can I make this on a crock pot?
Can I use a jarred sauce in a pinch? What would that replace in this recipe? Thanks!
We love this recipe so much! I have made it 3 times now for family and friends and it’s been a huge hit!
My only issue and maybe it’s not actually an issue is that it’s very sticky I tried adding more chicken broth and other liquids but it seemed to soak right in and stay sticky…..any ideas to help with this and give it more slip?
For some reason our noodles didn’t cook all the way and I bought the Annie Chung one’s. It was also kind of pasty- just wondering what I did wrong?
I made the recipe as written. Two of us liked it in my family, and two of us didn’t. It took about 14 minutes for my noodles to soften, and I used the recommended brand.
Hi! I tried this recipe and it’s soooo good!!
I have a question. Are the noodles included into the calorie count?
Hi Miranda, I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe and yes, the noodles are included in the calorie count 🙂
Definitely at least partially cook the noodles.
I’ve made this a few times now and have always had issues with the noodles not being cooked. I changed it up and added an extra cup of broth, and cooked everything all at once in the IP for 4 mins. It turned out perfectly. Just make sure the chicken is cut up very small.
Can you double or triple the recipe for a larger family? Would that change the cook time? I am super new to using my instapot. Thanks
Good morning Sara,
I cannot wait to try your Pad Thai insta pot recipe. Problem is, I cannot decide which insta pot to buy. We are a retired two person household and we love to cook. Could you offer some suggestions?
Judy
Oh. My. Goodness!! My teenage son and I both have celiac disease and we absolutely loved this recipe. So happy I found it – it is definitely going to be added to our regular rotation. I might try it with an additional veggie sometime, and we’re planning to try tofu instead of chicken sometime, but it honestly is perfect just as it is. 🙂 I scrambled two eggs and added them at the end, but they kind of got lost in the flavor of the sauce so I will probably skip that step (and extra dirty pan!) next time. The sauce is slightly more reminiscent of the peanut sauce that comes with chicken satay than the sometimes overly sweet sauce that is on Pad Thai, but in our book that is a solid plus – it is crazy delicious. Thanks much!
Rebecca, you just made my day! I am so glad that you loved the recipe. It is a favorite in our home and it makes me so happy when others enjoy it as much as we do. Thank you for taking the time to share with me 🙂
If we add egg how many and when? I tried adding when I put in the noodles and it didn’t cook at all after ten minutes so I pressure cooked for one minute. Big mistake! Noodles came out mushy.
You just have to scramble them on the side and add them in when the dish is done, the amount is up to you. I would probably use 2-3 eggs.
Has anyone added shrimp instead of chicken? If so, do you wait to add them? Mine are raw shrimp. Frozen.
I am excited to try this! Is the calorie count for the whole dish or per serving? If so, how many servings is this recipe?
The calorie count is for one serving and there are 6 servings total. Hope you love it!
Is it possible to make this without peanuts and peanut butter? My son and husband are allergic.
You can omit or replace with almond or cashew butter if they are able to eat those. I hope that helps!
If the cubed chicken is frozen, should I thaw first or adjust cook time? Thanks – we have food allergies in our house and my oldest LOVES when we make Thai!
I would thaw it out, so you don’t overcook the veggies 🙂
Made this last night. Used 1.5 pounds of chicken breast tenderloins, a package of frozen Asian veggies from Trader Joe’s, and half a package of the recommended brand of rice noodles. It was so good! Couldn’t wait to enjoy the leftovers.
Great recipe! This was the first time I used my IP. I like my veggies to be a bit crunchy so I think I will leave some green onions to the side and add on top afterwards. My husband is impressed!
I am so glad you enjoyed it and that it was a successful first time with the IP!
First time making my own pad Thai and I am also a newbie instant pot user. I followed it exactly except for I used half as much sesame oil and fish sauce just for my personal preference. It was awesome! My husband and myself really enjoyed it. Can’t wait for lunch leftovers ?
I am so glad that you liked it Jenni, thank you for sharing!
This sounds yummy and easy to make. Can you make it without the fish sauce or with a substitute for the fish sauce?
The fish sauce definitely adds to the flavor, but it would still be delicious without!
This looks great! Just so I understand, I’m a newbie, I need to cook the noodles first or I just throw them in?
Thank you and there are two options. You can cook the noodles first and then stir in at the end. Or you can follow the main directions and sir them in uncooked and put the lid back on and let steam to cook. Hope that helps!
Fun to make and yummy. Please adjust the noodle directions. I tried your method for 15 minutes and they were still crunchy. No way can the noodles be done per recipe. For my taste and health goals I’ll add less soy sauce, sugar and a bit less pb next time.
There are many instructions and notes about the noodles in the post, because it can vary from person to person and can depend on the brand you use. Thank you for the feedback.
I made this for dinner and it was a hit. My teenage son had it 2 nights in a row. I used brown rice noodles because its all I could find. I also threw some broccoli in just because I had it in the fridge. It’s definitely going on my make again list!
Quick, easy to make and besides fresh green onion I actually had all the ingredients on hand! It was a hit with kids and adult alike. Everyone is already asking to have it again!
CANNOT say enough about this recipe. Eating Thai food with a gluten allergy is nearly impossible & this recipe made me feel “normal” (AND ALSO FULL!) for the first time in a very long time. Added bonus: I had nearly everything on hand already, so all I needed to grab were the fresh ingredients & noodles. Incredibly easy. Will be making this again & again!
we loved the sauce in this version of IP Pad Thai. However, I would cook the chicken separate and then add in the vegetables next time (we did 2 colors of peppers, mushrooms and green onions) for an additional 2 minutes. They were mushy when we cooked them from the beginning and we reduced the pt butter to 1 tbsp. My hubby liked it a lot though and that’s a win!
So good!! We followed this almost as written, but based off another reviewer, we cooked our Taste of Thai rice noodles separately for just 4 minutes, and then put them into the IP with lid back on for another 2 minutes to finish cooking in the sauce. This was excellent and easy cleanup, will definitely make this again 🙂
Great recommendation! I tried just throwing the noodles in as the recipe stated, but they weren’t done after 15 minutes of being in the pot, so I threw everything in a pan, added a bit of water, and heated until dissolved. I think cooking the noodles separately is really smart.
Great recipe, I will definitely make it again! I love that all of the ingredients are pretty normal. I had most of them on hand (other than rice noodles). This was quick, easy, and delicious! I would definitely recommend it!
Could I add tofu instead of chicken ?
Could I add tofu instead of chicken ?
This recipe looks amazing! How could I make this with a slow cooker/crockpot?
Unfortunately I have not tested that method, and I don’t want to give you wrong information.
Totally a keeper! I added bean sprouts and snap peas (they needed to be used) at the end. Thanks for the great recipe.
Thank you for sharing Maureen, so glad you enjoyed it!
I bought taste of thai noodles and they were not anywhere near to be being cooked after several minutes–I think it would be wise to just cook the noodles and add to the pot. I reset the IP for one minute and still had some hard noodles, but great flavor. I will make this again and cook the noodles separately! 🙂
I used the same noodles but saw your post ahead of time, so I let them soak in hot water while IP was doing its thing!
Then added after quick release and waited the 2 minutes. Everything was scrumptious!!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I apologize in advance for my crankiness but I just ruined my dinner :(. I would definitely recommend putting a note in the recipe to use the super thin cellophane type noodles, not the more typically used thicker pad Thai noodles which need to be boiled. I threw the noodles in, waited the 10 min, tried to steam everything for another 10, and now have a pot of mush + undercooked noodles. Hopefully better luck next time!!
I am sorry this happened Danielle, but I do have many instructions about the noodles both in the post and the note section of the recipe card for that very reason.
Sadly people don’t read, they scan. And then surprise surprise something does not work. 5 stars for your reply. You are a better person than me. ? I’m thinking I would have been a little more direct!
We made with tofu. It turned out great! Thanks for the recipe.😊
This is a fantastic recipe. Such great flavors! The first time I made it, before the changes, it turned out ok. The noodles were a bit stiff but I let it sit for a min or two in the hot pot and it turned out fine. The second time I decided to basically put all the ingredients in together at once (obviously not toppings) and then just cook it for 3 mins on high. This is from another recipe I often use and it always turns out perfectly. It did with this as well. 3 mins is enough to cook the chicken if they are cubes into small pieces. Perfect consistency!
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoy the recipe, thank you for sharing 🙂
Great idea!
I’m not sure what you’re saying you did differently? Just cooking for 3 minuets instead of 7?
When do you add the carrots? Four cut into matchsticks sounds like a lot…?
The carrots are in step one and you can add less if you prefer, hope that helps
Can I use Zucchini noodles instead of rice pasta?
You can, just stir them in at the end and serve right away 🙂
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
It keeps well, my husband loves the leftover for lunch at work. It is not quite as saucy leftover because the noodles absorb some of it, but the flavor and texture are still great. Hope that helps!
This looks so good! Does the fish sauce come through strong on this?
The fish sauce is not overpowering at all, just adds more of that Asian flavor!
If I don’t have fish sauce, what could I substitute? Or would I need to substitute?
You can leave it out and maybe add some extra garlic and ginger for a boost of flavor.
If I don’t have fish sauce would I need to substitute?
Made this tonight, and it was fantastic! Took quite a bit of self-control to follow the directions exactly (#freespirit), but so thankful I did. Delish!
And you can’t beat a one pot dish!
Thank you for sharing Rebecca! So glad to hear that you loved it.
Does this recipe freeze well? Maybe reheat using instant pot vide function?
Hi Paula, I would not recommend freezing and reheating this recipe. I don’t believe the texture would hold up well at all
I wonder if you could freeze the chicken (and carrots?) in the sauce and thaw it in the fridge. I know people who cook and freeze or freeze raw PARTS of meals so maybe that would work here!
This will be my first instant pot recipe and I can’t wait, thanks for sharing!
Made this great recipe this evening. Used cooked noodles and prawns which were added at the end and just sautéd for a couple of minutes to heat through. Added some baby corn with the carrots too. Next time will also add some chilli for a bit of heat. A great tasty sauce which I will be using frequently now. Thanks for adding to my instant pot repertoire!
I am so glad to hear this Jane, thank you for sharing!