Paleo diet plan

PAD THAI

I can almost never say no to pad thai, but there’s not very much that’s Paleo about it. Sure, it’s mostly gluten-free, but the peanut sauce and rice noodles don’t make for a very primal-friendly meal. After a few too many orders of Thai takeout, I finally started experimenting at home and came up with this salad that’s about as close to pad thai as I can imagine. SERVES 4

PREP TIME: 10 minutes

COOK TIME: 20 minutes

1 pound (454 g) boneless skinless chicken breast

2 tablespoons (30 ml) coconut aminos

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon (5 ml) grated fresh ginger

1 to 2 tablespoons (30 ml) almond butter

1 tablespoon (15 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice, plus 4 lime wedges for garnish

2 teaspoons (10 ml) fish sauce

¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 large zucchini, spiralized or julienned into noodles

1 cup (240 ml) bean sprouts

⅓ cup slivered almonds

2 to 3 tablespoons (45 ml) chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. In a large pot of water over high heat, boil or steam the chicken breasts for about 15 minutes, or until they’re cooked through. Pat dry and slice into bite-size pieces.
2. In a large bowl, mix the coconut aminos, garlic, ginger, almond butter, lime juice, fish sauce, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
3. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, gently sauté the zucchini noodles for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they just start to become tender. Remove from the heat, and mix in with the pad thai sauce. Stir in the chicken, and serve topped with bean sprouts, almonds, cilantro, and a wedge of lime.

VARIATION 1 SHRIMP PAD THAI: Swap the chicken breast for sautéed shrimp—about ½ to 1 pound. (454 g)

VARIATION 2 PAD THAI SALAD: Serve this dish as more of a salad by leaving the zucchini raw and mixing it with ½ cup chopped romaine lettuce. Serve the sauce chilled as a salad dressing.

PREP TIP: Make the sauce ahead of time, and store in the refrigerator. Stir well before using.

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Paleo pad thai that hits all the right notes — slippery zucchini noodles, tender chicken, crunchy slivered almonds, and a glossy sauce of coconut aminos, almond butter, lime, and fish sauce. Bean sprouts and cilantro keep it fresh, and lime wedges go on the side for squeezing. It's takeout comfort, rebuilt from the ground up.

Pro Tips

• Whisk the sauce fully before it hits the pan — the almond butter needs to loosen into the aminos and lime or it will clump on the noodles.
• Gently sauté the zucchini noodles for just 2 to 3 minutes; they should be barely tender and still hold their shape.
• Boil the chicken breasts ahead and slice them cold — it's easier to get clean, even pieces and the texture stays tender.
• The fish sauce is small in quantity but essential; it's what gives the dish that authentic savory depth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use shrimp instead of chicken?

Absolutely — grill or sauté about a pound of shrimp and fold them in. Cooked shrimp can also be tossed in cold for a noodle-salad style dish.

Is pad thai Paleo?

Traditional pad thai isn't, but this version swaps rice noodles for zucchini and uses coconut aminos and almond butter instead of soy and peanut sauce.

Can I make the sauce ahead?

Yes — whisk it and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Let it come to room temperature and stir before dressing the noodles, since the almond butter thickens when cold.

What can I use instead of almond butter?

Sunflower seed butter works if you're avoiding nuts, though the flavor will be a little earthier. Cashew butter is the closest match to the original.

Recipe Card

Stav Kogan

PAD THAI

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
• 2 tbsp coconut aminos
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 to 2 tablespoons almond butter
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice, plus 4 lime wedges for garnish
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 large zucchini, spiralized or julienned into noodles
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• ⅓ cup slivered almonds
• 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Method

 

1. In a large pot of water over high heat, boil or steam the chicken breasts for about 15 minutes, or until they’re cooked through.
2. Pat dry and slice into bite-size pieces.
3. In a large bowl, mix the coconut aminos, garlic, ginger, almond butter, lime juice, fish sauce, and red pepper flakes.
4. Set aside.
5. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, gently sauté the zucchini noodles for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they just start to become tender.
6. Remove from the heat, and mix in with the pad thai sauce.
7. Stir in the chicken, and serve topped with bean sprouts, almonds, cilantro, and a wedge of lime.

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