The Thai stir fry known as Gai Pad Nam Prik Pao features deep fried pieces of chicken stir fried with a sweet and spicy roasted chili paste. This main dish is easy enough to make at home, and tastes even better than takeout!
Looking for a family-friendly Thai dish that you can easily make at home? Look no further! This delicious stir fry of chicken with roasted chili paste fits the bill.
The success of this dish is due in large part to the "all-in-one" seasoning paste known as Nam Prik Pao. Nam Prik Pao, or Thai roasted chili paste, is made from dried red chilis that have been roasted until they are very dark and aromatic. They are combined with fried garlic and shallots, tamarind paste, fish sauce, and palm sugar to make a sweet and spicy Thai seasoning paste. This paste provides all of the delicious flavors that Thai food is famous for, so you don't have to create them on your own!
The chili paste is stir fried with succulent bites of deep-fried chicken, onions, bell peppers, and green onions. With each bite, you can appreciate the roasted sweet and spicy flavors of the chili paste. It is a perfect dish for families, as the chili paste is not too spicy for children, yet it has enough flavor to please adults too.
What is Pad Nam Prik Pao?
Pad is a Thai word that means to stir fry. Nam Prik Pao is the Thai phrase for roasted chili paste. Put together, Pad Nam Prik Pao translates to a stir fry that's made with roasted chili paste.
There are several versions of Pad Nam Prik Pao. When this stir fry is made with chicken (Gai in Thai), it's known as Gai Pad Nam Prik Pao (presented here). However, you can make this stir fry with any protein you like. Shrimp (goong in Thai), tofu (tau hu in Thai), and clams (hoi in Thai) are popular choices. The preparation methods and ingredients other than roasted chili paste may vary depending upon which protein you use. For example, clams with nam prik pao are often stir fried with Thai basil, whereas shrimp with nam prik pao shine when makrut lime leaves are added.
Ingredients
- Garlic: Two cloves of minced garlic provide a nice layer of aromatic flavor to the dish.
- Onion and Bell Pepper: White onion and colorful bell peppers add nice flavor and vegetal crunch to the stir fry. They should be chopped into bite-sized pieces.
- Green Onions: Green onions are added at the end of the stir fry for a little extra color and flavor. They should be cooked until just barely wilted.
- Thai Roasted Chili Paste: Roasted chili paste, known as Nam Prik Pao in Thai, provides the majority of the flavor in this stir fry. It is primarily sweet and spicy, with a background of salty, savory, and sour flavors. Recipes are available online if you'd like to make it yourself. However, this paste is also readily available at Asian markets and online. I typically use the Pantai brand.
- Gogi Tempura Flour: This Thai flour mixture is used to coat the bite-sized pieces of chicken before deep frying. It produces a crispy coating that holds up nicely to stir frying. It is available at select Asian markets as well as online.
- Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs work well in this recipe. They should be cut into bite-sized cubes before coating with tempura flour for frying.
- Oil for deep frying: A mild-flavored oil with a high heat point such as canola oil works well. You should have enough to create a 2 inch layer of oil in a small pot.
Instructions
Although this stir fried chicken dish has two steps, it comes together quickly and easily. In the first step, you'll deep fry the chicken until it's golden brown and cooked through. In the second step, you'll quickly stir fry the chicken and vegetables with the roasted chili paste.
Step 1: Deep Fry the Chicken
1. Cut the chicken into bite-sized cubes, trimming off any excess fat.
2. Coat the chicken pieces in the tempura flour, ensuring that each piece is covered.
3. Heat the oil to 350 degrees. Fry the chicken until golden brown and cooked through (roughly 3 minutes).
4. Remove the chicken from the oil and allow to drain. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Step 2: Stir Fry the Chicken
1. Heat a tablespoon of oil over high heat in a pan. Stir fry the garlic until aromatic.
2. Add the Nam Prik Pao and stir fry until it is heated through and saucy. You can add a tablespoon or two of water if needed.
3. Add the onion and bell peppers. Stir fry until tender, but firm.
4. Add the fried chicken pieces. Mix with other ingredients and coat with the sauce.
5. Add the green onion. Stir fry until just wilted. Take off the heat.
6. Transfer your stir fried chicken dish to a plate and serve with jasmine rice.
Storage
Pad Nam Prik Pao is best served when it's fresh out of the pan. However, if you have leftovers, they can be stored for a day or two in the refrigerator. It's best to reheat the leftovers in a pan over medium high heat to restore the crispiness of the chicken. You can also reheat in the microwave, although the chicken will be significantly less crispy than when freshly made.
This stir fry of chicken with roasted chili paste is one of my favorite quick and easy weeknight meals. Although it doesn't take much effort to make, the flavors are really impressive thanks to the Thai roasted chili paste. With a nicely rounded spicy sweetness, it's a great Thai dish to please the entire family!
Recipe
Chicken with Roasted Chili Paste | Gai Pad Nam Prik Pao | ไก่ผัดน้ำพริกเผา
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ white onion
- 1 cup bell peppers
- 3 green onions
- 4 Tablespoons Thai roasted chili paste
- 3 Tablespoons Gogi tempura flour
- 2 cups chicken thighs
- oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Prepare the Ingredients: Mince the garlic finely. Cut the white onion and bell peppers into bite-sized pieces. Slice the green onions into 1 inch lengths. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, removing any large chunks of fat.
- Deep Fry the Chicken: Mix the Gogi flour with the chicken until each piece of chicken is well coated. Add approximately two inches of oil to a pot and heat over medium heat until the oil is 350 degrees. Once the oil is hot, add the coated chicken and fry for approximately 3 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the hot oil and allow to drain on a paper towel. Repeat with each batch of chicken until all of the chicken is deep fried.
- Stir Fry the Chicken: Heat a tablespoon of oil over high heat in a pan or wok. Add the garlic and stir fry quickly until fragrant. Then add the roasted chili paste and allow to cook until it becomes saucy.1 Next add the onion and bell pepper pieces and allow to cook until they are slightly tender. Add the deep fried chicken pieces, and coat in the sauce. Finally, add the green onions, stir to incorporate, and take off the heat.
- Serve: Serve the Chicken Stir Fry with fresh jasmine rice. It is best when freshly made, but can also be heated up for serving if you have leftovers.
Video
Jasmine
I love it. I know this place called Thai Spoon in Chicago that makes it. I wanted to make it for myself since I don't live in Chicago any more. This website is the only site I know that knows how to make it. I just wanted to say Thank You and I'll be looking forward to making more of your dishes.
Beck
Simple and delicious - I turned this into a noodle dish and it was just wolfed down. I love anything with roasted chilli paste in it and this was no exception!
mycookinghut
This is my favourite dish!
Valerie
I added some pineapple to this, and it worked pretty well! I was surprised to taste that nam prik pao is actually..not hot :s You can eat it straight from the jar! All in all I thought it was a nice dish, but a bit sugary for me maybe.. Thanks for sharing! :))
Simply Tia
I made this two days ago! It was amazinggggg!! I bet yours is super yummy too (from the looks of it) Well done!
Alyssa @ Everyday Maven
I love your blog! This is a great weeknight dish - so easy and looks soooo delicious!!