This Whole30 friendly healthy Chicken Pad Thai recipe with spaghetti squash is loaded with authentic flavors. Not only is this recipe Whole30 approved; it is also paleo, gluten-free, and low in carbs. This is Hands down the best healthy Thai Food recipe you will ever try!
Besides my Crockpot Thai Curry Chicken, one of our favorite dishes has to be this Chicken Pad Thai Noodles!
Tom and I were hooked ever since we were in Thailand for our honeymoon. I knew I had to find a way to make a healthy version of this without compromising any flavor.
Meet the best Whole30 Chicken Pad Thai recipe possible! I’m so excited to share it with you guys!
What Makes this Chicken Pad Thai Authentic
Authentic Pad Thai flavor comes from a few classic ingredients. A few of these ingredients include:
- Green onion
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Sesame oil
- Fish sauce (I used this fish sauce that is sugar-free and Whole30 friendly)
These ingredients will ensure that you have a strong foundation of authentic classic Pad Thai flavors. Then you can easily make substitutions to make a Whole30 or other healthy versions of this amazing dish.
Whole30 Pad Thai Noodles Ingredients
First, Instead of soy sauce for this recipe, I used coconut Aminos, which is a gluten-free, alternative to soy sauce that’s made from the fermented sap of coconut palm.
It is also much lower in sodium and has a lower glycemic index than soy sauce.
Then, to keep this recipe Whole30 compliant, I used cashew butter for the sauce instead of peanut butter.
Cashew butter is able to provide a nutty, creamy element that is most similar to peanuts than any other nut.
Lastly, the other major Whole30 swap I made was using spaghetti squash noodles instead of the traditional rice noodles.
Check out my post on how to make spaghetti squash if you’re not sure how to prepare them. They are a great choice for this recipe because the flavor pairs nicely with cashews.
However, you could use zoodles (zucchini noodles) or sweet potato noodles as well.
The rest of the ingredients you will need for this dish are:
- Cashew butter
- Lime juice
- Chicken
- Egg
- Carrot
- Bean sprouts
- Red bell pepper (optional, for the color)
I always like to include the red bell pepper because it makes the dish look pretty, and in the meantime, adds great crunch and flavor!
How to Make the Best Chicken Pad Thai
A Whole30 friendly Healthy Pad Thai Noodles can taste like the original version too!
With these tips below, you are sure to nail that authentic flavor every time.
Tips to Make the Best Chicken Pad Thai
1. thinly slice the chicken.
Chicken that is cut thin cooks faster and absorbs more flavor.
2. Add fresh ingredients to the equation.
Fresh lime and green onions sprinkled on top give it a perfect balance.
3. Make sure not to overcook the carrots and beansprouts
The vegetables provide a delicate crunch to the soft spaghetti squash (or whatever noodles you like to use).
4. Crush some cashews to add on top right before serving.
.
Why I Love This Whole30 Chicken Pad Thai
Thai food always brings back memories of Tom and me on our honeymoon, so having a healthy, Whole30 go-to recipe allows me to indulge in this dish whenever I’d like.
This pad thai recipe is full of healthy fats from the cashews, fiber, vitamins, and minerals from the spaghetti squash, as well as protein from the chicken so it’s a perfectly balanced, tasty meal that always leaves me satisfied.
Moreover, this dish is a great recipe for meal prep. Try double up the recipe so that you can throw a delicious, healthy meal together quickly on nights.
How to Store Pad Thai Noodles
If (and that’s a big if!) you have any leftovers, it’s best to store them in an air-tight container in the fridge.
For best results, do not mix in the spaghetti squash until you are ready to serve. This will prevent the spaghetti squash from getting too mushy.
What’s the best Thai food you’ve ever had? Leave a comment below!
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR CREATIONS! YOU CAN USE “TRIED IT” ON PINTEREST OR SHARE ON INSTAGRAM BY TAGGING #SHUANGYSEATS
You May Also Love These Whole30 Recipes:
1. Healthy Bolognese Sauce (Whole30, Keto)
2. Whole30 Cauliflower Fried Rice with Chicken
3. Whole 30 Sticky Asian Meatballs
Chicken Pad Thai {Whole30}
Ingredients
Pad Thai and Noodles
- 1 Spaghetti Squash
- 1 lb chicken breast or chicken thighs thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp avocado oil for sautéing
- 2 green onions scallion – (chopped, separate the white and green part)
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 eggs whisked
- 1 cup carrots thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1/2 inch fresh ginger thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos marinate the chicken
- Salt to taste *
- A handful of bean sprouts for garnish
Pad Thai Sauce
- 3 tbsp cashew butter
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 lime squeezed
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 2 heaping tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Garnish
- 1/4 cup cashews crushed
- 1 lime cut into wedges
- the green part of the 2 green onion scallion
Instructions
- Fork one whole cooked spaghetti squash into “noodles” and set aside. (See this post for “How to Make Spaghetti Squash”)
- Thin slice Chicken thighs or breast into strips. In a bowl, marinate the chicken with salt *, coconut aminos, ½ tsp ground ginger.
- While the chicken marinates, make the Pad Thai sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients.
- Heat 1 -2 tbsp oil in a non-stick skillet, add chicken. Stir occasionally until cooked through – (For thinly cut chicken, this takes approx. 5 minutes). Remove chicken from the pan. Set aside.
- In a bowl, beart up 2 eggs. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same pan (whipe out first if there are chicken pieces stuck to the pan), once the oil simmers, add the beaten eggs. Give it a quick stir and remove from the pan (while it is still runny on top). Set aside.
- Heat 1 – 2 tbsp oil on medium heat and let it simmer. Add the white part of chopped green onion and sauté until slightly brown (~ 30 sec – 1 min). Add carrots, red pepper, ginger, and garlic. Cook for another minute.
- Add chicken and egg back to the skillet*. Use a spatula to break up the eggs into small pieces. Add the Pad Thai sauce and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir to combine all the ingredients.
- Remove from the heat. Add prepared spaghetti squash to the pan and gently mix together. **
- Garnish with fresh lime, crushed cashews, the green part of the chopped green onions, bean sprouts and crushed red pepper flakes.
Notes
- *If you have salted the chicken enough, taste the pad thai mixture before adding more salt. Since the coconut aminos is salty itself, you will want to be gentle when adding extra salt.
- **You can also serve the spaghetti squash separately on a plate and add the Pad Thai Mixture on top.
- Store in air-tight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Recommended Products
Nutrition
The Nutrition Facts above are specific to the ingredients I chose to use for this recipe, which may vary.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This does not result in any extra cost for you, but it does mean that I make a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Can you freeze this and garnish once thawed and reheated?
Hi Chris-
Yes, absolutely! Let us know how you enjoy it 🙂
Happy Cooking!
Constance
Fantastic recipe! Don’t know how anyone gets by without this in their regular menu rotation. Thanks for sharing
We are avid Thai food lovers, so this was great! Of course not like the real thing, but it was a wonderful healthy alternative. I used low sodium soy sauce instead of the coconut aminos. The final result turned out very salty, so if I make it again, I would use less soy sauce and less fish sauce, I think.
I also used peanut butter powder + water for a more low fat version. The result was only 2 points per serving! (4 servings total)
I’ve made this once a week for three weeks! I stick pretty close to the recipe and get good results. I just add even more veggies. Also, it is even better the second day! Make a bunch and take it for lunch.
What a great remake! Adding this to my try it page.
Hi Angela, We are so happy that you like the recipe! Once you make it, let us know what think:) /Emmelie
This is by far one of the best recipes I’ve ever tried. You can eat a ton of it and not feel crappy afterwards! I’ve made it weekly this past month!
Can I make it without the fish sauce?
Hi Purvi,
Fish sauce is one of the key ingredients that really makes the flavor.
Shuang
I am on my 3rd week of Keto and missing my favorite pad Thai restaurant…. your recipe totally hit the spot, it was a huge hit with my kiddos and husband. I omitted the carrots because I can’t eat them right now but otherwise made as written and used my wok which worked great. I love the acidity of the rice vinegar and the salt level was perfect with the aminos. This version is not sweet like many restaurants serve. I am definitely keeping this in rotation! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!!
Hi Angela,
That is so good to hear! I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe. It is my favorite for sure.
Shuang
This recipe was delicious! I made it for three of my girlfriends and we all loved it and decided we like the cashew sauce more than regular peanut sauce. One thing I will note is the recipe says it yields 6 but we pretty much split it evenly between the four of us without being overly full. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Freaking delicious! We had it last week and my husband requested again for this week. Thanks Shaung! I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
So happy you and your husband both love it Beth!! 🙂 This just made my day!
Shuang
This recipe was sooooo good! I used tofu instead of chicken to make it vegetarian. THANK YOU for this wonderful recipe!
Hi Christi,
I love using tofu for this recipe too. So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Shuang
You asked about our favorite Thai food. Gan Gai and Yum Yai are what I’ve had in the past. I wasn’t a fan of the Pad Thai that I’ve eaten, because I wasn’t expecting the sweetness of it (the second time I tried it, it wasn’t that bad though). I’m definitely going to make your recipe though. 😀
I should add, that the Gan Gai and Yum Yai that I had was from a restaurant and looked more like Chinese food than anything else. I’m not sure if that’s normal or not. 🙂
Hi Patrick,
OOO I’ve never had Gan Gai but Yum Yai is so good! When I was in Thailand for vacation, I just had SOO many curries, all different kinds haha. Def my favorite. Since there is no sugar added to this Pad Thai recipe, I hope you will enjoy it more 🙂
Shuang
Hi!
sounds delicious
If you want to add some heat what do you recommend?
thanks
Hi Leslie,
My go-to is to add some cayenne pepper to kick it up. A little goes a long way 😂.
Shuang
Nice change with the squash and thought everything hit well. The kids enjoyed as well as the wife. Added no salt and actually went with more red peppers and carrots. Did not use all the sauce saved what I did not use and made another batch two days later! All great.
Gone to Thailand recently and desperately missed this meal but have to eat healthy. The best meal I’ve ever made!
I’ve made this multiple times and it’s just perfect when the Thai craving hits. Only change I made this time was peanut butter instead of cashew and it worked great. Thanks for the yummy recipe.
Hi Laura,
Yay! That makes me so happy! I am so glad you could enjoy it so much 🙂
Shuang
Do you think almond butter would work? I don’t have cashew and would love to make this tonight
Hi Lindsey,
I haven’t tried it with almond butter but I think it should definitely work! Hope you enjoy!
Shuang
I made this today and discovered too late I only had almond butter in the house, so I gave it a whirl! It turned out fantastic! My husband, who fancies himself a Pad Thai snob, even came back for seconds!
Hi There Krista! I am so happy that even with the substitution it came out great and that you both loved it!
-Constance
There is no mention of bean sprouts in the recipe, but they are mentioned above. When should they be added and how much?
Hi Amanda,
The bean sprouts are for garnishing at the end. A hand full before you serve will do. Hope you enjoy.
best,
Shuang
Our son will be visiting us for his birthday this week and has requested this recipe for his birthday celebration. Cannot wait to try it!
OMG YAYY! Happy early birthday to him and I am so honored that this Pad Thai can be part of the celebration. Hope you all enjoy 🙂
Shuang
Awesome! The liquid aminos in the sauce was perfect amount of salt, it didn’t need any more. Super yummy
Hi,
So glad you enjoyed! And yes the I don’t use salt anymore because the coconut aminos is enough :).
Shuang