Khao Pad Gai (Thai Chicken Fried Rice)
Khao pad gai is Thai-style fried rice with chicken, as street vendors in the central region of Thailand make it. Note that this is a very imprecise recipe, and so "cups" means "handfuls". Any measuring tool that holds about the capacity of a large handful will do.
Ingredients
- Peanut oil
- 1 large chicken breast, sliced in thin strips
- 2 eggs, unbeaten
- 4 cups (900 g) cooked Thai jasmine rice, refrigerated overnight
- ½ yellow onion, chopped into strips
- ¾ roma tomato, cut into strips
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¾ cup (180 g) cilantro, finely chopped
- Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
- Soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar (preferably palm sugar)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced and fried
- Vinegar
Optional
- 1 tsp MSG
- 2 Tbsp Thai chili sauce
Garnish
- 3 slices cucumber, peeled (note: can run fork down all sides lightly if desired)
- 3 slices roma tomato
- 3 sprigs green onion
- Lettuce leaf
Steps
- Prepare all ingredients. Set in small bowls by the stove.
- Add about 4 Tbsp peanut oil to the wok. Heat on high.
- When oil is almost smoking, add chicken strips. Push around vigorously with a wok spoon or spatula.
- When chicken starts to brown, push it up the side of the wok. Crack eggs into the wok.
- Stir eggs. When almost fully scrambled, mix in chicken. Stir 30 seconds.
- Push eggs and chicken aside. Add more oil, tomato and onion. Stir-fry about 5 min.
- Add cold cooked rice. Mix in.
- Turn heat to low. Add a few splashes of fish sauce and soy sauce to taste.
- Add sugar, salt, MSG, a splash of vinegar, and chili sauce if wanted. Top with fried garlic. Stir in. Turn off heat.
- Arrange garnishes on a lettuce leaf on a large platter. Plate the fried rice beside it. Eat garnishes with the rice.
Source. Adapted from “Cookbook:Khao Pad Gai (Thai Chicken Fried Rice)” by Wikibooks contributors, revision of 2025-12-04, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Changes. Steps rewritten into short commands. Introduction shortened. Wiki formatting removed. This adapted recipe is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.






