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Recipe for Chicken Pad Thai

Fresh and hot Chicken Pad Thai recipe with stir fried rice noodles and fresh vegetables developed by the California Culinary Centers for school food service menu planning.

Chicken Pad Thai

For more recipes visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page. Share your results with us on Twitter @CDENutrition External link opens in new window or tab..

Yields 50 Servings

This recipe yields 50–10 ounce servings of Chicken Pad Thai.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

  • 6 pounds and 4 ounces fully cooked frozen chicken, diced (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
  • 1 quart and 1 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • ½ cup ready to use garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons red chili pepper flakes
  • 2 quarts water
  • 2 cups tamarind paste
  • 3 cups chili sauce
  • 2 cups fish sauce
  • 2 cups brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup soybean oil (USDA food item)
  • 6 pounds as purchased (AP) fresh whole zucchini squash
  • 2 pounds and 8 ounces or 3 quarts fresh bean sprouts
  • 1 gallon low sodium chicken broth
  • 4 ounces AP fresh cilantro bunches
  • 4 pounds Thai medium flat style, dry brown noodles
  • 1 pound AP fresh green onions

Directions

To Prepare in Advance
  1. Thaw chicken in refrigerator 1 to 2 days in advance. Critical Control Point (CCP): Thaw chicken in the refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
To Prepare Marinated Chicken
  1. Whisk to mix soy sauce and cornstarch together in large bowl. Add minced garlic and red chili pepper flakes.
  2. Add chicken to marinade; mix well until coated. Soak or marinate overnight in refrigerator, if possible, for increased flavor. CCP: Hold or marinate chicken in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
To Prepare Thai Sauce
  1. Combine water, tamarind, chili sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and pepper in large saucepan. Heat until tamarind and sugar are well dissolved. Keep to a simmer.
To Prepare Zucchini, Bean Sprout, and Chicken Mixture
  1. Rinse zucchini and bean sprouts under cool running water. Set aside bean sprouts.
  2. Trim and dice zucchini into ½ inch pieces to measure 3 quarts.
  3. Heat oil in large sauté pan and sauté zucchini until tender. Add bean sprouts. Heat thoroughly.
  4. Place sautéed zucchini and bean sprouts into two–12 inch by 20 inch by 6 inch pans.
  5. Add chicken mixture divided evenly between pans. Mix well. Add Thai sauce, divided evenly between pans.
  6. Preheat conventional oven to 350°F or convection oven to 300°F. Hold chicken mixture in oven for service. CCP: Hold chicken mixture at 135°F or higher for service.
To Prepare Noodles
  1. Heat chicken broth to 165°F in saucepan. CCP: Heat chicken broth to 165°F or higher for at least 15 seconds.
  2. Rinse cilantro under cool running water. Mince stems and leaves to measure 3 cups. Add to zucchini mixture.
  3. Soak noodles for 30 minutes in cold water before service in two large 12 inch by 20 inch by 6 inch pans.
  4. Drain noodles. Add to heated chicken broth 2 minutes before assembly using steam basket. Remove noodles and place into hot 12 inch by 20 inch by 6 inch pans to hold for service. CCP: Hold noodles at 135°F for service no longer than one hour.
  5. Note: 1 pound of dry noodles yields 1 quart and 2⅓ cups cooked noodles.
To Assemble Bowl
  1. Place ½ cup or one number 8 scoop of noodles into one–16 ounce bowl.
  2. Add 1 cup or two number 8 scoops of zucchini, sprout, and chicken mixture to bowl.
  3. Top chicken-zucchini mixture with ¼ cup ladle hot chicken broth.
  4. Rinse green onions under cold running water. Trim root ends off and discard any wilted or damaged parts. Slice into ¼ inch pieces to measure 4 cups.
  5. Top each bowl of Chicken Pad Thai with 1 tablespoon of chopped green onion.
  6. Serve immediately in one–16 ounce bowl a 10-ounce portion of Chicken Pad Thai (½ cup noodles, 1 cup zucchini, sprouts, and chicken mixture, ¼ cup broth, and 1 tablespoon of green onion), or seal and hold at 135°F or higher for no longer than 1 hour. CCP: Hold Chicken Pad Thai at 135°F or higher.

Nutritional Analysis

  • Calories, in K calories: 522.80
  • Carbohydrates, in grams: 61.20
  • Protein, in grams: 42.80
  • Saturated fat, in grams: 5
  • Trans fat, in grams: 0
  • Total fat, in grams: 12
  • Sodium, in milligrams: 540

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

Yields 100 Servings

This recipe yields 100–10 ounce servings of Chicken Pad Thai.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

  • 12 pounds and 8 ounces fully cooked frozen chicken, diced (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
  • 2 quarts and 2 cups low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 1 cup ready to use garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup red chili pepper flakes
  • 1 gallon water
  • 1 quart tamarind paste
  • 1 quart and 2 cups chili sauce
  • 1 quart fish sauce
  • 1 quart brown sugar, packed
  • 2 cups lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
  • 2 cups soybean oil (USDA food item)
  • 12 pounds as purchased (AP) fresh whole zucchini squash
  • 5 pounds or 1 gallon and 2 quarts fresh bean sprouts
  • 2 gallons low sodium chicken broth
  • 8 ounces AP fresh cilantro bunches
  • 8 pounds Thai medium flat style, dry brown noodles
  • 2 pounds AP fresh green onions

Directions

To Prepare in Advance
  1. Thaw chicken in refrigerator 1 to 2 days in advance. Critical Control Point (CCP): Thaw chicken in the refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
To Prepare Marinated Chicken
  1. Whisk to mix soy sauce and cornstarch together in large bowl. Add minced garlic and red chili pepper flakes.
  2. Add chicken to marinade; mix well until coated. Soak or marinate overnight in refrigerator, if possible, for increased flavor. CCP: Hold or marinate chicken in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
To Prepare Thai Sauce
  1. Combine water, tamarind, chili sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and pepper in large saucepan. Heat until tamarind and sugar are well dissolved. Keep to a simmer.
To Prepare Zucchini, Bean Sprout, and Chicken Mixture
  1. Rinse zucchini and bean sprouts under cool running water. Set aside bean sprouts.
  2. Trim and dice zucchini into ½ inch pieces to measure 1 gallon and 2 quarts.
  3. Heat oil in large sauté pan and sauté zucchini until tender. Add bean sprouts. Heat thoroughly.
  4. Place sautéed zucchini and bean sprouts into four–12 inch by 20 inch by 6 inch pans.
  5. Add chicken mixture divided evenly between pans. Mix well. Add Thai sauce, divided evenly between pans.
  6. Preheat conventional oven to 350°F or convection oven to 300°F. Hold chicken mixture in oven for service. CCP: Hold chicken mixture at 135°F or higher for service.
To Prepare Noodles
  1. Heat chicken broth to 165°F in saucepan. CCP: Heat chicken broth to 165°F or higher for at least 15 seconds.
  2. Rinse cilantro under cool running water. Mince stems and leaves to measure 1 quart and 2 cups. Add to zucchini mixture.
  3. Soak noodles for 30 minutes in cold water before service in four large 12 inch by 20 inch by 6 inch.
  4. Drain noodles. Add to heated chicken broth 2 minutes before assembly using steam basket. Remove noodles and place into hot 12 inch by 20 inch by 6 inch pans to hold for service. CCP: Hold noodles at 135°F for service no longer than one hour.
  5. Note: 1 pound of dry noodles yields 1 quart and 2⅓ cups cooked noodles.
To Assemble Bowl
  1. Place ½ cup or one number 8 scoop of noodles into one–16 ounce bowl.
  2. Add 1 cup or two number 8 scoops of zucchini, sprout, and chicken mixture to bowl.
  3. Top chicken-zucchini mixture with ¼ cup ladle hot chicken broth.
  4. Rinse green onions under cold running water. Trim root ends off and discard any wilted or damaged parts. Slice into ¼ inch pieces to measure 8 cups.
  5. Top each bowl of Chicken Pad Thai with 1 tablespoon of chopped green onion.
  6. Serve immediately in one–16 ounce bowl a 10-ounce portion of Chicken Pad Thai (½ cup noodles, 1 cup zucchini, sprouts, and chicken mixture, ¼ cup broth, and 1 tablespoon of green onion), or seal and hold at 135°F or higher for no longer than 1 hour. CCP: Hold Chicken Pad Thai at 135°F or higher.

Nutritional Analysis

  • Calories, in K calories: 522.80
  • Carbohydrates, in grams: 61.20
  • Protein, in grams: 42.80
  • Saturated fat, in grams: 5
  • Trans fat, in grams: 0
  • Total fat, in grams: 12
  • Sodium, in milligrams: 540

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

General Recipe Information

Category

  • Hot plate recipes

Serving Suggestion

  • Yield 50 or yield 100–10 ounce servings of Chicken Pad Thai (½ cup noodles, 1 cup zucchini, sprouts, and chicken mixture, ¼ cup broth, and 1 tablespoon green onion) in 16 ounce bowls.

Contribution to Meal Pattern

The contribution to the meal pattern for this recipe is based on the suggested serving size above.

  • 2 ounce equivalents meat/meat alternative
  • 2 ounce equivalents whole grain-rich
  • ½ cup vegetables (½ cup other vegetables)

If you decide to modify this recipe or serving size, you may use the tools available on the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab to create your own standardized recipe or find the contribution to the meal pattern.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Items

  • Fully cooked frozen chicken diced
  • Soybean oil

Recipe Roots (Flavor Profile)

  • Southeast Asia

Preparation Time

  • Preparation: 1 hour for 50 servings or 1½ hours for 100 servings
  • Cook time: 30 minutes for 50 servings or 100 servings

Critical Control Point (CCP)

  • CCP: Thaw chicken in the refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
  • CCP: Hold or marinate chicken in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
  • CCP: Hold chicken mixture at 135°F or higher for service.
  • CCP: Heat chicken broth to 165°F or higher for at least 15 seconds.
  • CCP: Hold noodles at 135°F for service no longer than one hour.
  • CCP: Hold Chicken Pad Thai at 135°F or higher.

Kid Rating

Five-fork kid rating.

Culinary Center

Chico Unified School District

 

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Monday, June 12, 2023
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