Instant Pot Pad Thai

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This quick and easy Instant Pot Pad Thai recipe will be your new go-to recipe when you’re craving this takeout favorite! It’s a one pot meal with a homemade pad Thai sauce that’s sweet, tangy and savory!

Pad Thai is definitely one of our favorite takeout meals. I crave it at least once every few weeks, and now I can satisfy that craving at home!

Instant Pot pad Thai served on a white plate with a fork.

We’re really enjoying making takeout favorites at home. It’s a fun activity and saves money too! This air fryer general tso’s chicken is one we make often, and the same is true for this air fryer orange chicken.

And, now we have homemade pad Thai, made quick and easy by using the Instant Pot!

You guys are going to love this recipe! It has tender pieces of chicken, chewy rice noodles and the most amazing (and easy) pad Thai sauce.

This is a time saving, one pot recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknights!

If you love pad Thai flavor, you’ll also want to try this recipe for chicken pad Thai egg rolls!

Check out the Instant Pot pad thai story!

What is pad Thai?

Pad Thai is a popular Thai noodle dish with stir-fried vegetables, rice noodles and chicken, shrimp or tofu. It has a tangy sauce with a sweet, savory and sour flavor, and usually served with lime wedges and crushed peanuts on top.

Why this recipe works

Thanks to the Instant Pot, you can have this recipe ready in a little over 30 minutes!
Most of the ingredients are relatively common and easy to find at your local grocery store.
Instead of using store-bought pad Thai sauce, this recipe includes a homemade version, which is quick and easy to make.

Ingredients

The full list of ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

You’ll need ½ pound of chicken breast for this recipe, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes. I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, if you prefer.

One of the signature elements of pad Thai is the thick rice noodles. They don’t take long to cook and offer a nice chewy texture in this stir fry dish. You’ll need 8 ounces of rice noodles (uncooked).

For the veggies, the recipe calls for shredded carrots, red pepper, green onions and bean sprouts.

It all cooks in ¾ cup of chicken stock. You can use store-bought or homemade like this crockpot chicken broth. If using store-bought, try to use low sodium so you have better control over the saltiness of the pad Thai.

For the pad Thai sauce, you’ll need soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, tamarind, tahini, rice wine vinegar and chili garlic sauce.

Tamarind is what gives pad Thai its tangy flavor. I used tamarind concentrate for this recipe. It has an intense flavor and syrup-like texture. It’s used in cooking to provide a slightly sweet and tangy flavor. If you can’t find any, in a pinch, you can try using pomegranate molasses as a substitute.

Tahini adds a creamy texture and a slightly nutty flavor, while the fish sauce adds a salty, umami flavor.

The brown sugar adds a hint of sweetness. You can use coconut sugar or palm sugar in place of brown sugar.

For topping, don't forget the chopped cilantro, crushed peanuts and limes. This is a must for pad Thai!

Step by step instructions

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix together.

Homemade pad Thai sauce in a glass bowl with a spatula inserted into it.

Combine the chicken, garlic, chicken broth, noodles and sauce in the Instant Pot (use the non-stick insert).

Chicken, broth and noodles in the Instant Pot insert.

Pressure cook on high for 2 minutes, then quick release the pressure.

Add the vegetables and put the lid back on to allow them to steam for 5 minutes.

Stir to combine and serve with crushed peanuts, cilantro and fresh squeezed lime.

Expert tips

If you try adding other types of veggies just make sure they're thinly sliced and can be steam cooked in 5 minutes.
The chicken will need to be diced so it cooks quickly. If the pieces are bigger than 1 ½ inch cubes, they will take longer to cook and the noodles may get too soft.
If you’re having trouble finding any of the sauce ingredients, you can use store-bought pad Thai sauce in a pinch.
For added heat, try adding a few Thai chilies.
Eggs are typically added to pad Thai, so feel free to add some scrambled eggs to this recipe.
Be sure to quick release the pressure. If you let it release naturally, the noodles will over cook and become mushy.
Fully cooked chicken should have an internal temperature of 165F degrees. I suggest using a digital thermometer to check for doneness.
While the cook time is just 2 minutes on high in the Instant Pot, you’ll need to factor in time for pressure to build and release in the Instant Pot.

Overhead view of pad Thai on a white plate and topped with chopped cilantro and crushed peanuts.

Common questions

Can you use another type of protein in this pad Thai recipe?

Instead of chicken, you can use firm tofu or shrimp. Keep in mind that shrimp may cook a little quicker in the Instant Pot. (It only takes 1 minute in this Instant Pot shrimp recipe).

Can you make pad Thai vegetarian?

Absolutely! Just use tofu in place of the chicken, use veggie broth in place of the chicken broth, and leave out the fish sauce or use more soy sauce instead.

Can you use a different type of noodles?

While you can use different noodles, I don’t recommend it for this recipe as other types will have different cooking times in the Instant Pot. Thinner noodles may get too soft and thicker noodles may be undercooked.

Storage and reheating

You can store leftover pad Thai in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

To reheat it, just warm the leftovers in the microwave. Be careful not to reheat for too long as the noodles will dry out. You can add a splash of water or chicken stock to help keep the noodles from drying out.

More Instant Pot recipes

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!