Tom Yum Noodles

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Spicy, tangy and sweet, this Tom Yum Noodles recipe is loaded with fresh veggies, chicken and a homemade tom yum sauce. You only need 25 minutes to make this easy noodle stir fry!

This hot and sour Thai noodle dish is inspired by this tom yum noodle soup, which I recently shared and we are completely obsessed with!

Both recipes use a combination of lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, coconut sugar and nam prik pao to create a flavor profile that’s sweet, salty, sour and spicy.

So, the next time you stock up on these ingredients, make sure you buy enough to make both the soup and the noodle stir fry. When you’re pressed for time on busy weeknights, you’ll want these quick and easy meals in your back pocket!

If you love Thai food as much as we do, I also highly recommend this Thai basil pork and Instant Pot pad Thai!

Why this recipe works

1. Cooking your noodles at the same time as the chicken and veggies means this recipe only takes 25 minutes to make!
2. The recipe includes an easy homemade tom yum sauce instead of relying on store-bought!
3. The flavor of the tom yum sauce can be adjusted to make it more or less spicy, sweet, salty or sour.
4. You can make this stir fry in advance so it’s great for meal prep. Just cook and store the chicken and veggies separately from the noodles. Assemble and reheat when ready to enjoy.

Ingredients

For a full list of ingredients and quantities, check out the recipe card at the end of this post. 

You’ll need ½ pound of chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces. I normally use boneless, skinless chicken thighs as they're easier to cut into pieces. You can use bone-in and skin on if you prefer. Just remove the skin before cutting the chicken into pieces.

For the noodles, I like to use 16 ounces of rice noodles. You can also use egg noodles if you prefer.

The veggies in this noodle stir fry include 1 thinly sliced red pepper, 8 ounces of sliced fresh mushrooms and 3 tomatoes chopped into 1-inch chunks.

For the tangy and citrusy flavor in the tom yum sauce, the recipe calls for 4 kaffir lime leaves and 1 tablespoon of lemongrass paste.

Kaffir lime leaves are the leaves from a kaffir lime tree that are a common ingredient in Southeast Asian cooking. If you can’t find any, try using bay leaves and lime zest instead.

For a sweet and slightly spicy flavor, the tom yum sauce includes 2 tablespoons of nam prik pao. This is a type of Thai roasted chili paste. If you can’t find any, you can use another type of Thai chili paste.

To add a salty umami flavor, you’ll need 1 tablespoon of fish sauce. Fish sauce is made from anchovies fermented in salt. If you don’t have fish sauce, try substituting with soy sauce.

For a hint of sweetness, the sauce includes 1 teaspoon of coconut sugar. You can also use brown sugar or palm sugar in place of it.

The base of the sauce is a ¼ cup of chicken stock. You can use store-bought, but I usually use homemade, like this crockpot chicken broth, so I can control the amount of salt in the sauce.

Step by step instructions

Heat the coconut oil in a wok or large high sided skillet.

Add the chicken and cook through, about 3-4 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add the tomatoes, red pepper, mushrooms and lime leaves and cook until mushrooms have released their liquid.

Add the remaining ingredients (except noodles, lime and cilantro) and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the chicken and noodles and toss to coat with the sauce.

Serve with chopped cilantro and fresh lime. 

Expert tips

1. Stir fries cook quickly so make sure you have your veggies sliced and ready to go when the chicken is cooked.
2. To save time, cook the noodles while the chicken and veggies are cooking, or cook them in advance.
3. For a spicier tom yum sauce, just add more nam prik pao.
4. If the sauce is too sour or tangy or you like it sweeter, just add a little more sugar. 
5. Instead of chicken thighs, you can use skinless, boneless chicken breasts.
6. To ensure you have enough room for the stir fry to come together, use a wok or large high sided skillet.
7. You can leave out the noodles and serve this tom yum stir fry with rice instead. This coconut jasmine rice would be delicious with it.
8. If you don’t have rice noodles, you can also use egg noodles or other long, slender noodles like spaghetti, soba or ramen noodles. 

Common questions

Storage and reheating

Store this leftover noodle stir fry in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. 

To reheat, just warm on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through. 

More Thai inspired recipes

• Spicy Thai Pumpkin Curry
• Thai Chicken Pizza
• Chicken Pad Thai Egg Rolls
• Thai BBQ Pork Spare Ribs
• 15 Minute Thai Beef Salad

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