Name: Chicken Pad Thai Noodles
Yield: SERVES 4

“The pad Thai served in American Thai restaurants is typically quite sweet and does not include peanut sauce. But I just love how the velvety sauce combines with the moderate sweetness from coconut aminos and coconut sugar. If you prefer that restaurant-quality sweetness, adding another 1 to 2 tablespoons coconut sugar will help you achieve it.” —Walker

SERVES 4

for the creamy thai-style almond sauce:

1 clove garlic, crushed

¼ cup tahini

¼ cup unsweetened almond or cashew butter

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

¼ cup coconut aminos

2 tablespoons coconut sugar

1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger

1 to 2 tablespoons water

fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

for the chicken pad thai noodles:

⅓ cup Creamy Thai-Style Almond Sauce (or Yai’s Thai Almond Sauce)

1 tablespoon tamarind paste (optional)

3 medium zucchini, peeled

2 large carrots, peeled

fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon avocado oil

1 cup shredded purple cabbage

1 cup cauliflower florets, broken into small pieces

1 cup mung bean sprouts

2 green onions, white and tender green parts, chopped, with white and green parts separated

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced

½ cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems

¼ cup chopped toasted cashews

1. First, make the Creamy Thai-Style Almond Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, tahini, almond butter, lime juice, coconut aminos, coconut sugar, and ginger. Slowly whisk in just enough of the water to create a thick and creamy sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the almond sauce and tamarind paste. Set aside.

3. Line a large bowl with a dry, clean kitchen towel. Use a spiralizer or mandoline to create noodles from the zucchini and carrots. Transfer them to the prepared bowl and sprinkle them with salt. Set aside.

4. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage, cauliflower, bean sprouts, and white parts of the green onions and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp-tender.

5. Add the carrot and zucchini noodles and stir and cook for about 2 minutes, until the noodles have softened and any liquid has evaporated. Raise the heat to high, stir in the chicken, and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the heat.

6. Pour the sauce into the skillet and toss until all of the ingredients are evenly coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve garnished with the cilantro, the green parts of the green onions, and the cashews.

Recipe extracted from Healthy in a Hurry by Danielle Walker. Copyright © 2022 by Simple Writing Holdings, LLC. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Photography © 2022 by Aubrie Pick.

Originally featured in 3 Quick Paleo Dinner Recipes from Danielle Walker