Be still, my fluttering heart! Two of my fave things in one crazy, cultural crossover treat! Seems pretty nutty when you first consider it. But when you take a closer look, Chicken Pad Thai Nachos make perfect updated, newstalgic sense!
As with many Asian-inspired dishes, the secret is, again, in the sauce… And I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a simple, satisfying and effective take on Thai cuisine…
Not exactly Pad Thai
… But close enough for nachos. The flavours that crop up in the ingredients list are all more or less traditional to Pad Thai, but some classics are missing. Big deal. The peanuts, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, sriracha and honey combine in a lovely flavour profile that may not be authentic, but does evoke the memories and sensations of the Thai icon.
And I’m going to propose some additions that will make the dish more Thai, more main-dishy and more nacho-y.
What a concept!
I knew, instinctively, that this recipe was one I should share with you as soon as the concept had en-joyed a moment to sink in. But I was a little disappointed to see that the final result was something more like ball park nachos than the kind of thing I expect to serve for a quick supper or a game-day munch. Lots of character but not so much variety. And definitely not even close to a balanced meal.
What you need
The majority of the ingredients in the official list go into the ‘Pad Thai’ sauce you’re supposed to use to coat the shredded chicken. The balance consists mainly of the corn chips and the garnish.
But I’m proposing we add some classic nacho fixin’s that just happen to go beautifully with the Thai flavours. I’m piling on 1/4 in / 1 cm diced green and red bell peppers, thinly sliced mushrooms and, optionally, slivered Red Onions.
What you do
Recipe contributor Lauren Miyashiro kindly provides a brief but comprehensive video on the process, focusing on the sauce. But she also includes some handy tips…
The first, which is shown in the video rather than addressed in the text, is to spread the chips in a single later in the bottom of the sheet pan. They should be at least touching, but no more than slightly overlapping.
The folks who make nachos at restaurants and – especially at ball parks – like to pile up the chips, which are relatively cheap for them to provide, and scatter more-expensive toppings on the upper surface. Likewise, they usually douse the chips with cheap, often fake, ‘cheese’ sauce to ensure you’re not disappointed by empty, dry chips in the bottom of the tray. We, as serious cooks, must never be mistaken for ballpark nacho stiffs!
Lauren’s second tip is to add a second layer of chips and toppings on top of the first. This will pro-duce thicker, richer, more substantial bites your diners will love.
I also like her suggestion to line the sheet pan with foil rather than parchment paper. Foil somehow works better in the nacho application. I think it’s at least partly because the metal reflects heat back up from under the food to help keep the bottom-most chips crisp and robust enough not to droop or fold up under the weight of the toppings.
My take
I urge you to make Lauren’s Pad Thai Nachos without a care in the world for authenticity or perfect-ion. This is , after all, a crossover dish to begin with. And her skillful approximation of Pad Thai flavours represents a positive simplification and update on the classic, more complicated formula.
If you’re like me, you’ll probably want to add more grate cheese than she does. Go right ahead! And DO add those Fajita-esque veggies for complete, rounded meal!
~ Maggie J.