Khao Pad, Khao Pad Gai
Thai fried rice, or khao pad, is the wok dish Thailand reaches for when there is leftover rice: jasmine rice fried fast and hot with garlic, onion and tomato, chicken and egg folded through, and the seasoning kept simple — fish sauce, a little soy sauce and a pinch of sugar, with a lime wedge on the side. There is no sweet soy sauce here and no shrimp paste, which is what sets it apart from Indonesian nasi goreng. One serving is about 350 g.
Khao pad, literally 'fried rice', is Thailand's everyday answer to leftover rice, sold from street carts and cooked in home kitchens across the country. The Thai version is defined by its seasoning — fish sauce and lime rather than the sweet soy sauce of Indonesian nasi goreng — and by the way it is served, always with cucumber, a lime wedge and a small bowl of prik nam pla so each eater seasons their own plate. Chicken, shrimp and crab are the common proteins, and the dish changes with whatever is in the kitchen.
Pairs well with: Cool cucumber slices, a lime wedge and a small bowl of prik nam pla, with iced tea to drink.
Provenance
Thailand
Bangkok Street Classic
East & South Asia
Time Dedication
30m
15m prep • 15m cook
Batch Yield
4 Servings
435 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 350 g
Technical Skill
Easy
Easy (One Wok)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Hearty Midday Main
Dinner
Ideal Hearty Main
Snack & Tea
Inappropriate
Bangkok Street Classic
Photo: Andy Li, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home (USD)
Made the Thai way: day-old jasmine rice fried in a hot wok with chicken, egg and vegetables, seasoned with fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar, finished with lime and cucumber.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: Rice, Chicken & Seasoning
15 Mins • Chopping, Slicing & Measuring
Break up the cold rice so the grains are loose. Cut the chicken into small pieces, dice the onion, tomato and carrot, and slice the shallots and spring onions. Mix the fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl and set the lime wedges and cucumber beside the wok.
Maestro Tip: Cold, day-old rice is the whole secret — warm, fresh rice turns to mush in the wok.
5 Mins High heat, ~200°C (400°F)
Heat half the oil in a large wok over high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken in a single layer and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, until browned at the edges and cooked right through. Lift the chicken out and set it aside.
Do not crowd the wok — chicken that steams instead of frying stays pale and soft.
Done when: Browned at the edges, no pink inside, and the thickest piece at 74°C (165°F).
2 Mins Medium-high heat, ~190°C (375°F)
Add a little more oil to the same wok, pour in the beaten eggs and stir gently until they are just set in soft curds. Lift them out before they dry out and set aside with the chicken.
Take the eggs out while they still look slightly wet — they finish cooking when they go back into the hot rice.
Done when: Soft, just-set curds, still moist.
3 Mins High heat, ~200°C (400°F)
Add the remaining oil and fry the garlic and shallots for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the onion and carrot and fry for 2 minutes. Add the tomato and fry for 1 minute more, until it just starts to soften.
Keep everything moving — garlic burns fast in a hot wok and turns bitter.
Done when: Fragrant, onion softened, tomato just starting to collapse.
4 Mins High heat, ~200°C (400°F)
Add the cold rice and press it into the hot wok, then toss and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, breaking up any clumps, until the grains are hot, separate and lightly toasted at the edges.
Let the rice sit against the wok for a few seconds between tosses — that contact is what gives it the smoky, toasted flavour.
Done when: Grains hot, separate and lightly toasted, no clumps.
1 Min High heat, ~200°C (400°F)
Pour the fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar mix around the edges of the wok so it sizzles before it hits the rice, then toss everything together. Return the chicken and eggs, add the spring onions, toss for 30 seconds and take the wok off the heat.
Seasoning at the edges caramelises slightly — pouring it straight onto the rice makes the grains soggy.
Done when: Evenly seasoned, chicken and egg folded through, spring onions still bright.
1 Min No heat — plating
Spoon the rice onto plates, scatter with coriander, and lay cucumber slices and lime wedges on the side. Serve the prik nam pla on the table for anyone who wants heat.
Squeeze the lime over the rice just before eating — that sharp citrus is what makes it Thai.
Done when: Hot rice, cool cucumber, lime wedges ready to squeeze.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Eat it the way it is served in Thailand: squeeze the lime over the hot rice, add a spoonful of prik nam pla if you like heat, and take a bite of cool cucumber with each spoonful.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
435
kcal / serving
Protein
28g
Complete AA
Carbs
54g
Complex
Fats
11g
Healthy
| Energy | 435 kcal |
| Protein | 28 g |
| Carbohydrates | 54 g |
| Fat | 11 g |
| Fibre | 2.5 g |
| Sugar | 6.3 g |
| Sodium | 851 mg |
| Energy | 124 kcal |
| Protein | 7.9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 15.5 g |
| Fat | 3.2 g |
| Fibre | 0.7 g |
| Sugar | 1.8 g |
| Sodium | 243 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: The chicken and eggs supply B vitamins and selenium, the tomato and carrot add vitamin A and vitamin C, and the lime adds vitamin C.
Protein That Keeps You Full
One serving carries about 27.7 g of protein from the chicken and eggs, which is what makes this single wok a proper dinner rather than a snack.
Vegetables in Every Spoonful
Tomato, carrot, onion, spring onions and cucumber bring fibre, vitamin A and vitamin C to a plate that is mostly rice.
A Balanced One-Wok Meal
Rice for energy, chicken and egg for protein, vegetables for crunch and colour, and lime for brightness — a complete meal with nothing wasted.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
Drinks
Iced Tea
Cold, lightly sweet iced tea is the classic stall drink with khao pad because its chill and mild sweetness balance the salty fish sauce and the heat.
Vegetables
Cucumber & Tomato
Cool, watery cucumber and tomato calm the saltiness of the fish sauce, and their crunch is the contrast the soft rice needs.
Sides
Prik Nam Pla
This little bowl of fish sauce with sliced chillies is the Thai table condiment — it lets each person add salt and heat to their own plate.
Soups
Clear Chicken Soup
A light, clear soup with herbs gives a warm, mild counterpoint to the rich fried rice, and it turns the plate into a full dinner.
Full Menus
Satay & Fresh Fruit
Start with a few chicken satay skewers and finish with sliced mango or papaya — the smoky skewers echo the wok, and the fruit cleans the palate after the salty rice.
Complete menu
Serve Thai fried rice with a clear chicken soup and iced tea, then finish with sliced mango or papaya.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
Extra Fish Sauce at the Table
The fish sauce and soy sauce already make this plate salty at about 851 mg sodium per serving, so pouring more fish sauce over the rice pushes one meal too far on salt. This is general food information, not medical advice.
Very Hot Chilli on an Empty Stomach
A big spoonful of extra chilli eaten first thing on an empty stomach can cause discomfort for some people, so start with the rice and egg and add heat gradually. This is general food information, not medical advice.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
Storage & Use
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