Description
A spicy, aromatic stir-fry featuring wide rice noodles tossed with tender chicken, crisp vegetables, and fragrant Thai basil in a savory-sweet sauce. This restaurant-quality dish brings authentic Thai street food flavors straight to your table.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz wide rice noodles
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 1 bell pepper, sliced (any color)
- 1 cup chicken breast, thinly sliced
- 2–3 Thai bird chilies, sliced (adjust to taste)
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Fresh lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Noodles: Soak the rice noodles in hot water for about 30 minutes until softened. This gentle soaking method ensures the noodles reach the perfect tender-chewy texture without becoming mushy. Once softened, drain them thoroughly and set aside.
- Cook the Aromatics: In a large skillet or wok, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and sliced onions, sautéing until fragrant and slightly golden, about 1-2 minutes. This creates a flavorful base for the dish.
- Add Veggies and Chicken: Incorporate the sliced bell pepper and thinly sliced chicken breast into the skillet. Stir-fry continuously until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink, approximately 3-4 minutes. The vegetables should remain slightly crisp.
- Incorporate Noodles: Add the soaked rice noodles into the skillet along with the sliced Thai bird chilies. Toss everything together to combine. The hot wok will help the noodles continue cooking and absorb the flavors from the other ingredients.
- Sauce It Up: Pour in soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sugar. Stir-fry for an additional 2-3 minutes, ensuring the noodles are evenly coated with the sauce and allowing them to absorb the complex flavors of the dish.
- Add Basil: Finally, add the Thai basil leaves and give everything a good toss just until the basil wilts, about 30 seconds. The heat will release the essential oils in the basil, adding its distinctive aroma to the dish.
- Serve: Plate the Drunken Noodles immediately while hot and serve with lime wedges on the side to squeeze over before eating. The fresh lime juice adds brightness and balances the rich flavors of the dish.
Notes
- Thai basil (holy basil) is traditional for this dish and has a distinctive anise-like flavor. If unavailable, regular basil can be substituted, though the flavor profile will be slightly different.
- For authentic flavor, use Thai bird chilies, but serrano or jalapeño peppers can work as substitutes.
- “Drunken Noodles” (Pad Kee Mao) got its name either because it’s a great late-night dish after drinking or because the spiciness makes you want to drink more.
- For best results, prepare all ingredients before starting to cook, as this dish comes together quickly once you begin.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main-course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion (when serving 3)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 1100mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 35mg