Description
Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) is a flavorful Thai stir-fry dish featuring wide rice noodles tossed with a savory and tangy sauce, tender chicken, crisp vegetables, and aromatic Thai basil. This recipe balances spicy, sweet, salty, and sour elements for an authentic and satisfying meal that is quick to prepare and perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Noodles
- 8 ounces wide rice noodles
Stir-Fry Sauce
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon water
Stir-Fry
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2–3 Thai red chilies (sliced, adjust to taste)
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite-size pieces)
- 1 small onion (sliced)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (sliced)
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 carrot (julienned)
- 2 green onions (cut into 2-inch pieces)
- 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
- Lime wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- Soak Noodles: Soak the 8 ounces of wide rice noodles in warm water for 15–20 minutes until they soften. Drain and set aside to prepare for stir-frying.
- Make Sauce: In a bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 teaspoons lime juice, and 1 tablespoon water until the sugar dissolves. Set this flavorful stir-fry sauce aside.
- Cook Aromatics and Chicken: Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and sliced Thai red chilies and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chicken pieces and stir-fry for 5–6 minutes until cooked through and lightly browned.
- Add Vegetables: Toss in the sliced onion, bell pepper, broccoli florets, and julienned carrot. Stir-fry together for 3–4 minutes until the vegetables are crisp-tender, maintaining some crunch.
- Combine Noodles and Sauce: Add the softened noodles and prepared stir-fry sauce to the wok. Gently toss everything together to coat the noodles thoroughly with the sauce. Cook for another 2–3 minutes until the noodles are tender and the sauce has been absorbed evenly.
- Finish with Herbs: Stir in the green onions and fresh Thai basil leaves. Cook for an additional 1 minute until the basil wilts and releases its aroma.
- Serve: Garnish with extra basil leaves and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for a fresh citrus burst.
Notes
- Use Thai basil for authentic peppery flavor; sweet basil is a suitable substitute if unavailable.
- Adjust chili quantity to control the spiciness to your preference.
- Gently toss noodles to avoid breaking them, especially when freshly soaked.
- For extra flavor depth, consider adding a splash of sesame oil when stir-frying the noodles.
Keywords: Drunken noodles, Pad Kee Mao, Thai stir-fry, chicken noodles, spicy noodles, Thai basil, rice noodles recipe