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If you’re a fan of bold flavors and a bit of heat, you’ve got to try your hand at making Thai drunken noodles, also known as pad kee mao. This dish has become a go-to for many Thai food enthusiasts, and for good reason – it’s the perfect balance of spicy, salty, and a touch of sweet, all wrapped up in a delicious stir-fried noodle dish. This flavorful Thai dish pairs rice noodles with chicken, colorful vegetables, fragrant seasonings, and a sweet and tangy sauce. It’s a meal with plenty of Asian flavors that you can make in about half an hour, making it ideal for dinner on a busy weeknight.
This quick and easy Thai drunken noodles recipe brings the amazing flavors of Thailand to your dinner table. It’s a hearty, satisfying and highly flavorful dish.
Also try Italian drunken noodles, hibachi noodles, Thai basil pork, or this slow cooker beef and noodles with mushrooms.
Why You’ll Love It
A quick meal: Since fresh noodles pad kee mao is speedy to make, you can prepare Thai drunken noodles for one of those hectic weeknight mealtimes.
Amazing flavors: The spice from the chili, sweetness from the dark brown sugar and hoisin, and savory flavors from the chicken, vegetables and garlic are so good.
You control the spice level: However you like the dish, from extra-mild to super-spicy, you can make it exactly as you prefer! And if anyone else at the table wants to spice theirs up, you can just serve hot sauce at the table.
Thai Drunken Noodles Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Noodles: Wide rice noodles (like this) or linguine rice noodles work best in this Thai food recipe.
Chicken: I went with chicken breast but you can use chicken thighs if you prefer.
Dried red chili pepper: For spice. Feel free to adjust the amount or omit.
Vegetables: Zucchini, red pepper, carrots, tomato, and green onions add flavor, nutrients and pops of color.
Fresh basil: A popular herb in Thai dishes. You can use Thai basil (if you can find it) or regular.
Hoisin sauce and dark brown sugar: For sweetness.
Mirin: A Japanese sweet cooking wine.
Vegetable oil: Peanut oil or canola oil would also work.
Soy sauce: Regular soy sauce adds a salty, savory taste (I used light soy sauce but you could use dark or even coconut aminos or tamari).
How to Make Pad Kee Mao
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Prepare the wide rice noodles: Cook, drain and set aside.
Cook the thinly sliced chicken: Cook the chicken in oil in a skillet or wok until lightly browned.
Add more ingredients: Mix in more oil, along with the sauce ingredients – add garlic, ginger, dried chili pepper, zucchini, red bell pepper, and carrots. Stir fry for a couple of minutes. Add the rice noodles, sauce, tomatoes and green onions and cook some more.
The finishing touches: Take the pan off the heat and stir in the basil. Serve garnished with crushed peanuts and/or lime wedges if liked.
Substitutions and Variations
Rice noodles: Get the widest dried rice noodles you can find at your grocery store. Some brands are labeled as Pad Thai noodles but, funnily enough, those are actually too wide for Pad Thai!
Gluten-free option: If you want a gluten-free version, check your rice noodles – most brands are gluten-free. Also check the soy sauce and hoisin are wheat-free.
Protein: Swap the chicken for shrimp, tofu, pork, or beef.
Soy sauce: Use light soy sauce or dark soy sauce in this noodle dish. I prefer light. Or sub tamari if you prefer.
More vegetables: Add in some Chinese broccoli, bok choy, snap peas, mushrooms, or baby corn.
Fish sauce: For a more authentic flavor, add a teaspoon of Thai fish sauce. A splash of oyster sauce is also good.
Dried red chili pepper: Can’t find dry red chile peppers? Stir in a teaspoon of chili paste or Sriracha hot sauce instead. Bird’s eye chilies are another option.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizers: Begin your meal with tofu Thai wraps.
Side dishes: Serve your Thai drunken noodles with crispy rice salad, edamame beans or zoodle salad. You could also make a second main dish, perhaps kung pao beef.
Desserts: Finish up with dragon fruit ice cream.
How to Store Thai Drunken Noodles
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 3 days.
Freeze: It’s best not to freeze this dish, as the noodles would thaw out a bit mushy (and so would the veggies).
Reheat: Reheat leftovers in a skillet over a medium heat, adding a splash of water or soy sauce to loosen the noodles.
Top Tips
Easier slicing: Put the chicken in the freezer for 30 minutes before slicing. It will make it easier to slice quickly.
Thai basil: Use Thai basil for authenticity if you can find it. Thai basil is spicy and has a licorice flavor while regular sweet/Italian basil has the same base flavor but a milder peppery and sweet taste. Thai holy basil is another type but that kind is hard to find (even in Thai grocery stores sometimes!)
Al dente noodles: I recommend cooking the noodles until just tender, as they will continue to cook in the skillet. Rinse them with cold water after draining to prevent sticking together.
Drunken Noodles FAQs
One explanation is that it’s so spicy you’ll need to drink a lot while eating it. Other schools of thought are that the spice of the noodles is the only thing someone who’s drunk would taste, or that this makes a great hangover recipe. Finally, it might be down to the splash of mirin in the sauce and nothing to do with being drunk!
If you enjoy pad kee mao on the streets of Thailand, you should expect to get a very spicy dish. However, making your own at home means you have complete control over the spiciness, so you can make it mild and still enjoy the flavors if you don’t like a lot of spice.
Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe
Thai Drunken Noodles
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Noodles:
- 8 Ounces Thai rice noodles
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 chicken breast, large, thinly sliced
- 3 Cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Inch fresh ginger, minced or grated
- 1 dried red chili, chopped or left whole
- 1 zucchini, small, sliced into strips
- 1 red pepper, sliced into strips
- ¼ Cup carrots, shredded
- 1 Roma tomato, de-seeded and chopped
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 Handful Thai basil, or regular basil, roughly chopped
For the Sauce:
- 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1½ Tablespoons mirin, or rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon water
Optional Garnishes:
- peanuts, roughly chopped
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Cook the rice noodles following the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Whisk the soy sauce, hoisin, brown sugar, mirin, and water in a small mixing bowl; set aside.
- Heat 1 Tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet or wok over a high heat.
- Add the chicken and cook for 2 or 3 minutes.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, the garlic, ginger, dried chili pepper, zucchini, red pepper, and carrots to the pan.
- Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the noodles, sauce, tomatoes, and green onions.
- Toss and cook for 2 or 3 minutes or until warmed through.
- Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the chopped basil.
- Serve immediately, garnished with crushed peanuts and/or lime wedges if liked.
Notes
Thai basil: Use Thai basil for authenticity if you can find it. Thai basil is spicy and has a licorice flavor while regular sweet/Italian basil has the same base flavor but a milder peppery and sweet taste. Thai holy basil is another type but that kind is hard to find (even in Thai grocery stores sometimes!)
Al dente noodles: I recommend cooking the noodles until just tender, as they will continue to cook in the skillet. Rinse them with cold water after draining to prevent sticking together.
Nutrition
This Thai restaurant quality Thai drunken noodles recipe is quick, easy and a very tasty recipe. Wide rice noodles pair with a sweet, spicy and savory sauce plus tender chicken and fresh veggies. Also known as pad kee mao, Thai drunken noodles make an absolutely delicious dinner if you love Thai cuisine.
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
Such a flavorful meal! I’m already planning to make it again soon.