Have you ever had Chicken Pad Kee Mao before? Maybe you recognize the dish by its translated name - Drunken Noodles. It's a popular Thai street food made of stir fried rice noodles tossed in an iconic sauce. Trust me, it's easier to make than you think!
Drunken noodles are my go-to order when I go to Thai restaurants! I love the spicy, subtly sweet sauce and the chewy rice noodles. They're really simple to make right at home using a large skillet or wok, and a few staple ingredients.
The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving: $2.71
- Total Cost (about 4 servings): $10.84
- Those Other Guys: $16.95 per serving
Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs - Grab a pack of boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. They are hard to overcook and stay juicy despite the high heat. Not a chicken fan? See below for protein alternatives.
- Vegetables - Although Drunken Noodles can be customized to your preference, I feel like onions, bell peppers, and Chinese broccoli are in most takeout versions. Feel free to sub out any of them you don't like.
- Pad Kee Mao Sauce - The sauce is pretty simple to make, but packs a ton of flavor! It's a mixture of soy sauce, oyster sauce, a hint of fish sauce, brown sugar, and a little MSG if you have it.
- Thai Basil - In my opinion, this is a big part of the classic taste of Drunken Noodles. Thai basil has a slightly different flavor profile than regular basil; you can find this at International markets.
- Thai Chiles - To give the dish its signature spice. If you're more sensitive to heat, I recommend only using one and de-seeding it. I love spicy foods, so I can usually do 2 - 3 peppers.
- Wide Rice Noodles - Also sometimes labeled "pad Thai" noodles... which is kind of weird, because they are usually too wide for pad Thai. They also come fresh in certain stores, but the dried kind is more than capable.
Variations and Substitutions
Protein: Instead of chicken, try chopped tofu, shrimp, or sliced ribeye.
Chinese Broccoli Substitute: Broccolini is a great sub! You can also use broccoli rabe or bok choy.
Thai Basil Substitute: You can use regular fresh basil in a pinch.
Thai Chiles Substitute: Korean chili peppers or Serranos can also work.
How to Make Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) at Home
Step 1: Start out by mashing your garlic and chili peppers in a mortar and pestle until a paste forms.
Mix together chopped chicken, a teaspoon of the chili-garlic paste, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Meanwhile, slice your vegetables into even-sized pieces.
Mix together the soy, fish, and oyster sauce with brown sugar and a little MSG. Set aside.
It's helpful to mise en place your ingredients, because everything will cook really quickly.
Step 3: In a large skillet, go ahead and sear your marinated chicken. Once they're browned, remove and set aside.
You can boil your noodles in a separate pot while these are cooking; then drain and rinse with cool water.
Step 4: In that same pan, sauté the rest of the chili-garlic paste in a little oil. Do not breathe this in directly - it will sting!
Add in the sliced vegetables and continue cooking until they soften.
Step 5: Almost done! Pour in the sauce you prepared earlier as well as the drained and separated rice noodles.
Step 6: Add the sliced Chinese broccoli leaves and Thai basil leaves, and toss everything until combined and the greens have wilted. That's it!
Recipe Pro Tips
- Mise en place. The French culinary term for preparing all of your ingredients before cooking. This includes chopping veggies or creating the sauce. It's really helpful in recipes like Drunken Noodles, because everything cooks so quickly!
- Let the sauce caramelize. In the recipe card, I suggest that once you add the sauce and noodles in, don't stir the pan for a few minutes. This allows the sugars in the sauce to caramelize a bit for a deeper flavor and more optimal texture.
Recipe FAQs
Yes you can! Try shrimp, sliced beef, or even cubed tofu. You can still use the marinade for other proteins. And if you don't want to bother, just leave it out for vegetarian Drunken Noodles.
This will depend on the amount of spice you can tolerate. I recommend starting with 1 Thai chili pepper (they are pretty hot on their own!) and if you like a "medium" spice level, you can use 2 - 3 peppers.
Nope, these are alcohol-free. I've heard a few reasons why they get their name: because they are so spicy, they have been known to cure a hangover. Some people also say it's because this dish pairs so well with an ice cold beer or cocktail, especially during a late-night outing.
This dish will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat with a little water in the microwave to keep the noodles from getting dry.
Other budget-friendly Asian Recipes You'll Love!
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Chicken Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles)
Equipment
- Chef's Knife
- Bowl
- Large Skillet with Deep Sides (or wok)
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 4 count garlic cloves
- 1 - 2 count Thai chiles (chopped)
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (chopped into small pieces)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 2 ounces Chinese broccoli
- 2 ounces yellow onion
- 1 count red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- ½ tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 pinch MSG (optional)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 8 ounces dried wide rice noodles
- 1 handful Thai basil
- 1 count green onion (chopped; for garnish)
Instructions
- To begin, mash together the garlic and Thai chiles using a mortar and pestle, until a paste forms.We'll use a little of this paste for the chicken marinade, and the rest for building the noodles flavor later on.4 count garlic cloves, 1 - 2 count Thai chiles
- Take a teaspoon of the chili paste and add to a bowl with the chopped chicken thighs. Top with soy sauce, cornstarch, and white pepper.1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon white pepper
- Mix well and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, chop the Chinese broccoli, onion, and red bell pepper. For the broccoli, dice up the stems and then slice the leafy greens.2 ounces Chinese broccoli, 2 ounces yellow onion, 1 count red bell pepper
- In a deli container or cup, create the sauce: soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, and a touch of (optional) MSG.2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, ½ tablespoon fish sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 pinch MSG
- Pour about half of the vegetable oil into a large skillet on medium heat. Cook the marinated chicken until seared, then set aside.1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Prepare the rice noodles per package instructions.Immediately rinse under cold water to stop them from cooking, then drain and set aside.8 ounces dried wide rice noodles
- In the same skillet that the chicken was cooked in, sauté the rest of the chili paste in the remaining oil for about 30 seconds on medium heat. Don't breathe this in directly - it will burn your nostrils!
- Pour in the onions, bel pepper, the broccoli stalks, and the cooked chicken back into the pan. Cook until the veggies have softened, another 4 - 5 minutes.
- Add the drained noodles and sauce to the pan. Let it sit for about a minute or two to caramelize, then begin stirring.
- Pour the broccoli leaves and Thai basil, stirring until the greens wilt. Remove the pan from heat.1 handful Thai basil
- Top with chopped green onions for garnish. Serve hot and enjoy!1 count green onion
Notes
- Can't find Thai basil? Regular basil will do in a pinch.
- Can't find Chinese broccoli? Broccolini is a great substitute.
- 2 Thai chiles are subtly spicy enough to notice, but not burn your tongue. If you don't like a lot of spice, use 1 chili pepper and remove most of the seeds.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think!