Spicy Drunken Noodles with Chicken Recipe
Spicy Drunken Noodles with Chicken is a vibrant Thai-inspired stir-fry featuring tender chicken breast, wide rice noodles, and a colorful medley of vegetables tossed in a flavorful blend of soy, oyster, and fish sauces, enhanced with fresh Thai basil and a kick of heat from bird’s eye chilies. This quick and easy dish delivers bold, savory, and spicy notes perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 1 pound chicken breast, thinly sliced
Noodles
- 8 oz wide rice noodles (or any preferred noodles)
Vegetables & Herbs
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2–3 Thai bird’s eye chilies (or more for extra heat), sliced (optional)
- 1/4 cup fresh Thai basil leaves (or regular basil as a substitute)
Sauces & Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the noodles: Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions. Once cooked, drain them thoroughly and set aside to prevent sticking.
- Cook the chicken: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the thinly sliced chicken breast, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook for 5-7 minutes until the chicken is browned and fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the skillet and keep it aside.
- Sauté the vegetables: In the same skillet, add a little more oil if necessary. Add the sliced onions, red bell peppers, and julienned carrots. Sauté these vegetables for 2-3 minutes until they soften but still retain some crunch.
- Add aromatics and chilies: Stir in the minced garlic and sliced Thai bird’s eye chilies if using. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
- Combine noodles and sauces: Add the cooked rice noodles back into the skillet with the vegetables. Pour in soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sprinkle the brown sugar over the top. Toss everything together carefully to evenly coat the noodles and ingredients with the sauces and to heat through.
- Reintroduce chicken and finish with herbs: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and toss to combine. Stir in the lime juice and fresh Thai basil leaves, allowing the basil to wilt gently from the residual heat.
- Adjust seasoning and serve: Taste the dish and adjust seasoning by adding more soy sauce, fish sauce, or sugar if needed. Serve the spicy drunken noodles hot for a flavorful meal.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, replace chicken with tofu and omit fish sauce or use a vegetarian substitute.
- Adjust the number of bird’s eye chilies to control the spice level according to your preference.
- Wide rice noodles are preferred for authentic texture, but you can substitute with other noodle types as desired.
- If fresh Thai basil is unavailable, regular sweet basil is an acceptable substitute.
- To prevent noodles from sticking, rinse them under cold water after cooking and toss lightly with oil.
Keywords: Spicy Drunken Noodles, Pad Kee Mao, Thai Chicken Noodles, Spicy Stir-fry, Thai Basil, Asian Noodles
