Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)
Ingredients
- 2 tbspwater
- 12 ozboneless skinless chicken thighs)
(or breast, thinly sliced
- 2 tspcornstarch
- 1 tspoil
- 1 tspsoy sauce
- 8 ozwide dried rice noodles
- 1 ½ tspbrown sugar)
(dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water
- 2 tspsoy sauce)
(thai soy sauce preferred, but any soy sauce will do
- 1 tspdark soy sauce)
(see note
- 1 tbspfish sauce
- 2 tspoyster sauce
- ground white pepper
- 3 tbspvegetable or canola oil)
(divided
- 3 clovesgarlic)
(sliced
- ¼ tspfresh grated ginger
- 2shallots)
(sliced, about 1/3 cups
- 1scallion)
(julienned into 3-inch/8cm pieces
- 4thai red chili peppers)
(deseeded and julienned or chopped
- 1 choly basil or thai basil)
(loosely packed
- 5 piecesbaby corn)
(split in half, optional
- 2 tspshaoxing wine
Directions
- 1
Work the 2 tablespoons of water into the sliced chicken with your hands until the chicken absorbs the liquid. Add the cornstarch, oil, and soy sauce, and mix until the chicken is evenly coated. Set aside for 20 minutes.
- 2
Follow the directions on the rice noodle package to prepare your noodles. Soak the noodles in hot tap water for 20 minutes, or quickly boil them just until al dente, then rinse under cold water.
- 3
Stir together the dissolved brown sugar mixture, soy sauces, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and white pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
- 4
Heat your wok until it’s close to smoking, and spread 2 tablespoons of oil around the perimeter of the wok. Add the chicken and let it sear for 1 minute on each side until it’s about 90% cooked. Remove from the wok and set aside. If the heat was high enough and you seared the meat correctly, your wok should be still clean with nothing sticking to it. If not, you can wash the wok to prevent the rice noodles from sticking.
- 5
Continue with the wok on high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil, along with the garlic and grated ginger.
- 6
After a few seconds, add the shallots. Stir-fry for 20 seconds and add the scallions, chilies, basil, baby corn, and shaoxing wine. Stir-fry for another 20 seconds and add in the rice noodles. Use a scooping motion to mix everything for another minute until the noodles warm up.
- 7
Next, add the prepared sauce mixture and stir-fry at the highest heat for about 1 minute until the noodles are uniform in color. Take care to use your metal spatula to scrape the bottom of the wok to prevent sticking.
- 8
Add the seared chicken, and stir-fry for another 1 to 2 minutes. Serve!
Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)
Similar Recipes
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/8385585-chef-johns-drunken-noodles-chefJ-4x3-IMG_7084-1ec32bc2c78c4bcba3362be06baec1bb.jpg)
Ratings & Reviews
Based on 85 ratings
Rating Breakdown
About this Recipe
Craving the vibrant, spicy kick of authentic Thai Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) without leaving your kitchen? This recipe brings the beloved late-night Thai street food experience right to your table, delivering genuine Thai flavors in just 30 minutes.
You'll love how this recipe captures the true essence of Pad Kee Mao, using a thoughtful combination of rich sauces like Thai soy sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, and oyster sauce for that unmistakable depth. The thinly sliced chicken thighs, tenderized with cornstarch, provide a perfect counterpoint to the wide rice noodles and aromatic Thai basil.
Expect a symphony of flavors in every bite—a delightful balance of savory, spicy, and slightly sweet notes, all brought together by the fragrant holy or Thai basil. The wide rice noodles absorb the rich sauce beautifully, while the tender chicken and crisp baby corn add varied textures to this satisfying dish. This is a wonderfully flavorful and hearty meal that truly satisfies.
This Drunken Noodles recipe is wonderfully adaptable to your pantry and preferences. While chicken thighs are recommended for their succulence, thinly sliced chicken breast works just as well. Feel free to adjust the spice level by adding more or fewer Thai red chili peppers, or omit the optional baby corn if you prefer a simpler vegetable mix. For the basil, use either holy basil for its traditional peppery notes or Thai basil for its distinct anise-like aroma.
Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or when you're craving a taste of Thailand, this Pad Kee Mao is a hearty and flavorful meal on its own. Serve it fresh off the wok for the best experience, just as you'd find it on the streets of Thailand.