Quick & Easy Thai Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)

Quick & Easy Thai Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)

Chewy rice noodles stir fried in a savory sauce with tender chicken, vegetables, and holy basil with garlic and red chilies. These quick and easy Thai drunken noodles are ready in 30 minutes with simple ingredients. Great as a main or meal.

4.84 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 23

Cook Time 7

Total Time 30

Course Main Course

Cuisine Thai

Servings

Calories per serving 638 kcal

Ingredients

19 oz fresh rice noodles (or see Notes if using dried rice noodles)
½ lb skinless boneless chicken thighs or chicken breast, sliced thinly
2 cups Chinese broccoli chopped into 2 inch long pieces with stalks trimmed and sliced thinly
1 cup Holy basil or Thai basil/Italian Basil
½ cup carrots julienned
2 large red chili pepper chopped
6 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil

Stir Fry Sauce

2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
1.5 tablespoon oyster sauce or vegetarian stir fry sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar or rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2.5 teaspoon white granulated sugar or brown/palm/cane sugar

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine noodle sauce ingredients until sugar is dissolved and set aside.
In a mortar and pestle or food processor, grind or pulse garlic and chopped red chili into a chunky wet paste and set aside. Avoid inhaling the chili paste if possible.
Microwave fresh rice noodles at 60 second intervals for 2-3 minutes until warm and pliable enough to separate. If you're using rice noodle sheets, slice them into 1-inch wide noodles. If you're using rice noodle rolls, split them down the middle with a knife or with your hands.
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wok or large pan on medium-high heat. Fry sliced chicken thighs until cooked and remove from the pan. Don't over cook them.
Lower to medium heat, sauté chili garlic paste and carrots 20-30 seconds. Move to the side of the pan.
Raise to medium-high heat, pour in remaining vegetable oil into empty space of pan. Gently toss in rice noodles and noodle sauce until combined. Allow noodles to sit in the pan for 30-45 seconds or more without movement so they can char for extra flavor.
Toss in Chinese broccoli and gently toss with noodles. Cook until the greens have softened. Then toss in cooked chicken and holy basil. Remove off heat and enjoy!

Notes

Using dry rice noodles?

Follow package directions or soak them in lukewarm water for 15-20 minutes or in hot boiling water for 1 minute, until limp but firm to touch. Strain, gently separately them. No need to cut them. Note: please use a kitchen scale to weigh the strained rehydrated noodles to match the same amount specified in the measurements.

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