Whip up a delightful Thai dish with this easy Drunken Noodles with Chicken (Pad Kee Mao) recipe, using simple, everyday ingredients!
Thai Drunken Noodles, or Pad Kee Mao, is a flavorful Thai stir-fry dish featuring wide rice noodles, vegetables, and chicken, all tossed in a savory, spicy sauce. The dish’s name has two origin stories: some say it’s meant to cure a hangover, while others believe its spiciness requires plenty of beer to cool down. Regardless of the story, this dish is a delicious addition to any meal.
If you love Thai food and Thai cooking as much as I do, then check out my post on 10 Kitchen Essentials for Thai Home Cooking. Ready to master Thai Drunken Noodles? Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Reasons to Love These Drunken Noodles
- This Drunken Noodles with Chicken (Pad Kee Mao) recipe is simple and uses ingredients easily found at well-stocked grocery stores.
- A perfect combination of savory, sweet, sour, and spicy make Drunken Noodles with Chicken flavorful without being overwhelming.
- The recipe is great for leftovers and tastes even better the next day.
Recipe Ingredients
- Thai Bird’s Eye Chilies: Offers intense heat and a bright, fruity flavor, crucial for the dish’s signature spiciness.
- Oyster Sauce: Adds a rich, savory umami flavor and slight sweetness to the dish.
- Thai Basil Leaves: Imparts a sweet, anise-like flavor and aromatic freshness.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Low-Sodium Choice: Use low-sodium soy sauce instead of fish sauce to reduce sodium content while keeping the essential savory flavor.
- Protein Change: Maintain the dish’s delicious flavor substituting the chicken breast with tofu, shrimp, or chicken thighs.
- Fresh Noodles (Pad Thai Noodles): For a chewier texture and better absorption, use fresh rice noodles or fresh wide rice noodles instead of dried ones.
How to Make Drunken Noodles with Chicken (Pad Kee Mao)
Step #1: Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Transfer a large spoonful of the sauce to a zip-close plastic bag. Place the sliced chicken in the bag and work the sauce into the meat. Set aside to marinate.
Step #2: Prepare the noodles for sautéing according to package directions (soaking in hot water until al dente).
Step #3: Heat 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil in a large wok or pan and quickly scramble the eggs until just set. Push them to the side of the pan and add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil.
Step #4: Add the onions, cabbage, and scallions to the pan; stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Step #5: Transfer the marinated chicken to the pan and stir-fry with the vegetables for 3 minutes, or until cooked through.
Step #6: Add the prepared noodles, carrots, chilies, and remaining sauce. Toss well and stir-fry for another 2 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the noodles are hot.
Step #7: Stir in the basil leaves. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.
Expert Tips
- Drain Noodles: Always drain the noodles thoroughly before adding them to the stir-fry. This step prevents excess water from diluting the sauce, ensuring a more flavorful and well-coated dish.
- Adjust Sauce to Taste: Taste the sauce, if it’s too salty or strong, dilute it with a bit of water or adjust the sweetness with more brown sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
A wok is ideal due to its shape and ability to handle high heat. However, a large, heavy-bottomed skillet will also work well.
Common vegetables for Drunken Noodles include onions, cabbage, carrots, and red bell pepper. You can also add broccoli, snap peas, or spinach for extra nutrition and flavor.
Storage Info
To store Drunken Noodles with Chicken (Pad Kee Mao), place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can freeze them by placing them in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
To reheat, use a wok or pan over medium heat, adding a splash of water or oil to prevent sticking.
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Drunken Noodles with Chicken (Pad Kee Mao) Recipe
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon maggi sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
For the Noodles
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast - thinly sliced against the grain
- 8 ounces rice noodles
- 3 teaspoons sesame oil - divided
- 2 eggs - lightly beaten
- 1 cup sliced onion
- 2 cups shredded cabbage - green or purple
- 3 scallions - sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 1 carrot - grated
- 2 Thai bird’s eye chilies - thinly sliced
- 1 cup roughly chopped Thai basil leaves
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Transfer a large spoonful of the sauce to a zip-close plastic bag. Place the sliced chicken in the bag and work the sauce into the meat. Set aside to marinate.
- Prepare the noodles for sautéing according to package directions (soaking in hot water until al dente).
- Heat 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil in a large wok or pan and quickly scramble the eggs until just set. Push them to the side of the pan and add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil.
- Add the onions, cabbage, and scallions to the pan; stir-fry for 2 minutes.
- Transfer the marinated chicken to the pan and stir-fry with the vegetables for 3 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Add the prepared noodles, carrots, chilies, and remaining sauce. Toss well and stir-fry for another 2 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the noodles are hot.
- Stir in the basil leaves. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.
NOTES
Nutrition
I added extra chilies and it came out perfectly fiery, just the way I like it!
I can’t believe how easy AND tasty this dish is. I’ll never order this as take out again as this recipe is far better.
Loved this recipe.. Although I think I need to add a step to wash the red cabbage really well beforehand because it turned everything in my dish purple! Still tasted great though!
That’s happened to me before, too! Still pretty, though 🙂
This looks absolutely amazing! I can’t wait to try it 🙂
Also, I hate to ask about a substitution in the first comment…but alas, here we are. I have a friend who really loves the drunken rice from No Thai but hasn’t found a recipe online that calls for rice. Looking at your recipe, it seems to me like you could just cook the rice and then add it when you’d normally add the noodles, but since my cooking knowledge is pretty limited, is there anything problematic you can foresee that I’m missing?
P.S. The green and purple together is genius. I love it when food looks good, too 🙂
Hi, Brianna! I’ve never heard of Drunken Rice before… I don’t see why it wouldn’t work out, but I’ve never tried it. Let me know if it works well!
I used to order a lovely thai dish at a local restaurant called Snow Angel. It was broth-based with chucks of chicken, mushrooms, coconut milk, with basil, crushed peanuts, scallions, ginger and who knows what else. It was served over either rice or noodles; sadly, it’s been so long I can’t remember. Do you have any idea how to make this dish? Please say yes. I love your site, by the way. Fabulous, mouth-watering photos and recipes. Thank you.
Hmm, the closest thing I could think of would be a Tom Kha Gai recipe. I have one here: https://thewanderlustkitchen.com/thai-tom-kha-gai-chicken-coconut-soup/
You might try serving it over rice and topping it with crushed peanuts!