Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe
This Thai Drunken Noodles recipe is a fast, easy, 30-minute weeknight dinner! Full of umami flavor, make it with chicken, shrimp or crispy tofu!
How to Make the Best Thai Drunken Noodles
Thai Drunken Noodles, known as Pad Kee Mao, is one of the most beloved Thai street food dishes for good reason. Despite the name, there’s no alcohol in this dish—the “drunken” moniker comes from the bold, intense flavors that are said to be perfect for curing a hangover. These wide, chewy rice noodles are tossed in a savory-sweet sauce with tender protein and fresh vegetables, all brought together by the aromatic punch of Thai basil.
What makes this recipe so appealing for busy weeknights is its speed and flexibility. In just about 35 minutes, you can have a restaurant-quality dish on the table. The sauce comes together in seconds, and the actual stir-frying takes only minutes in a hot wok. Feel free to customize the protein—chicken, shrimp, and crispy tofu all work beautifully—and adjust the heat level to your preference.
The secret to great drunken noodles is high heat and working quickly. Have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start cooking, because once that wok gets hot, things move fast. Don’t skip the Thai basil if you can find it—its distinctive licorice-like flavor is what truly makes this dish sing.
Thai Drunken Noodles
This Thai Drunken Noodles recipe is a fast, easy, 30-minute weeknight dinner! Full of umami flavor, make it with chicken, shrimp or crispy tofu!
Ingredients
Noodles & Protein
Vegetables
Drunken Noodle Sauce
Garnish
Instructions
Prepare Ingredients
- Prepare the noodles according to package directions. Either boil or soak in hot water until soft, 5-10 minutes depending on the size of your noodles. Drain and set aside.
- Whisk the Drunken Noodle Sauce ingredients together in a bowl and set aside by the stove.
Cook the Dish
- Heat a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Turn the hood fan on. Add oil and garlic and cook until brown, 20-30 seconds.
- Add the chicken (or shrimp) and chilies, season with salt and pepper, and stir fry until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes or until tender.
- Add the vegetables—bell peppers, jalapeños, and tomato—stir, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the drained noodles, stir in well and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the sauce, stir and let cook for 2 minutes. Turn the heat up to high and stir only once more.
- Turn the heat off, add the basil, and stir well one final time.
Finish & Serve
- Taste and adjust as desired—add more lime juice, more fish sauce, more chili flakes, more sweetener, or more salt to taste. Find your perfect balance.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges and chili paste on the side.
Notes
- For crispy tofu, press and cube firm tofu, then pan-fry until golden before adding to the dish.
- Wide rice noodles work best, but you can substitute linguini, fettuccini, or soba noodles.
- Thai basil is traditional and provides a distinctive anise-like flavor, but regular basil works too.
- For a vegan version, use tofu, vegan oyster sauce, and omit the fish sauce (or use a vegan fish sauce substitute).
