Thai Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)

5 from 1 vote

Thai drunken noodles, or Pad Kee Mao, is a stir-fried noodle dish that’s one of Thailand’s most popular street foods and a food truck favorite. These basil noodles with chilies and a sweet and savory sauce are bold and spicy!

Servings

Ingredients

Chicken

4 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs (113 grams), cut into 1-inch pieces
½ teaspoon cornstarch
1½ teaspoon soy sauce or oyster sauce

Sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce
1½ teaspoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Thai sweet soy sauce [See Note 1]
1½ teaspoon golden mountain seasoning [See Note 2]

Noodles

8 oz fresh wide rice noodles (226 grams) or 4 oz (113 g) dried wide rice noodles [See Note 3]
4 cups warm water if using dried noodles, for soaking

Stir Fry

2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1½ teaspoon garlic minced
1 to 2 Thai bird's eye chilis minced (adjust to taste!)
2 tablespoon shallots thinly sliced
1 oz gai lan (28 grams) - Chinese broccoli - about 2 stalks [See Note 4]
¼ cup tomatoes sliced into thin wedges
⅛ teaspoon white pepper
1 cup Thai basil or holy basil (leaves only) loosely packed [See Note 5]

Instructions

In a small bowl, marinate the 4 oz boneless skinless chicken thighs in ½ teaspoon cornstarch and 1½ teaspoon soy sauce. Set aside.
In another small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1½ teaspoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon Thai sweet soy sauce, and 1½ teaspoon golden mountain seasoning. Set aside.
Separate the 8 oz fresh wide rice noodles into individual strands. If using dried wide rice noodles, soak them in 4 cups warm water for 20 minutes or until pliable. Drain, rinse, and coat with some oil to prevent sticking. Set aside. [See Note 6]
Heat 2 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick wok or skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add 1½ teaspoon garlic. When you smell the garlic's fragrance (about 15-20 seconds in), that's when you add the marinated chicken in the next step. If the garlic starts to brown, it might become bitter.
Increase the heat to high heat. Add 4 oz boneless skinless chicken thighshe chicken pieces and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is seared. Add the 1 Thai bird's eye chilis and 2 tablespoon shallots. Saute briefly and add the stalks of the 1 oz gai lan. Saute briefly and add the ¼ cup tomatoes. Stir fry until the tomatoes release their juices. Stir in the Gai lan leaves.
Add in the noodles and pour in the sauce mixture [See Note 7]. Sprinkle on the ⅛ teaspoon white pepper. Carefully toss the noodles with the sauce, taking care not to break up the noodles.
Turn off the heat and add the 1 cup Thai basil (or holy basil leaves). Stir just until the basil is wilted, about 30 seconds.

Video

Notes

See the blog post for detailed tips!

Note 1: Thai sweet soy sauce is a molasses-like condiment that's sweeter than Thai black soy sauce. It's available at Asian grocery stores and online. If you can't find it, use black soy sauce, Indonesian kecap manis, or equal parts soy sauce and sugar.

Note 2: Golden mountain seasoning sauce is a Thai sauce that's similar to soy sauce but with a different flavor profile. Substitute Maggi seasoning sauce or omit.

Note 3: Fresh wide noodles are the most authentic and most similar to restaurant-style drunken noodles. They are a bit tricky to work with because they are delicate. If it's your first time making this recipe, you may want to use dried noodles and get the fresh noodles next time!

Note 4: Chinese broccoli (gai lan) is available at Asian grocery stores. Cut the stems into ½ inch pieces and coarsely chop the leaves. Keep the stems and leaves separate and add them at different times. Substitute with bok choy or broccolini.

Note 5: Although holy basil is preferable, it's hard to find in many regions of the West, so regular Thai basil is a good substitute. You can use Italian basil, but it should be your last resort due to the difference in flavor.

Note 6: Fresh wide rice noodles usually come in a block that can be hard to separate. Carefully separate the block into two parts and microwave on a large plate for 30 seconds to a minute. Keep separating them into smaller portions and microwaving for 20 to 30 second intervals until each noodle strand can be separated individually. Be careful of the heat!

Note 7: You don't need to add all the sauce. If you prefer milder flavors, add ¾ of the sauce and add more later after stirring and tasting.

Nutrition