Description
Thai Drunken Noodles is a vibrant and flavorful stir-fried noodle dish that combines wide rice noodles with aromatic garlic, spicy Thai bird’s eye chilies, crisp bell peppers, fresh Thai basil, and your choice of protein like chicken, shrimp, or tofu. Coated in a savory, slightly sweet sauce made from soy, oyster, and fish sauces, this quick and satisfying Thai street food classic is perfect for a spicy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Noodles and Vegetables
- Wide rice noodles, fresh or dried – 8 oz (about 225 g)
- Garlic, minced – 3 cloves
- Thai bird’s eye chilies, chopped – 2 to 4 (adjust to taste)
- Bell peppers, sliced – 1 medium
- Onion, sliced – 1 small
- Fresh Thai basil leaves – 1 cup, packed
Proteins (choose one or combine)
- Chicken breast or thigh, thinly sliced – 8 oz (225 g)
- Shrimp, peeled and deveined – 8 oz (225 g)
- Firm tofu, cubed – 8 oz (225 g)
Sauces and Seasonings
- Soy sauce – 2 tablespoons
- Oyster sauce – 1 tablespoon (use vegetarian oyster sauce for meat-free version)
- Fish sauce – 1 teaspoon
- Sugar – 1 teaspoon
- Cooking oil (vegetable or peanut) – 2 to 3 tablespoons
Instructions
- Prepare Noodles and Ingredients: Soak or boil the wide rice noodles according to package instructions until tender but still firm. Drain well and set aside. Meanwhile, mince the garlic, chop the bird’s eye chilies, slice the bell peppers and onion, and pick the fresh Thai basil leaves. Prepare your choice of protein by thinly slicing chicken or tofu, or peeling and deveining shrimp for quick cooking.
- Cook Protein: Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a hot wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the sliced chicken, shrimp, or tofu and stir-fry until fully cooked and lightly golden, about 3-5 minutes depending on protein. Remove the cooked protein from the pan and set aside to keep warm.
- Sauté Aromatics and Vegetables: Add another tablespoon of oil to the same hot pan, then toss in the minced garlic and chopped bird’s eye chilies. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Next, add the sliced onion and bell peppers, stir-frying until they are slightly tender yet still crisp, about 2-3 minutes.
- Combine Noodles and Sauce: Return the cooked protein to the pan with the vegetables. Add the drained noodles and pour in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sugar. Quickly stir everything together to evenly coat the noodles and allow them to absorb the flavorful sauce on high heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Finish with Fresh Basil: Turn off the heat and immediately toss in generous handfuls of fresh Thai basil leaves. Gently stir to combine and release their aromatic flavors. Serve the dish hot for the best experience.
Notes
- Adjust the number of bird’s eye chilies according to your preferred spice level.
- Use fresh wide rice noodles if possible for the best texture, but dried noodles work well when soaked or boiled properly.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute fish sauce with soy sauce or vegetarian alternatives and use vegetarian oyster sauce.
- Stir-fry quickly on high heat to keep the vegetables crisp and preserve the bright flavors.
- If noodles stick together, toss them with a little oil before adding to the pan to separate.
