Description
Drunken Noodles is a flavorful and spicy Thai stir-fried noodle dish featuring wide rice noodles, tender chicken, fresh holy basil, and a savory sauce blend with soy, fish sauce, and oyster sauce. This quick and vibrant meal brings together aromatic herbs, spicy chilies, and a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors, making it a popular choice for a satisfying weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 250 grams medium wide rice noodles (dried)
- 250 grams chicken thighs or chicken breast, sliced
- 3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 onion, sliced
- 2-3 Thai red chili peppers, sliced
- 4-5 baby bok choy, washed and chopped
- 1 cup holy basil leaves
Sauce Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1.5 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- Pinch ground white pepper
- 1/4 cup chicken stock or water
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: In a bowl, combine the sliced chicken with 3 teaspoons of soy sauce and let it marinate for 15-20 minutes. This enhances the flavor and tenderizes the meat.
- Prepare the Noodles: Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions until they are tender. Drain well and set aside to use later.
- Prepare Vegetables and Herbs: Wash and chop the baby bok choy. Rinse and pick the holy basil leaves from the stems, setting them aside for the final stir-fry.
- Mix the Sauce: In a small bowl, combine the dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, white pepper, and chicken stock or water. Stir well to dissolve the sugar and blend flavors.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry until cooked through and lightly seared. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics and Chilies: In the same pan, add the sliced onion, minced garlic, and sliced Thai red chili peppers. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and the onions soften slightly.
- Cook the Bok Choy: Add the chopped baby bok choy to the pan and stir-fry briefly until they start to wilt but remain crisp.
- Combine and Stir-Fry: Return the cooked chicken to the wok. Add the drained noodles, holy basil leaves, and the prepared sauce. Stir-fry everything together over high heat until the ingredients are well combined and the noodles have a slight char for added flavor, about 3-5 minutes.
- Serve: Remove from heat and serve the Drunken Noodles hot, garnished optionally with green onions or extra fresh basil.
Notes
- Use fresh holy basil for authentic flavor; if unavailable, Thai basil is a good substitute.
- Adjust the number of Thai red chili peppers to control the spiciness to your preference.
- If fresh bok choy isn’t available, you can substitute with other leafy greens like spinach or Chinese broccoli.
- For a vegetarian or vegan version, omit the chicken and replace fish sauce with soy sauce or a vegan fish sauce alternative.
- Soak dried rice noodles in warm water if you want to speed up cooking instead of boiling them.
- Ensure high heat during stir-frying to achieve that desirable slightly charred taste and proper texture.
