Recipe Background
Drunken Noodles burst with Thai flavors, easy to prepare, and delicious.
Drunken Noodles dance across the plate, a riot of flavors and colors that promise a taste adventure. The fragrant aroma of garlic, whispering ginger, and vibrant chili peppers set the stage, inviting a taste bud party. Chicken and wide rice noodles entwine in a savory embrace, kissed by a sticky sweetness that makes each bite irresistible. The holy basil adds an aromatic twist, with its slightly peppery and clove-like notes, making the dish unmistakably Thai.
The beauty of this dish is how easy it is to whip up, even on a weeknight. A wok, some spirited stirring, and a quick flip of the wrist transform simple ingredients into something extraordinary. The rice noodles, silky and springy, soak up the rich, umami-laden sauce of soy, oyster, and fish sauce. A hint of Shaoxing wine rounds off the flavor, giving the recipe its playful name. And, unlike its namesake, the dish doesn’t leave you with a headache—well, unless you eat it too quickly because it’s too good to stop.
Ingredients
For the chicken and marinade:
- 2 tablespoons water
- 12 ounces chicken thighs or breast sliced
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
For the noodles:
- 8 ounces rice noodles wide and uncooked
- 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- ground white pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil divided
- 3 cloves garlic sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger grated
- 2 shallots sliced
- 1 scallion julienned into 3-inch pieces
- 4 Thai red chili peppers deseeded and julienned
- 1 cup holy basil or Thai basil
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine rice wine, or cooking sherry
Directions
- Work the 2 tablespoons of the water into the sliced chicken with your hands until the liquid is absorbed into the chicken.
- Evenly coat the chicken with 1 teaspoon of the soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of the oil, and 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch.
- Set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
- Cook the rice noodles according to the package directions.
- Stir together the dissolved brown sugar mixture, the remaining soy sauce, the dark soy sauce, the fish sauce, the oyster sauce, and the white pepper in a small bowl.
- Set the brown sugar mixture aside.
- Heat a wok until it’s close to smoking to prevent the chicken from sticking.
- Spread 2 tablespoons of the oil around the perimeter of the wok.
- Sear the chicken for 1 minute on each side until it’s about 90% cooked.
- Transfer the chicken from the wok and set it aside.
- If the wok is not clean, wash it to prevent the noodles from sticking.
- Continue with the wok on high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the oil, the garlic, and the grated ginger.
- Add the shallots after a few seconds to let the garlic and ginger become fragrant.
- Stir fry for 20 seconds.
- Add the scallions, chili peppers, basil, and Shaoxing wine.
- Stir-fry for another 20 seconds and add in the cooked rice noodles.
- Mix everything for 1 minute using a scooping motion to warm the noodles up.
- Add the sauce mixture and stir-fry at the highest heat until the noodles are uniform in color, about 1 minute.
- Use a metal spatula to scrape the bottom of the wok to prevent sticking.
- Add the seared chicken and stir-fry until the chicken is fully cooked through at 165 degrees F, about 1-2 minutes.
- Serve hot.
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