Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe is a simple stir-fry with rice noodles, your choice of protein, crisp veggies, and an incredible, easy sauce inspired by my favorite Thai food truck.
Authorโs Notes
The Secret Was Keeping It Simple!
My husband and I love Maui. Weโve been several times with his work, and this year we got to bring the kids, which made it even more fun.
But honestly, the main reason I love Maui so much is the food (no surprise, right?!). Thereโs a Thai food truck on the island that Iโve said for years makes the absolute best drunken noodles. It even won the 2025 สปAipono Gold Award for Mauiโs Best Food Truck, and Guy Fieri called one of his dishes a โ101โ and a โfreight train to Flavortown.โ
I seriously never stop thinking about that Thai Drunken Noodles recipe. And while Iโm usually pretty good at recreating restaurant favorites, these totally stumped me. Every year Iโd come home determined to figure them outโฆand every year Iโd give up.
This year, though, I went all in. I ordered eight different types of rice noodles, grabbed fresh ones from the Asian market, and spent weeks testing sauces. Dark soy, light soy, fish sauce, spices, seasonings, even molasses made it into a batch. Nothing tasted *quite* right.
Finally, out of pure frustration, I called the food truck and asked if I could talk to the owner. When I told him Iโd been trying to recreate his noodles for years, he laughed and said, โYouโre overcomplicating it. My sauce is just roasted garlic, chili sauce, soy sauce, and lots of oyster sauce.โ
Immediately, the thought popped into my head: โkeep it simple!โ So I went back to the kitchen, tested a few ratios with just those four ingredients, and wowโฆfinally my Thai Drunken Noodles recipe tasted exactly how I remembered from the food truck. My husband agreed: โNailed Itโ.
Turns out simple really is best, haha!
Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe Ingredients
| Ingredient | Tip |
|---|---|
| Wide rice noodles | Use wide, flat noodles for the best texture. Out of all the shelf-stable noodles I tested, these were my favorite. |
| Chicken thighs | Dark meat stays juicy and full of flavor. Cut into small, even pieces so it cooks quickly. You can use breast in a pinch, just be careful not to overcook it. |
| Onion & red pepper | Slice very thin so they cook fast and blend right into the noodles. Any color bell pepper works! |
| Roasted garlic paste & chili garlic sauce | This combo builds big flavor fast. Start with less chili sauce and add more to taste. |
| Oyster sauce, soy sauce & brown sugar | These create the simple, flavorful sauce. Use regular soy sauce for the best balance of flavor. Lee Kum Kee makes my fave oyster sauce. |
How To Make This Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe
- Cook noodles: Prepare according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
- Mix sauce: Whisk sauce ingredients together until smooth.
- Cook garlic & chili: Heat oil then stir in pastes and cook until very fragrant.
- Stir fry veggies: Add onion and pepper and cook briefly.
- Cook chicken: Add chicken, cook, then toss in noodles and sauce until coated.
- Finish with basil: Remove from heat, toss in basil, and serve.
Chelseaโs Top Tip
Use Very High Heat!
Drunken noodles cook fast, so keep the pan very hot and work quickly. High heat gives the noodles that lightly charred, smoky flavor that makes them taste like they came from a restaurant!
What To Serve With Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe:
- Fresh spring rolls: Light, crisp rolls with veggies and herbs make a fun appetizer!
- Asian cucumber salad: Cool, tangy cucumbers nicely balance the heat.
- Edamame: Simple steamed edamame with salt is such a great side!
- Mango or pineapple: Fresh fruit adds a nice, sweet contrast.
Quick Tip
Where Does The Name Come From?! Thai Drunken Noodles donโt actually contain alcohol. The Thai name pad kee mao means โdrunken stir fry,โ likely because itโs a spicy, bold dish people love after a night out or alongside a cold drink.
More Thai-Inspired Food:
Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Wok or a large nonstick skillet so the rice noodles donโt stick or break
Ingredients
- 7 to 8 ounces wide rice noodles not the whole package, see note 1
- 3 to 4 tablespoons oyster sauce see note 2
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar packed
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce regular, not lite, divided
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon roasted garlic paste
- 1 up to 3 teaspoons chili garlic sauce more if you like it hot!
- 1/2 large yellow onion very thinly sliced
- 1 red pepper very thinly sliced
- 1/2 pound (8 ounces) chicken thighs cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 bundle Thai basil or use regular basil if you can't find Thai
- Thai red chiles thinly sliced, optional for garnish
Instructionsย
- Prepare rice noodles according to package directions, either soaking or boiling depending on the brand. For dried noodles, I usually cook them a little longer than the package suggests. Taste a noodle before draining to make sure itโs tender.
- In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the oyster sauce, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and hot water. Set aside.
- Add sesame or vegetable oil to a large nonstick skillet or wok. Heat over high until the oil is shimmering.
- Add the roasted garlic paste and chili garlic sauce. Stir constantly for 30 to 60 seconds, until very fragrant. Reduce heat slightly if needed so the garlic does not burn.
- Add the sliced onion and red pepper. Stir fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Push the vegetables to the edges of the pan and add the chicken in the center in one even layer. Let it sear for about 30 seconds, then pour in the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Add the cooked and drained noodles, prepared sauce, and green onions. Increase the heat to high and toss to coat. Let the noodles sit undisturbed for 10 to 20 seconds, then toss again. Repeat until the sauce reduces and coats the noodles, about 1-3 minutes total. Cook until the noodles are deeply colored with lightly blistered, slightly charred edges. If needed, add a little more (1 tablespoon at a time) soy sauce or oyster sauce until the flavors really sing.
- Remove from heat. Immediately add the basil (pull leaves from stems) and toss until just wilted, about 20 seconds. Serve right away. If desired, garnish individual plates with thinly sliced red chiles for extra heat.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Havenโt made this yet (this weekend), but have a question. Your ingredients photo above shows what appears to be Thai red chilies, but they arenโt labeled and they donโt seem to be mentioned in the recipe card?
Sorry Perry! Totally optional addition; Iโll add that into the recipe card ๐ Thanks!
Hmm tastes good but doesnโt have that orange color like yours
Iโm so glad you enjoyed these Thai Drunken Noodles. In note 2 I mention adding an extra tablespoon of oyster sauce, which I did here, and that may contribute to the darker color. Thanks, Cristina!