Description
Drunken Noodles is a vibrant and flavorful Thai stir-fry featuring wide rice noodles, fresh vegetables, and your choice of protein tossed in a savory, slightly spicy sauce. This quick and delicious meal combines the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and spicy flavors with aromatic basil for a satisfying Asian-inspired dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Rice Noodles and Protein
- 8 oz wide rice noodles
- 1 large chicken breast, chopped (or shrimp or tofu)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil (or canola oil)
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 2 carrots, thinly sliced
- 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
- 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 green onions, chopped (whites and greens separated)
- 1 roma tomato, sliced
- 1 cup fresh Thai Holy Basil leaves (or substitute regular basil), roughly chopped
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon Thai red chili paste (more or less to taste; can substitute sriracha or crushed red pepper flakes)
Instructions
- Cook the noodles: Prepare the wide rice noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside while you prepare the rest of the dish.
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together oyster sauce, low sodium soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, water, and Thai red chili paste. Set aside.
- Sauté shallots and carrots: Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame or canola oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the chopped shallots and thinly sliced carrots and cook for about 2 minutes until slightly softened.
- Cook the chicken: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan, then add the chopped chicken breast. Season with freshly ground pepper and cook thoroughly until no longer pink, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add garlic and ginger: Stir in the minced garlic and fresh ginger, cooking for about 10 seconds until fragrant.
- Cook vegetables: Add the thinly sliced green bell pepper, zucchini, roma tomato slices, and the whites of the chopped green onions. Stir-fry for 2 minutes to blend flavors and soften vegetables slightly.
- Toss noodles and sauce: Add the cooked rice noodles to the pan and pour the prepared sauce over the noodles. Toss well to combine and cook for a few more minutes until the noodles are heated through and well coated with the sauce.
- Finish with basil: Remove the pan from heat and stir in the roughly chopped Thai Holy Basil leaves to infuse the dish with fresh aroma.
- Serve: Dish out the drunken noodles immediately, garnished with the remaining chopped green onions and additional chili sauce, sriracha, or crushed red pepper flakes for extra spice as desired.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken with shrimp or tofu to suit dietary preferences.
- Adjust the level of spice by varying the amount of chili paste or using sriracha or crushed red pepper flakes.
- Using Thai Holy Basil is traditional, but regular basil works well as a substitute.
- Ensure noodles are not overcooked to prevent mushy texture; cook al dente as per package directions.
- For a gluten-free version, use tamari instead of soy sauce and check oyster sauce ingredients.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 405
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 1529mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 17g
- Cholesterol: 36mg
