The Scoop
These Drunken Noodles are the kind of dinner that makes takeout feel unnecessary. Wide rice noodles soak up a savory-sweet sauce packed with soy, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and brown sugar, while tender marinated chicken, garlic, ginger, chilies, and fragrant basil bring the heat and aroma. Everything comes together quickly in a screaming-hot wok, giving the noodles those slightly smoky, restaurant-style edges.
It’s bold, spicy, glossy, and exactly the sort of meal that disappears faster than you planned.
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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