Name: Thai Drunken Noodles
Yield: 4

Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe is a simple stir-fry with rice noodles, your choice of protein, crisp veggies, and an incredible, straightforward sauce inspired by a reliable Thai food truck.

Author’s Notes

The Secret Was Keeping It Simple!

My husband and It is satisfying to Maui. We’ve 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 It is satisfying to Maui so much is the food (no surprise, right?!). There’s a Thai food truck on the island that I’ve said for years makes the absolute best drunken noodles. It even won the 2025 ʻAipono Gold Award for Maui’s Best Food Truck, and Guy Fieri called one of his dishes a “101” and a “freight train to Flavortown.”

I seriously never stop thinking about that Thai Drunken Noodles recipe. And while I’m usually pretty good at recreating restaurant favorites, these totally stumped me. Every year I’d come home determined to figure them out…and every year I’d 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 I’d been trying to recreate his noodles for years, he laughed and said, “You’re overcomplicating it. My sauce is just roasted garlic, chili sauce, soy sauce, and lots of oyster sauce.”

Immediately, the thought popped into my head: “keep it simple!” So I went back to the kitchen, tested a few ratios with just those four ingredients, and wow…finally my Thai Drunken Noodles recipe tasted exactly how I remembered from the food truck. My husband agreed: “Nailed It”.

Turns out simple really is best, haha!

All the ingredients in this recipe prepped out for straightforward assembly including the rice noodles, green onions, garlic, basil, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, oil, pepper, chicken, onion, and water.

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 a reliable.
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.

Featured Comment

“I’ve made these twice now. A really tasty, quick and straightforward recipe. A favourite with all the family. Thanks.”
– Julie

The noodles being cooked and the sauce being whisked together for this Thai drunken noodles recipe.

How To Make This Thai Drunken Noodles Recipe

Cook noodles: Prepare according to package directions, drain, and keep nearby.
Mix sauce: Whisk sauce ingredients together until smooth.
Cook garlic & chili: Heat oil then mix 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.

the cook’s Top Tip

Use Very a hot burner!

Drunken noodles cook fast, so keep the pan very hot and work quickly. a hot burner 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.

The chicken, peppers, and onions being cooked through and the cooked noodles added in.

Quick Tip

Where Does The Name Come From?! Thai Drunken Noodles don’t actually contain alcohol. The Thai name pad kee mao means “drunken stir fry,” likely because it’s a spicy, bold dish people love after a night out or alongside a cold drink.