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Fast, saucy, and so garlicky in the best way. These noodles are our go-to when bell peppers and basil are plentiful and dinner needs to happen fast. Think takeout vibes at home: quick-cooking rice noodles, caramelized garlicky chicken, and a sweet-spicy Thai chili sauce that coats every strand. It’s weeknight-easy, but special enough for a cozy Friday night in.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Better-than-takeout flavor in ~20 minutes.. pantry sauce, minimal chopping.
- Uses rice noodles
- Flexible vegetable + protein swaps so you can use what’s in the fridge.
Ingredient Notes
- Rice noodles (wide-cut): Rinse briefly after boiling to prevent clumping, then toss with a touch of oil.
- Chicken: Pat dry and cut evenly for quick, crispy edges. Boneless thighs will be juicier and chicken breasts will be leaner, both work.
- Butter: Your “secret” for crisp + flavor. Offer dairy-free swap: neutral oil + a dab of coconut oil for richness.
- Garlic: 30–60 seconds of low heat to avoid scorching/bitter notes.
- Tamari/soy sauce: tamari for gluten-free; low-sodium if you prefer.
- Sweet Thai chili sauce: Adjust chili flakes to taste
- Rice vinegar + toasted sesame oil: Brightness + nutty aroma…a little sesame oil goes a long way
- “Sushi-style ginger” : Pickled sushi ginger adds zing; optional but recommended.
- Veggies: Bell peppers… additional add-in options: zucchini, carrots, broccoli, or cabbage by season.
- Thai basil (or sweet basil): Finish with scallions + toasted sesame seeds.
Recipe Inspiration
I’m discovering something fun about cooking. Now that I feel really comfortable in the kitchen and with flavor, I know how to make fast dishes without a basic recipe. I know how to make sauce and how to cook meats and noodles. Having this confidence in the kitchen allows me to create even more recipes than I ever thought possible.
Many summers ago, I shared a recipe for drunken noodles. To this day it’s such a popular recipe, and one I enjoy too. I wanted to give the recipe an update with a new sauce, so I just started cooking. I made a quick sauce I knew would be good, I seared up a crispy chicken with garlic, and instead of rice, I used rice noodles to get them SUPER saucy and delicious.
The entire dinner came together so quickly, and my family loved the noodles.
What I love most about cooking is the ability to have fun with dishes and create recipes with ingredients I know we will love!
Step by Step Details
Step 1: cook the noodles
Start by cooking the rice noodles according to the package directions. I like these rice noodles best. They’re wide-cut noodles that hold up well to all the sauce.
Step 2: make the “drunken” sauce
This sauce is not a traditional drunken sauce. The idea is more that my noodles are “drunken” with sauce – as in they are very saucy noodles!
I use tamari (you can also use soy sauce), sweet Thai chili sauce, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, sushi-style ginger, and chili flakes. Mixing in some water will create a sauce that is a little less salty.
- Whisk tamari/soy, sweet Thai chili, rice vinegar, sesame oil, pickled ginger, chili flakes, and a splash of water until smooth and pourable.
Step 3: cook the chicken
My secret is to cook the chicken in butter to get it crispy and have the yummiest flavor. When the chicken is crispy, add one more little pat of butter, the garlic and a splash of tamari.
Now remove the chicken from the pan. This creates room for the vegetables.
Step 4: cook the vegetables
You can add all the vegetables to that same skillet. I love to use bell peppers, but any vegetable you have will be great: broccoli, zucchini, carrots, cabbage, etc. It’s all good!
Step 5: finish
Add the sauce, the noodles, and the chicken. Let everything cook in the sauce and get really “soaked” or “drunk” in it.
It smells so delicious as it’s cooking!
I love to serve this with the Thai basil we have growing in our greenhouse, but any variety of basil is nice. I also add scallions and toasted sesame seeds on top. It’s quick and delicious!
Seasonal Notes
Spring: Asparagus and peas; mint + basil mix.
Summer: Peppers + Thai basil (as written).
Fall/Winter: Shredded cabbage, carrots, and broccoli; finish with cilantro if basil is scarce.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheat
- Make-ahead: Whisk sauce 3–5 days ahead; refrigerate. Slice chicken + prep veggies up to 2 days ahead.
- Storage: Leftover noodles keep up to 3–4 days in an airtight container.
- Reheat: Warm gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water to loosen; toss until hot and glossy. Microwave in short bursts, stirring between, to avoid over-softening noodles.
Can I use another noodle besides rice noodles?
Yes, wide rice noodles cling best, but lo mein or udon work in a pinch. Cook just to al dente and toss quickly so the sauce doesn’t over-soften them.
How do I keep the rice noodles from getting mushy or clumping?
Don’t overcook…Rinse briefly after boiling to prevent clumping, then toss with a touch of oil.
Looking for other busy weeknight-night recipes? Try these!
One Skillet Saucy Chicken Tortilla Enchilada Rice Bake
Crockpot Crispy Chicken Tinga Tacos with Avocado Jalapeño Crema
Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Salmon with Caesar Roasted Potatoes
One Skillet Cheesy Green Chile Chicken
Lastly, if you make this 20 minute Crispy Garlic Chicken Noodles, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crispy Garlic Chicken Drunken Noodles
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 565 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 8 ounces wide rice noodles
- 1/3 cup, plus 1 tablespoon tamari/soy sauce
- 1/4 cup sweet Thai chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sushi ginger, chopped
- chili flakes
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, sliced
- 2 tablespoons flour or cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 1 cup Thai or regular basil, chopped
- sesame seeds, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain.2. Combine 1/3 cup tamari/soy sauce, sweet Thai chili sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and chili flakes. Mix in 1/4 cup water. 3. In a large skillet, toss the chicken with the flour. Add 2 tablespoons butter and set the skillet over medium heat. Cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon tamari/soy sauce, and the garlic. Cook another minute, then remove the chicken from the skillet. 4. To the same skillet, add the shallot, bell peppers, and green onions. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the sauce, the noodles, and the chicken. Toss to combine, cooking another 3-5 minutes until the sauce coats the noodles. Mix in half the basil and remove from the heat.5. Serve the noodles warm, topped with the additional basil + sesame seeds.
This post was originally published on July 16, 2024
Can I use rice instead of noodles?
Hi Tania,
Sure, I don’t see why not! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
This is scrumptious and so easy to make! We couldn’t stop talking about how delicious it was while we were gobbling it up! Thank you for the tasty recipe that will be added to the rotation!
Hi Mandi,
Happy Tuesday!! Thanks for giving this recipe a try, so glad to hear it turned out nicely for you!
One of my favorite dishes!!!! Packed with so much flavor and deliciousness. I have made this many times and it never disappoints
Hey there,
Awesome! Thank you so much for making this recipe so often, so glad to hear it always turns out well for you! xx
I really wanted to love this, but I didn’t like the flavor. Too much sweet/tangy with the chili garlic sauce. Loved the chicken bites prepared with butter and cornstarch.
Hi Melissa,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback. So sorry to hear you didn’t love it! xx
Excellent recipe – I replaced the chicken with Tofu ( air fried at 350 for 10 min). I wasn’t sure if sesame seeds (if not roasted) would give enough crunch so I replaced it with roasted peanuts (3 min in microwave and cooled) and crushed. Instead of chili flakes, I used fried chili oil paste. It was sooooo delicious. thanks
Hey Shruma,
Fantastic! Love to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it and sharing your feedback! XxT
This was sooo delicious. I added more veggies to feed six. I was able to keep it warm on the stove after all cleanup was done, and ready when guests arrived after they watched a Colorado State Basketball game, so great! You mentioned you got the basil from your greenhouse, are you able to grow herbs all winter?
Hey Nikki,
Awesome! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Ohh gosh, I wish…it just gets way too cold here at night during the winter. Have a nice Sunday:) xx
Me again. This is a wonderful dish! Pork instead of chicken was fine as you said. Thanks!
Thanks so much, Rick:) Love to hear you enjoyed this dish! Have a wonderful Sunday! xT
Making this now. Recommended amount of chili flakes? Or to taste? Thanks.
Hi Rick,
It’s to taste:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
This recipe was delicious!! Will be making this again, maybe adding more veggies too.
Hi Holly,
Awesome! So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Have a great rest of the week:) Xxx
Looking forward to making this recipe this weekend. Could I use ground pork perhaps?
Hi Rick,
Sure, that will work nicely for you! I hope you love this dish! xT
Wow! What an amazing recipe! This may be one of my favourites from your site!!! I added some shredded carrots and a bit of Brocolli and it was sooo good:) thank you for sharing this recipe with us:)
Hi Radka,
Amazing! Thank you for making this recipe and your comment, so glad it was enjoyed! xxT
Another excellent recipe. I turned up the heat and cooked the chicken a little longer to get it crispy. Rave reviews from my family.
Hey Marcie,
Wonderful! Thank you so much for making this dish and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Happy Monday! xT
Easy and yum!
Hey Resa,
Happy Fall Thursday!
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try and your comment, so glad it turned out nicely for you! XxT
I made this recipe for the first time yesterday. I modified this recipe using both tofu and chicken cooking separately in the skillet. I put the noodles with sauce together and divided to put one part in the tofu and the other part in the chicken. The tofu came out very crispy and garlicky. This is definitely a do again recipe!
Hey Kanella,
Yay! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Happy fall weekend! xT
Delish but hard to crisp the chicken. Husband didn’t like so much heat. He added peanut butter to his to tone it down.
Tiegan, what brand of sweet Thai chili sauce do you use?
Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, Jill! Sorry to hear it was a bit on the spicy side for you. I really like Thai Kitchen brand. I hope this helps! xT
Could I omit the butter to make this dairy free? I don’t love using a vegan butter because of the ingredients in it. Would no butter suffice? Or an oil substitute?
Hi Jonah,
You could use some olive oil in place of the butter, that should work nicely for you. I hope you love this recipe! Happy New Year!!🎆 xxT