Chicken Pad Kee Mao

Serves 4.

Note: Sometimes called drunken noodles, pad kee mao contains no alcohol but rather gets its unique flavor from a spicy, potent sauce flavored with lots of basil. Do not substitute other types of noodles for the rice noodles. If fresh Thai chiles are unavailable, substitute one serrano or one-half jalapeño (remove the seeds to make the dish milder). To make the chicken easier to slice, freeze it for 15 minutes. From "The Chicken Bible" (America's Test Kitchen, 2021).

• 8 oz. (3/8‑in.-wide) rice noodles (see Note)

• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

• 1/8 tsp. baking soda

• 12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and sliced thin crosswise (see Note)

Steve Klise, Star Tribune
Chicken Pad Kee Mao, sometimes called drunken noodles, from “The Chicken Bible.”

• 1/4 c. plus 2 tsp. soy sauce, divided

• 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

• 1/2 c. packed brown sugar

• 3 tbsp. lime juice (2 limes), plus lime wedges for serving

• 2 tbsp. fish sauce

• 3 Thai chiles, stemmed and sliced into thin rings (see Note)

• 1/2 head napa cabbage, cored and cut into 1‑in. pieces (6 cups)

• 1 1/2 c. coarsely chopped fresh Thai or Italian basil

Directions

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Remove from heat, add noodles and let sit, stirring occasionally, until soft and pliable but not fully tender. Drain noodles and rinse under cold running water until chilled. Drain noodles well again and toss with 2 teaspoons oil; set aside.

Combine 2 teaspoons water and the baking soda in medium bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat; let sit for 5 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons soy sauce and cornstarch, and toss until well combined. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, 2 tablespoons water, and Thai chiles in small bowl until sugar has dissolved; set aside.

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in nonstick skillet or flat-bottomed wok over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken and increase heat to high. Cook, tossing chicken slowly but constantly, until no longer pink, 2 to 6 minutes; transfer to clean medium bowl.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in now-empty pan over high heat until just smoking. Add cabbage and cook, tossing slowly but constantly, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add noodles, sauce, and chicken and cook, tossing slowly but ­constantly, until thoroughly combined and noodles are well coated and tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Off heat, fold in basil. Serve with lime wedges.