Healthy Drunken Noodles

Name: Healthy Drunken Noodles | Instant Pot, Stovetop, Crockpot
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 26 min
Ingredients: 1 lb chicken breast ( cut into thin 1/2-inch strips); 2 carrots (peeled and cut into strips, about 2C); 1 bell pepper (red, chopped); 2 cups mushrooms; 3 cups bok choy (chopped); 4 tsp garlic (minced ); 2 dried chili pods (Thai chilies are best! or you can substitute with 1 tsp crushed red peppers); 2 cups whole wheat pasta (dry, egg noodles); 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce (I prefer coconut aminos, but you can also use low sodium tamari.); 1 tbsp honey; 2 cups water; 1/2 cup scallions (diced); 1/2 cup basil (fresh, chopped)

This site contains affiliate links. Please see Policies for more information.

1-5 Blue Plan Points Recipes 1-5 Purple Plan Points 21 Day Fix 4 Blue Plan Points 6-10 Green Plan Points Crock Pot Dairy Free Instant Pot Recipes Quick
January 27 | 27 Comments

Jump to Recipe

These healthy Drunken Noodles are a traditional Thai favorite! This easy recipe walks you through how to make this recipe in the Instant Pot, in the Crock Pot, or right on the stove.
I love this easy chicken dinner - it’s better than takeout!

This Healthy drunken noodle recipe is one that your entire family will love. It comes together fast and works great for a weeknight meal.

Don’t worry, these noodles don’t actually contain alcohol. Legend has it, a “drunken man” in a Thai kitchen was hungry and threw together a variety of ingredients tasted so delicious, the dish caught on.

Drunken noodles image with text for Pinterest

Where’s the Recipe for this Delicious and Easy Drunken Noodle Dish?

To better serve all of my readers here at My Crazy Good Life, I’ve made a commitment to put a ton of helpful information in all of my posts.

If you’d like to skip over the information about ingredients, multiple cooking methods, and diet information, simply scroll to the bottom of the page, where you will find the printable Drunken Noodles recipe!

Ingredients:

Chicken: A great source of lean protein.
Carrots: They are loaded with beta carotene, fiber, vitamin K1, potassium, and antioxidants.
Red Bell Pepper: Did you know a red pepper is simply a matured green pepper? All colors come from the same plant at various levels of maturity. Bell peppers are a low-calorie vegetable packed with vitamins and antioxidants.
Mushrooms: I love cooking with mushrooms. They have a meaty feel while still packing in the nutrients you can only get from vegetables.
Bok Choy: This Chinese cabbage is loaded healthy benefits, including Choline. Choline is an anti-inflammatory that helps improve sleep, muscle movement, learning, and memory. This highly nutritious vegetable contains more vitamin A and C than spinach.
Garlic: You know I can’t cook anything without garlic! Added flavor and loads of antioxidants.
Thai Chili Pods: You can usually find these in the ethnic food section of your grocery store. They can easily be replaced in this recipe with dried red pepper flakes, or left out entirely to skip the spice.
Whole Wheat Egg Noodles: Using whole wheat noodles is an easy way to clean up a recipe without changing the taste.
Low-Sodium Soy Sauce: A staple for any Asian cuisine. You can also use coconut aminos, or low sodium tamari. Read here about soy sauce substitutes and why you’d choose one.
Honey: I try to find honey locally, but any raw form will work.
Scallions: If you don’t like the kick that scallions have, green onions make a great substitute. They have a milder flavor, so you’ll need to use more.
Basil: It’s generally best to add fresh basil at the final step of cooking because heat can diminish the flavor and dull the bright green color. If you decide to use dried, only use a third of the amount, as dried is more concentrated.

White plate with noodles and instant pot in background

Recipe Tips

You can replace scallions with green onions. Just be sure to add extra, they don’t pack quite the same punch as scallions do.
You can replace fresh basil with dried. Reduce the amount to two and a half tablespoons and add to the pot with your vegetables.
You can easily replace the bok choy with regular green or purple cabbage. It holds up well under pressure and gives you the same texture.
You can add coconut aminos or low sodium tamari in place of low-sodium soy sauce.
This recipe is easy to customize. If you don’t like mushrooms leave them out and add more carrots and peppers. If you don’t like bell peppers up your mushrooms.
You can easily swap dried Thai chili pods with crushed red pepper flakes.
You can buy matchstick carrots or use a box grater to get your carrots small and evenly sized.
This recipe is easy to make vegetarian, just swap the chicken for diced tofu, mushrooms, or your favorite vegetables.
Add salt and black pepper to your taste.

How to make Thai drunken noodles

This recipe takes about 20 minutes to prepare and about 6 minutes of total cooking time.

Instant Pot Instructions:

Time needed: 26 minutes.

Slice your chicken
Slice your chicken into thin strips, about 1/2 inches thick.
Turn your Instant Pot on to Sauté
Lightly spray the inside of the pot with oil.
Prepare your vegetables
Peel your carrots and cut into thin strips. Chop bell peppers, mushrooms, and bok choy. Try to cut all of your vegetables about the same size so they cook evenly.
Sauté
When the oil is hot sauté the garlic, Thai chili pods, mushrooms, and chicken for 2-3 minutes. Stir well to keep the chicken from sticking together.
Add your noodles, soy sauce, honey, and water
Mix well to make sure everything is combined.
Add the carrots, bell peppers, and bok choy on top of the chicken
Do not stir.
Pressure cook
Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
Quick release
When the time is up quick release the pressure.
Stir in scallions and fresh basil
Some optional toppings are fresh ginger, chili paste, and additional scallions for garnish.
Serve warm.

Collage of how to make this drunken noodles recipe.

Crockpot Instructions:

Add chicken, chili pods, garlic, soy sauce, water, and honey to the slow cooker. Mix it together so that the chicken is covered.
Layer the carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms, and bok choy on top of the chicken.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid.
Cook on low heat for 2-3 hours until the chicken is cooked through. Add the dry noodles during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Mix in the basil and scallions.
Serve warm.

Stovetop Instructions:

Lightly spray a large skillet.
Sauté the garlic, red chili pods, mushrooms, and chicken for about 2 minutes over high heat.
Add the carrots, bell pepper, and bok choy to the skillet. Sauté until the bok choy is wilted.
Mix in the dry noodles, soy sauce, honey, and water. Bring the liquid to a boil then, cover and reduce heat to medium/low.
Let the pasta simmer for 12-15 minutes stirring occasionally until the pasta is cooked.
Remove the lid and mix in the basil and scallions.
Serve warm.

Healthy Eating Plans:

Weight Watchers Blue Plan Points: ¼ of this recipe (about 2 cups) is 4 Blue plan points

Weight Watchers Green Plan Points: ¼ of this recipe (about 2 cups) is 6 Green plan points

Weight Watchers Purple Plan Points: ¼ of this recipe (about 2 cups) is 1 purple plan points

21 Day Fix Containers: (entire recipe) 8 Green Containers, 4 Yellow Containers, 4 Red Containers, and 3 Sweetener Teaspoons for the entire recipe. (per serving, which is about 2 cups): 2 Green Containers, 1 Red Container, 1 Yellow Container, and ¾ sweetener teaspoons

2B Mindset: This is a good lunch recipe with a side of veggies.

Check out these other delicious takeout recipes that you can make at home:

Print Recipe Rate this Recipe

5 from 3 votes