Pad Kee Mao with Minced Chicken & Mini Gem
Fiery, aromatic Pad Kee Mao with minced chicken and shredded Aeroveg Mini Gem — the cool crunch that balances every spicy, glossy forkful.
Pad Kee Mao — drunken noodles — earns its name from the bold, unapologetically spicy flavours that make it the perfect late-night Thai comfort food. Wide rice noodles absorb the dark soy and fish sauce glaze, while Thai basil floods the pan with fragrance right at the end. Aeroveg Mini Gem adds something unexpected here: shredded through the noodles at the very last moment, its clean sweetness and gentle crunch act as a natural foil to the chilli heat, making the whole dish feel more balanced and alive.
Method
- Mix the sauce. Stir together all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Prep the noodles. If using fresh noodles, gently separate them. If using soaked dried noodles, drain well and set aside.
- Cook chicken and aromatics. Heat oil in a wok or wide pan over high heat. Add garlic and chilli and stir fry 30 seconds. Add minced chicken and cook 4–5 minutes, breaking it up, until cooked through and lightly caramelised at the edges.
- Add capsicum. Toss in the red capsicum and stir fry 1 minute until just softened but still with a bite.
- Add noodles and sauce. Add the noodles and pour the sauce over everything. Toss over high heat for 2–3 minutes until the noodles absorb the sauce. If they stick, add a splash of water.
- Add basil. Remove from heat and fold in Thai basil leaves — they'll wilt almost instantly from the residual heat.
- Finish with Mini Gem. Toss through the shredded Aeroveg Mini Gem. Serve immediately.
Aeroveg Mini Gem is at its best when added raw, right at the end — it gives this fiery dish a cool, refreshing crunch that a cooked leaf would never provide. Shred it just before serving so it stays fresh and crisp.