Backpacker's Pantry Drunken Noodles with Chicken

Backpacker's Pantry continues its exploration of Asian cuisine in a freeze-dried format, and continues to produce solid meals at a decent price.

Another new offering from Backpacker's Pantry, this one a staple of Thai restaurants everywhere.

Preparation and Taste:
I followed the package directions to the letter: one and a half cups of boiling water, stir; wait 8 minutes, stir; wait 7 minutes, stir, and enjoy.

All ingredients rehydrated fully without becoming waterlogged. The chicken was not crunchy, but the noodles retained texture past mush, and the broccoli was recognizable and flavorful.

The sauce was a bit scant but still tasty, a good balance of sweet and spicy. It was to my palate noticeably sweet without being too much so, nor too spicy. My hiking partner did not notice much in the way of sweetness, but said that it was up there in terms of spicing. I'd call it a restaurant 2-chilies, while my partner put it closer to 3-chilies.

Nutrition and Satiety:
490 calories for the full pouch is maybe a little light for the end of a long day of heavy loads, but it's decent for a mid-day meal on a longer dayhike. The same can be said for the portion size: a little light on its own at the end of the day.  But if you're splitting with someone and they have a bigger meal? That would be perfect.

Sodium is perhaps a little high for such a small meal. 1850mg/80% r.d.a. for the full pouch. Again, if you've been sweating a lot, this isn't absolutely a problem; just something to watch.

88g of carbs and 27g of protein is a good start, but the fat content is a little low for my preferences at a mere 3.5g. Fat is great for long-lasting energy, after all.

Recommendation:
Go ahead and pick this one up if you enjoy spicy Thai food. If you really like spice, bring your own chili flake and go nuts. It won't be in every cache I take on every trip, but it has earned a place in the rotation, especially on trips where I can share it.

Background

Joshua has been hiking, backpacking, and car-camping for more than four decades. He is based primarily in the Pacific Northwest, but has hiked throughout the US, with forays into Hawaii, Canada, and New Zealand.