- Prep time20 mins
- Cook time10 mins
- Servings4
- DifficultyMedium
- CategoryChinese
Chow mein means "stir-fried noodles," and the stir-fry part is literal: a screaming-hot wok, small batches, constant motion. The noodles should pick up a little char — that wok hei smokiness is the whole point. Have every ingredient prepped before the wok gets hot, because once it starts, there is no pausing to chop a carrot.
Ingredients
- 400 g (14 oz) chow mein or egg noodles
- 400 g (14 oz) chicken breast, cut into thin strips
- 1 tbsp soy sauce, plus 3 tbsp for the sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 3 tbsp neutral oil, divided
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- 1 bell pepper, sliced
- 4 spring onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
Method
- Toss the chicken with 1 tbsp soy sauce and the cornstarch; rest 10 minutes. Mix the sauce: 3 tbsp soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy, sesame oil, sugar and white pepper.
- Boil the noodles 1 minute less than the package says. Drain, rinse under cold water and toss with 1 tsp oil.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok until smoking. Sear the chicken in a single layer, 3 to 4 minutes, until cooked through. Remove.
- Add another tbsp oil, stir-fry the garlic, ginger and onion 1 minute. Add the carrot, cabbage and bell pepper; toss 2 minutes until crisp-tender.
- Add the noodles and sauce. Toss hard for 2 minutes, letting the noodles char slightly in spots.
- Return the chicken and spring onions, toss 1 minute more, and serve immediately.
Tips for success
- Mise en place is mandatory — the wok waits for no one.
- Do not overcrowd: sear the chicken in batches or it steams instead of charring.
- Cold-rinsed noodles do not stick together in the wok.
Watch video tutorial
Prefer to watch it being made? This from Marion Grasby walkthrough covers the same chicken chow mein step by step — the spoken narration doubles as an audio tutorial.