Craving your favorite takeaway chicken chow mein? Well, ditch the takeout and try this homemade chicken chow mein recipe. It's super easy, takes less than 30 minutes, and tastes incredible! Made with stir fried noodles, succulent chicken, onion, bell peppers, cabbage, all tossed in a delicious sauce. It is perfect for weeknight dinners. I've got an easy step-by-step recipe for you to try making it at home.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Total Time30 minutesmins
Course: Main
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 4people
Calories: 489kcal
Author: Preeti
Equipment
A wok or large skillet
A small bowl
Ingredients
For the noodles
250gegg noodlesor any thin stir-fry noodles
For Chow Mein Sauce
1.5tablespoondark soy sauce
2tablespoonoyster sauce
1teaspoonred chili sauce
1teaspoonred pepper flakesoptional
¼cupchicken broth or water
½teaspoonsugar
½teaspoonground black pepper
1teaspooncornstarch or corn flour
2teaspoonvinegar
To marinate the chicken
250gchickenboneless and skinless, cut into thin strips
1teaspoondark soy sauce
1teaspooncornstarch
½teaspoonblack pepper
¼teaspoonsalt
For Chicken Chow Mein
6teaspoonoildivided
1tablespoonfinely chopped garlic
3spring onions or scallionsthinly sliced
1carrotjulienne
1red bell pepperthinly sliced
1green bell pepperthinly sliced
1cupthinly sliced cabbage
¼teaspoonsalt
To garnish
2tablespoonchoppedSpring onion greens (scallions)
1teaspoonroasted Sesame seedsoptional
Instructions
Boil the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and add noodles to it. Cook the noodles as per the package directions until al dente. Pro Tip: Cook the noodles one minute less than the cooking time. My package directions were to cook noodles for 5 minutes. I cooked them for 4 minutes.
250 g egg noodles
Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water to stop the cooking process. Once the water is completely drained add 2 teaspoon oil and toss the noodles. This will prevent the noodles from sticking.
Marinate the chicken: In a bowl, combine the chicken strips with dark soy sauce, cornstarch, black pepper and salt. Combine until the chicken is evenly coated. Meanwhile you can prep your vegetables and sauce.
250 g chicken, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon salt
Make the Sauce: In a bowl, whisk oyster sauce, soy sauce, red chili sauce, red pepper flakes (optional), chicken broth, sugar, ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon cornstarch or corn flour, and vinegar until well combined. Set this aside.
1.5 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon red chili sauce, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, ¼ cup chicken broth or water, ½ teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon cornstarch or corn flour, 2 teaspoon vinegar
Crisp frying the Noodles: Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Cook the noodles in 2-3 batches depending on the size of the wok. Add the noodles evenly in a single layer. When the noodles start to turn golden, flip and cook it on other side. Take care not to burn them. Remove them to a plate.
Stir-fry the Chicken: Add 2 teaspoons of the oil in the wok or skillet; heat it over medium high heat. When the oil is smoking hot add chicken in a single layer. Let it cook until the edges start to become brown. Flip and cook until the chicken is cooked. Remove the chicken from the wok and keep it aside on a plate.
Stir-fry the Vegetables: Add 2 teaspoons of the oil in the wok or skillet; heat it over medium high heat. Add garlic and stir it for 30 seconds. Add onions, and stir fry it for a minute. Add carrots and cook it for 2 minutes. Add bell peppers and cabbage. Season the vegetables with salt. Stir fry it for a minute or until the vegetables are slightly soft but still crunchy. Give it a quick stir.
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic, 3 spring onions or scallions, 1 carrot, 1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, 1 cup thinly sliced cabbage, ¼ teaspoon salt
Combine everything: Add the cooked chicken and stir-fry noodles back to the pan. Give the sauce a quick mix and pour it over the noodles. Toss everything well so that the sauce coats the noodles, chicken and vegetables evenly. Stir-fry it for a minute.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with chopped scallions and sesame seeds (optional). Serve.
Ensure all ingredients are finely chopped and prepared before you start cooking. Keep all your sauces handy.
High heat, fast cooking - Allow your wok or pan to reach a smoking point. This ensures perfectly seared chicken and crisp-tender veggies that retain their freshness.
Avoid overcrowding the pan - Cook your ingredients in batches to avoid them steaming instead of stir-frying. Let each batch get cooked for maximum flavor and texture.
Don't overcook the noodles: Cook them a little less than usual because they will keep cooking when you stir-fry them. They should be warm but still a bit chewy, the kind of chewiness that makes you want more. Don't overcook the noodles: Aim for slightly chewy, not mushy.
Crisping the noodles - Stir fry the noodles to make them slightly crispy. This will give the noodles crunchiness similar to what you get from takeout.