Chicken Chow Mein (VIDEO) – Authentic Restaurant Style!

Ingredient Tips

Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements.

• Chicken thighs – I prefer dark meat, so that is what I used in this recipe. You can substite with white meat if that is what you prefer! I also have a Hong Kong Chow Mein with Shrimp recipe, if you want to use shrimp instead.
• MSG – I like to use msg in moderation as a flavor enhancer; this is always optional.
• Shaoxing wine – if you don’t have Shaoxing wine, you can substitute with sherry, mirin, or chicken stock. If you like cooking Chinese food at home, I recommend keeping a bottle in your pantry.
• Chow mein noodles – If you’re looking for a good brand of chow mein noodles to use, I recommend the brand Golden World. I can often find these at my local Chinese supermarket. They are sometimes also labeled as “Steam Egg Noodle”.
• Neutral oil – My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil! I don’t use olive oil when cooking Chinese food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. I find that the flavor profile does not usually go with the dish. 
• Mushrooms – You can use any combination of mushrooms you prefer; I used oyster, seafood, and beech mushrooms in the photos/video.

Recipe Instructions

1. Marinate the Chicken

The first step is to marinate the chicken – you want to start building flavor with the protein. Cut the chicken thighs (or breast, if that is what you are using) into about 2″ long pieces at an angle 1/4″ thick. Add the chicken to a mixing bowl with salt, white pepper, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Mix well and set aside.

2. Make the Sauce

Make the sauce by combining chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, msg, sugar and shaoxing wine in a small bowl.

Tip: For dishes like this, which cooks much faster than you’d think, I like to be prepared and have the sauce mixed in advance. This way I don’t have to worry about it when I am cooking.

3. Blanch the Chow Mein Noodles

In a pot of boiling water, blanch the chow mein noodles 30 seconds – this is not to cook the noodles. This is purely to remove the excess starch, as store bought noodles are coated in cornstarch to keep them from sticking together.

Once you’ve blanched the chow mein noodles, make sure to drain and pat them dry thoroughly to remove any excess moisture. This will help the noodles crisp up when cooking. I highly recommend not skipping this step.

4. Pan Fry the Chow Mein Noodles

In a large nonstick pan, heat about 1/4 cup of neutral oil in the pan over medium high heat. Gently lay down the noodles as flat as possible, using tongs or chopsticks to evenly distribute them throughout the pan.

Pan fry each side for 2-3 minutes, checking the bottom for a golden brown color. Keep a close eye on the chow mein noodles to make sure they do not burn! When flipping, you might need to add more oil in order to crisp up the other side of the noodles.

When the noodles are done, they should be deep golden brown in color and crispy. See photo below for reference. Remove them and place them on a plate to drain.

5. Cook the Chicken and Aromatics

In the same pan, add another tablespoon of neutral oil over medium high heat and sauté the garlic, ginger, and scallion for 30 seconds. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 1-2 minutes per side until about 75% cooked through – don’t forget that the chicken will continue to cook in the sauce.

Remove the chicken and aromatics. Add another 1/2 tbsp of oil and sauté the vegetables for 2-3 minutes, until crisp.

6. Add the sauce

Once the vegetables are sautéed, add the premixed sauce along with the chicken and aromatics you cooked earlier. Bring to a boil and let the sauce reduce slightly -this should take about 2 minutes.

Add the cornstarch slurry to the gravy and mix well over high heat until the sauce has thickened (refer to video and photos below for gravy consistency!)

Once the gravy is done, ladle the sauce and toppings over the pan fried noodles and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

• Pre-mix the sauce: The cooking process for the sauce is FAST so it’s a great idea to premix your sauce together, then add it straight into the pan! The corn starch will help thicken the sauce into that velvety texture that Chinese restaurants made so famous.
• Have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go: For a recipe that comes together extremely quickly, the key to pulling this recipe off successfully is having your ingredients prepped and in bowls right next to your wok or pan! Have your premixed sauce, chicken, and vegetables ready and easily accessible during the cooking process.
• Blanch the noodles and pat them dry: Blanching the chow mein noodles is not to cook the noodles. This is to remove the excess starch, as store bought noodles are coated in cornstarch to keep them from sticking together. We want to avoid having that excess cornstarch in our final dish. Once you’ve blanched the noodles, make sure to drain and pat them dry thoroughly to remove any excess moisture. This will help the noodles crisp up when cooking. I highly recommend not skipping this step.
• Frying the noodles: Keep a close eye on the noodles to make sure they do not burn! When flipping, you might need to add more oil in order to crisp up the other side of the noodles.
• Storage Tips: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The noodles will not retain any of their crispiness, especially as they sit in the sauce. Reheating any leftovers quickly in the microwave.

If you liked this Hong Kong Style Chicken Chow Mein Noodles recipe, check out some of the most popular Chinese Take-Out recipes on the blog!

• Chicken Lo Mein
• Shrimp Fried Rice
• Beef and Broccoli
• Sesame Chicken
• String Bean Chicken

If you tried this Hong Kong Style Chicken Chow Mein or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!