Chicken Chow Mein (Hong Kong Style)

I have very fond memories eating this dish at the Chinese restaurant (complete with the lazy susan circular turntables!) with family growing up as a kid. It was one of my all-time favorite dishes and I’m excited to share my version with you!

Ingredients for Hong Kong Style Chicken Chow Mein Noodles

These Hong Kong Style Chicken Chow Mein Noodles recipe are just like they serve them at the Chinese restaurants and perfect for a weeknight meal! Here is what you’ll need for the recipe:

• Chicken Thigh – I like to use chicken thigh in this recipe but you can really substitute chicken breast or any protein for this dish!
• Kosher Salt
• White Pepper
• Light soy sauce (low sodium)
• Cornstarch
• Chicken Stock
• Oyster Sauce
• Sesame Oil
• MSG (optional)
• Sugar
• Shaoxing Wine
• Chow Mein Noodles
• 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. 

Fresh Vegetables

• Baby bok choy
• Mushrooms (I used Oyster, Seafood, and Beech mushrooms)
• Onion
• Scallions
• Carrot
• Garlic
• Ginger

Noodles – If you’re looking for a good brand of chow mein noodles to use, I recommend the brand Golden World below. I can often find these at my locale Chinese supermarket. They are also labeled as “Steam Egg Noodle”

Hong Kong Style Chicken Chow Mein Noodles: Recipe Instructions

1. Marinate the Chicken

Cut the chicken thigh into about 2″ long pieces at an angle 1/4″ thick. Combine the chicken in a mixing bowl with salt, white pepper, soy sauce, and cornstarch.

2. Mix the Sauce

Next, mix the sauce by combining chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, msg, sugar and shaoxing wine. I always like to premix my sauce to have it ready to go during the fast cooking process.

3. Blanch the Noodles

Once the sauce is mixed, blanch your chow mein noodles in boiling water for 30 seconds to remove the excess starch and rinse, drain, and pat them dry to remove any excess moisture. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! Otherwise, you may risk having soggy noodles!

4. Pan Fry the Noodles

In a large nonstick pan, heat about 1/4 cup of neutral oil in the pan over medium high heat. Gently lay down your 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. When flipping, it may be necessary to add more oil in order to crisp up the other side of the noodles.

When the noodles are done, they should have a deep golden brown color and crispy texture! 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 your garlic, ginger, and scallion for 30 seconds. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 1-2 minutes per side until about 75% cooked through (these will cook fully in the sauce).

Remove the chicken and aromatics. Add another 1/2 tbsp of oil and sauté your 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 (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! I love the contrasting textures of the crispy edges with the softened middle when the noodles are soaked in the gravy – it’s a contrasting textural delight!

Recipe Tips

PREMIX YOUR 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.

SUCCESS IS IN THE PREP
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.

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!