Chicken Chow Mein (Crispy Noodles - Hong Kong Style)
This restaurant style Chicken Chow Mein with the crispy Hong Kong style egg noodles is a Cantonese classic! It's so good you'll never need to order it from the restaurant again!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thigh cut into 2" long thin slices (1/4" thick)
- 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce low sodium
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
Chow Mein Sauce (Gravy)
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce low sodium
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp MSG optional
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
Cornstarch slurry
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Slice chicken thigh into 1/4" thick slices about 2" long. Marinate with soy sauce, white pepper, kosher salt, and cornstarch for 20 minutes.
- Mix sauce by combining chicken stock, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, MSG, sugar, and shaoxing wine. Separately, mix the cornstarch slurry in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a large pot of boiling water, blanch the fresh chow mein noodles for about 10 seconds then drain, rinse and pat as dry as possible with paper towels. If using dried chow mein noodles, cook to package directions and drain, rinse and pat dry.
- In a large pan, add 3 tbsp of neutral oil over medium high heat and evenly spread the noodles across the pan. Pan fry for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown, adding more oil as necessary. Remove and drain excess oil on a paper towel.
- Add 1 tbsp of oil to the pan on high, then saute the chicken thigh for 2 minutes per side until golden brown. To the chicken add the garlic, ginger, and scallions and saute for 30 seconds and remove everything to a bowl.
- Add 1 tbsp of oil to the pan over high heat, then add the bok choy, mushrooms, onion, and carrot and stir fry for 2 minutes until the carrots are softened. Add the sauce, the chicken & aromatics, and mix. Bring to a boil then add the cornstarch slurry and mix until sauce has thickened.
- Ladle the sauce, chicken, and vegetables over the the crispy chow mein noodles and enjoy!
Video
Notes
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 330kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 975mg | Potassium: 485mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 8965IU | Vitamin C: 58mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 2mg
