This Chinese Chicken Chow Mein recipe is speedy to prepare, bringing together chicken, assorted veggies, and fresh egg noodles. Everything is coated in a flavourful Chinese-style brown sauce that ties it all together. It’s not only delicious but also a breeze to whip up.
A delicious Chow Mein relies on a flavourful sauce that evenly coats noodles, protein, and veggies, and this recipe nails it!
This quick-to-cook Chow Mein combines chicken, mixed vegetables, and fresh egg noodles, all tossed with a Chinese-style brown sauce that brings everything together. It’s both delicious and easy to prepare.
The key to a successful stir-fry lies in having all your ingredients prepped and ready. I like to organise them in bowls or small side plates, adding them at the same time during cooking. Alternatively, you can use individual mise en place bowls if you prefer.
Noodles, in any form, are a personal favourite. Whether it’s Pad See Ew, Chow Mein, Laksa, or Singapore-style noodle dishes, the diverse textures and flavours of noodles always appeal to me.
Despite my love for noodles, you might find it amusing that my nickname is Noddle—not because of my fondness for noodles, but due to my curly hair!
Ingredients required for Chinese chicken chow mein
Here is an overview of what you will need to make this Chinese Chicken Chow Mein.
The full recipe can be found by scrolling to the bottom of the page.
Chow Mein
- Chicken breast
- Soy sauce
- Chinese cooking wine – Shaoxing wine
- Bi-carb soda
- Ground white pepper
- Cooking oil
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Carrot
- Cabbage
- Bok Choy
- Spring/green onions
- Chow Mein Noodles
Sauce
- Cornflour
- Chicken stock
- Soy sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Caster sugar
- Sesame oil
The Noodles
Chow Mein calls for egg noodles, available in both fresh and dried options. I personally recommend fresh egg noodles, conveniently found in the chilled section at Woolworths or at Asian grocery stores. I use the Woolworths brand, priced at just $2.70, but dried noodles are also an alternative.
In some places, you might find them labeled as Chow Mein noodles. Simply follow the instructions on the packet for preparation, and once cooked, rinse them under cold running water to halt the cooking process. If you’re not using them right away, a light drizzle of neutral oil, tossed to coat, will prevent them from sticking together.
What is velveting?
When you enjoy Chinese dishes, you’ve probably noticed that the meat is incredibly tender and soft. Well, the Chinese have a technique known as “Velveting” to achieve this. While there are a few ways to do it, a common method involves sprinkling your protein (like chicken or beef) with baking soda (bi-carb soda). This helps break down the fibers in the meat, making it less stringy and more delicate, resulting in tender and juicy meat.
To velvet your meat, simply sprinkle around 1 teaspoon of baking soda per 500g of meat. Coat the meat with it, let it sit for approximately 20 minutes, then wash it off and pat the meat dry. Although it’s a straightforward process, it adds some extra time to your meal preparation. Honestly, I find it a bit too much hassle and prefer not to go through the entire process so I use this option below:
Cheats tip!
For a quicker and easier approach, just add 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda to approximately 500g of meat and let it be. The amount is so small that you won’t taste it, but it still works wonders. This is a much simpler and faster method compared to the one where you wash off the baking soda.
The washing-off method might be more suitable for larger quantities of meat or situations where the meat won’t be stir-fried in a sauce, like with honey chicken or similar dishes.
Now, it’s time to dive in and whip up those Chow Mein noodles! Enjoy your cooking!
YUMMY CHOW MEIN!
Serving suggestions
Chinese Chicken Chow Mein is a versatile dish that pairs well with various accompaniments. Here are some serving suggestions to enhance your meal:
- Asian Greens: Sautéed Asian greens like gai lan (Chinese broccoli) or bok choy can complement the flavours of the dish.
- Spring Rolls (Egg Rolls): Add some crispy spring rolls on the side for a delightful crunch.
- Cucumber Salad: Prepare a simple cucumber salad with rice vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil to add a refreshing element.
- Soy Sauce and Sriracha: Place soy sauce and Sriracha on the table for those who enjoy an extra kick or want to adjust the seasoning according to their taste.
- Chili Oil or Hoisin Sauce: Offer chili oil or hoisin sauce as condiments for those who enjoy a bit of spice or sweetness in their Chow Mein.
- Fresh Herbs: Garnish with fresh coriander or sliced spring onions for added flavour and a pop of colour.
- Fried Wontons: Serve crispy fried wontons for an additional crunchy element.
You may also enjoy
If you liked this easy Chicken Chow Mein you may also like:
- Chicken & Ham Spring Rolls – the perfect appetiser to serve before the Chicken chow mein
- Crispy Prawn Balls – these delicious morsels will have your guests begging for more!
- Pork & Prawn Wontons with Snow Peas – you can steam, boil or deep fry these wontons!
- Prawn Toast (Shrimp Toast) – a quick, easy and tasty entree!
- 20 Minute Crunchy Asian Beef Bowls – these are amazing, you really need to try and all cooked in 20 minutes from start to finish.
Have You Made This Recipe?
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Chinese Chicken Chow Mein
Ingredients
- 500g chicken breast fillet, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon ight soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine (also called Shaoxing)
- ½ teaspoon bi-carb soda (See Notes)
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ¼ cup neutral cooking oil (such as peanut, rice bran or vegetable)
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2cm piece fresh ginger, cut into fine match sticks
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 2 cups roughly chopped green cabbage
- 1 bunch baby bok choy, trimmed and sliced in half lengthways
- 3 spring/green onions, cut into 10cm lengths and halved
- 350g packet fresh egg noodles, prepared as directed on packet then cooled under running water
Chow Mein Sauce
- 3 teaspoons cornflour
- 1 ¼ cups prepared chicken stock (room temperature)
- 1 ½ tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
To Serve
- Coriander
- Sliced red chilli, optional
Instructions
Chow Mein Sauce
- Combine cornflour with 2 tablespoons of the prepared chicken stock until smooth. Add remaining chicken stock and all other ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Chow Mein
- Combine chicken, soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, bi-carb soda and white pepper in a bowl and toss well to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes to marinate.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add half of the chicken and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes or until lighlty golden and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and repeat with more oil and remaining chicken. Set aside.
- Heat the last 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok or frying pan over high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the carrots, cabbage and bok choy. Stir-fry for 2 minutes or until vegetables just start to wilt. Return chicken to the pan along with any juices and add the noodles. Toss quickly to combine.
- Give your sauce a quick stir (to mix up the cornflour if settled) then add to the wok or frying pan along with the spring/green onions. Toss together until well combined and heated through. Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander and sliced red chilli if desired.
Notes
- COOKS NOTES:
Oven Temps: Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml & 1 cup = 250 ml.
Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
Eggs: We use extra-large size and eggs are 55-60 g each, unless specified.
- VELVETING THE CHICKEN WITH BI-CARB SODA
Bi-carb soda helps to break down the proteins in the chicken so it becomes soft and velvety. Traditionally you sprinkle bi-carb over your protein, mix it and allow it to do it work for around 15 minutes then wash it off. I however, don’t like to do this, it’s time consuming and messy. I just add 1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon to 500g protein in the beginning and mix it through. The amount used is so insignificant you can not taste it but it still does the job. You can also choose to leave this out all together if you prefer. It does make your chicken become lovely and velvety though - OTHER PROTEINS
You can use any other protein you prefer. Thinly sliced beef, pork or green prawns etc Velvet the protein as for the chicken.You can also use chicken thighs if you like. - CABBAGE
I used just regular Green Cabbage but you can use any variety of cabbage you have or prefer. Even red cabbage. - CHINESE COOKING WINE
Chinese cooking wine, commonly called Shaoxing wine is an essential element in Chinese cooking. You can purchase nowadays from large supermarkets but also available from shops like Harris Farm, Asian grocers or online.If you cant access it, you could substitute with dry sherry.
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