Chicken Chow Mein
Springy egg noodles tossed with chicken and vegetables in a savoury brown sauce, with a few noodles crisped against the wok. A twenty-minute takeaway staple that is genuinely better homemade.
Method
Tap a step to highlight it, or turn on Cook Mode for large type and step-by-step focus.
-
Toss the chicken with the Shaoxing wine and cornflour and leave 15 minutes.
-
Boil the noodles for 2 minutes only, then drain, rinse under cold water and shake dry thoroughly. Toss with a teaspoon of oil.
-
Whisk the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
-
Heat a wok over the highest heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil and stir-fry the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes until just cooked. Remove.
-
Add another tablespoon of oil and stir-fry the carrot and cabbage for 90 seconds, then the garlic, ginger and spring onion whites for 30 seconds. Remove.
-
Add the last tablespoon of oil and spread the noodles across the wok. Leave undisturbed for 60 seconds so some strands crisp against the metal, then toss.
-
Return the chicken and vegetables, add the beansprouts, and pour the sauce around the edge of the wok.
-
Toss hard for 90 seconds until everything is coated and glossy and the beansprouts are just wilted but still snappy.
-
Finish with the spring onion greens and serve immediately.
Chef’s Tips
- Beansprouts go in at the very end. Thirty seconds too long and they collapse.
- Fresh noodles beat dried; if using dried, cook them 1 minute short of the packet time.
- Do not overload the wok — cook in two batches and combine at the end.
Pairing Suggestions
- A cold lager or jasmine tea
- Serve with spring rolls as a starter
- Finish with orange segments
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate 2 days. Reheat in a very hot wok with a splash of stock to loosen the noodles.
Nutritional Highlights
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.