Chinese · Quick Meals

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.

4.6(2,311)Rated 4.6 out of 5 from 2311 reviews 30 min total Serves 4 servings Easy
Jump to Recipe Method
Chicken Chow Mein — chinese quick meals recipe, served and ready to eat
Ingredients and preparation for chicken chow mein
Ingredients and preparation for chicken chow mein

Method

Tap a step to highlight it, or turn on Cook Mode for large type and step-by-step focus.

  1. Toss the chicken with the Shaoxing wine and cornflour and leave 15 minutes.

  2. Boil the noodles for 2 minutes only, then drain, rinse under cold water and shake dry thoroughly. Toss with a teaspoon of oil.

  3. Whisk the sauce ingredients together and set aside.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. Return the chicken and vegetables, add the beansprouts, and pour the sauce around the edge of the wok.

  8. Toss hard for 90 seconds until everything is coated and glossy and the beansprouts are just wilted but still snappy.

  9. 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.

568Calories
34gProtein
66gCarbs
18gFat
5gFibre
8gSugar
1520mgSodium

Reader Reviews

Cooked this? Leave a review

Your rating out of 5

Reviews are stored in your browser only — nothing is sent to a server.