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Large white plate filled with chicken and vegetable chow mein.
4.91 from 20 votes

Chicken Chow Mein Recipe (How to Make Chow Mein)

The very BEST Chicken Chow Mein Recipe is made at home in just 30 minutes! Filled with crispy, tender stir-fried noodles, juicy chicken, and fresh vegetables in a delicious sweet and savory sauce, this better-than-takeout chow mein is a crave-worthy and delicious dinner the whole family will love!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 536kcal
Chef: Jessica Randhawa

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs - or breasts
  • 2 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine

Sauce

Noodles

  • 1 pound Fresh chow mein noodles
  • 5 tablespoon canola oil
  • 4 cloves garlic - minced
  • 3 cups green cabbage - shredded
  • 1 cup purple cabbage - shredded
  • 1 rib celery - chopped
  • 1 carrot - julienned
  • 4 green onions - chopped
  • 3 cups bean sprouts

Instructions

  • Marinate the chicken - In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the cornstarch, soy sauce, and Chinese cooking wine. Add the chopped chicken to the bowl and thoroughly mix to coat the chicken in the marinade. Set aside.
  • Prepare the sauce - As the chicken marinates, combine the corn starch, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, Chinese cooking wine, and sugar. Stir well to combine and set aside.
  • Prepare the noodles - Cook the noodles according to package instructions. For me, this meant boiling my noodles in water for 2-3 minutes max. Do not overcook, you want them to remain slightly undercooked. Drain well.
  • Fry the noodles - Heat a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil, swirl to coat the entire surface of the skillet. Add the noodles. Stir fry for 4-5 minutes, or until golden and starting to turn crispy. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
  • Cook the chicken - Add an additional tablespoon of oil to a large wok or heavy-bottomed skillet set over high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes, mixing frequently, to ensure even cooking. Once cooked, remove to a clean plate and set aside.
  • Saute the aromatics and vegetables - Return the wok or skillet to high heat. Add an additional tablespoon of oil and the minced garlic, immediately add the shredded cabbage, celery, carrots, and green onion. Thoroughly mix to combine and cook, stirring continuously for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the sauce - Add the noodles, sauce, and return the chicken to the pan. Stir fry for 1 minute, tossing continuously. Finally, stir in the bean sprouts. Mix thoroughly and cook for an additional 30-60 seconds.
  • Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Notes

Soy sauces: There are hundreds of different soy sauce varieties, each a little different from the other, depending on its place of origin (China, Thailand, Malaysia, etc.) This recipe calls for regular soy sauce and dark soy sauce.
  1. Regular soy sauce. Yep, the kind you find at your fav Chinese place or the stuff you dunk your sushi rolls into. You can go with low-sodium or regular.
  2. Dark soy sauce. Ok, you guys. It took me a long time to actually buy and start cooking with this stuff. I couldn't possibly understand what made it so special or different from regular soy sauce. Do yourself a favor (especially if you love cooking Asian inspired recipes at home) and order a bottle from Amazon or buy a bottle from your local Asian supermarket.  Dark soy sauce is sweeter than regular soy sauce with a completely different taste.
Chow Mein Noodles: I purchased these fresh chow mein noodles at a local Asian market. If you can't find any fresh noodles near you, simply substitute with dried chow main noodles (adjusting cooking time as needed). As a last (though tasty) resort, spaghetti noodles with also get the trick done. If using spaghetti noodles, I do not recommend frying in oil.
Chinese cooking wine - also known as Shaosing / Shaoxing wine. If you love cooking Chinese recipes at home, I highly recommend finding a bottle. It can be hard to find in markets in the US so I had to order mine on Amazon.
  • If you can't find Chinese cooking wine or you choose to cook without alcohol, substitute with chicken or vegetable broth.

Nutrition

Calories: 536kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1309mg | Potassium: 433mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 2007IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 4mg
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