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Chicken Chow Mein Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 76 reviews

This Chicken Chow Mein recipe offers a delicious and flavorful take on the classic Chinese stir-fried noodle dish. Tender marinated chicken breast slices are cooked quickly to retain juiciness, combined with fresh vegetables like shredded cabbage, carrots, and green onions, then tossed with chow mein noodles in a savory, umami-rich sauce made from oyster sauce, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and aromatic sesame oil. Ready in under 30 minutes, this dish provides a comforting, hearty meal with the perfect balance of textures and flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Marinating

  • 6 oz boneless chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Sauce

  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (or ground black pepper)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Stir Fry

  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 4 cups shredded cabbage
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
  • 10 oz fresh chow mein noodles, or 6 oz dried chow mein noodles
  • 2 small carrots, julienned (yields 1 cup)
  • 1 anaheim pepper or other hot pepper of your choice, sliced (optional)
  • 4 green onions, cut into 2” (5 cm) pieces, white part halved lengthwise

Instructions

  1. Marinate the Chicken: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the thinly sliced chicken breast or thighs with Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and salt. Mix thoroughly with your hands so the chicken is evenly coated and the marinade penetrates well.
  2. Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, and sesame oil until the sugar is dissolved and ingredients are fully combined.
  3. Cook the Noodles: Boil the chow mein noodles according to package instructions until just al dente—cooking them about 1 minute less than recommended for dried noodles, or briefly dipping fresh noodles in boiling water for about 1 minute. Rinse noodles under cold tap water to stop cooking, drain thoroughly, and set aside.
  4. Cook the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of peanut or vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, spread marinated chicken slices in the pan with minimal overlap. Let cook undisturbed until the bottom side turns slightly golden, about 30-45 seconds. Flip and cook the other side until chicken just turns white, another 30-45 seconds. Remove cooked chicken from skillet and set aside.
  5. Sauté Aromatics and Vegetables: To the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil followed by minced ginger and chopped garlic. Stir quickly to release their fragrance for about 20-30 seconds. Add julienned carrots and shredded cabbage, stir-fry until vegetables are just starting to soften, about 1 minute.
  6. Add Noodles and Chicken: Add the drained noodles to the skillet and toss gently with tongs to combine with the vegetables. Return the cooked chicken to the skillet, then pour the prepared sauce over the mixture.
  7. Finish Cooking: Toss all ingredients together with tongs to ensure the sauce coats the noodles, vegetables, and chicken evenly. Add the sliced anaheim pepper (if using) and green onions, tossing again until the sauce is mostly absorbed and everything is heated through.
  8. Serve: Transfer the chicken chow mein to serving plates and serve hot as a filling main dish.

Notes

  • Use Shaoxing wine for authentic flavor; dry sherry is an acceptable substitute.
  • Fresh chow mein noodles require much shorter cooking time compared to dried—handle gently to avoid breaking.
  • Adjust the amount of oyster sauce and soy sauce to taste based on your preferred saltiness.
  • The anaheim pepper is optional and adds a mild heat; you can substitute with any hot pepper or omit for no heat.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace chicken with tofu and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

Keywords: chicken chow mein, Chinese stir fry, noodle stir fry, easy chicken dinner, Asian noodles, weeknight meal

Find it online: https://dinewithlily.com/chicken-chow-mein-recipe/