Proper Chicken Chow Mein

Proper Chicken Chow Mein

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Course: Noodles

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings: 2 -3

Calories: 554 kcal

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

·      200 g /6oz chicken thigh fillets (or breast), cut into bite size pieces

·      1/2 tsp baking soda / bi-carb (optional - see notes)

·      1 1/2 tbsp peanut oil (or other cooking oil)

·      200 g /6 oz fresh chow mein noodles (Note 5)

·      3 - 4 cups green cabbage (savoy / green), finely shredded

·      1 carrot, julienned

·      1 cup bean sprouts

·      3 shallot/scallions/green onions, cut into 5cm/2" pieces

·      2 cloves garlic, finely chopped - don't use mincer, see notes

·      1/4 cup (4 tbsp) water

Chow Mein Sauce:

·      2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch

·      1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce (ordinary all purpose soy sauce OR light soy sauce) (Note 3)

·      1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce

·      1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (or sherry) (Note 4)

·      2 tsp sugar

·      1/2 tsp sesame oil

·      White pepper

Instructions

1.   Optional - velveting the chicken (see notes): Combine chicken and baking soda in a small bowl and toss to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes to marinate, then rinse chicken well and pat dry.

2.   Chow Mein Sauce: Mix together cornflour and soy sauce, then mix in remaining ingredients. OR use 1/4 cup Real Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce, if you have some in stock.

3.   Pour 1 tbsp of Chow Mein Sauce OR 1 tbsp Real Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce over the chicken and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.

4.   Prepare the noodles according to the packet instructions.

5.   Heat oil in wok or large fry pan over high heat.

6.   Add garlic and stir fry for 10 seconds or until it starts to turn golden - don't let it burn!

7.   Add chicken and stir fry until the skin is white but the inside is still raw - about 45 seconds to 1 minute.

8.   Add the cabbage, carrot, and the white pieces of shallots/scallions (i.e. from the base of the stalk). Stir fry for 1 - 1 1/2 minutes until the cabbage is just starting to wilt and the chicken is cooked through.

9.   Add the noodles, Sauce and water. Stir fry for 1 minute, tossing to coat the noodles in the sauce.

10.     Add bean sprouts and remaining shallots/scallions. Stir through quickly then remove from heat.

11.     Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

1. The baking soda is to "velvet" the chicken to make it soft like you get in Chinese restaurants. It breaks down the fibres in the chicken. This step is optional. I usually do not bother with this step if using chicken thigh because it is juicy and tender enough, but it really makes a difference with chicken breast.

Note: Baking soda is also known as bicarb and it is different to baking  powder, it is stronger.

2. GARLIC: Garlic can have a tendency to burn quickly and it becomes bitter which is not pleasant. There are two ways around this:

a) finely chop the garlic, like I have done in the video, so the pieces are a bit bigger and also it's not watery like when you mince it using a crusher so that way it doesn't spit and burn quickly; or

b) Infuse the oil with garlic flavour by stir frying smashed garlic. To smash garlic, use the side of the knife or a meat mallet to flatten them so they break open, then peel the skin off (which should skip right off after smashing it). Then add it into the oil and stir fry for 30 seconds to infuse flavour into the oil, then remove it.

The original recipe used the smashed garlic method. I changed to the chopped garlic method because it's more authentic, but the smashed method works great too.

3. This recipe requires ordinary all purpose soy sauce (i.e. not labelled "dark", "sweet" or "light" soy sauce) OR light soy sauce. I use Kikkoman.

Tamari is a suitable gluten free substitute.

4. Japanese cooking sake could also be used. Mirin is also an adequate substitute but if you use Mirin, please reduce the sugar to 1 tsp. If you really can't use alcohol, just use chicken stock/broth.

5. Chow Mein noodles are sold at Asian grocery stores and also at Woolworths in Australia (Fantastic noodles brand).

6. NUTRITION is for 2 servings which are BIG servings. I actually think this recipe is more like 3 servings - but I say 2 servings just to be safe!

Source    https://www.recipetineats.com

Tweet