Quick Chow Mein Recipe

Chinese food is so popular all over the world. As a matter of fact, you probably have your own go-to Chinese restaurant for either dining in or ordering takeout to enjoy for a relaxing evening at home. But, you can also make some of your favorite Chinese dishes — like Chow Mein — right in your own kitchen. The dish certainly looks super delicious when ordered at restaurants, but it can be just as tasty when you prepare it with the right recipe.

Ting Dalton, recipe developer, award-winning writer, and blogger of Cook Simply, is serving up an easy recipe for these beloved Chinese noodles. "This is a quick and easy meal — and my mum taught me how to make it," says Dalton. "It [has] typical Chinese flavors, mixing soy, ginger, and garlic with oyster sauce." While Chow Mein is mainly savory, you can also tweak the recipe to your liking. According to Dalton, simply add chili if you like spicy noodles. She also notes that her husband is not a big fan of onions, hence the lack of the vegetable in this recipe. But, if you like them, you can certainly add them to the dish, "or even cut up baby sweetcorn." Speaking of vegetables, you can certainly add more or less. For non-meat eaters, Dalton recommends "adding tofu instead of chicken."

To make Chow Mein, you will first need to round up your ingredients: cornstarch, garlic, carrot, ginger, medium egg noodles, Chinese leaf, vegetable oil, bean sprouts, green onions, oyster sauce, soy sauce, Shaoxing cooking wine, sugar, sesame oil, and white pepper. You will also need thigh fillets or chicken breasts, which you will cut up into small pieces.

Many of the items this recipe calls for you probably already have in your kitchen, but some you may not. That being said, you might have to do a little grocery shopping. If you can't find Chinese leaf, Dalton suggests using green cabbage or bok choy instead. You can also substitute the vegetable oil for another cooking oil you have on hand, and the Shaoxing cooking wine for mirin.

Before you start, it is better to prepare whatever needs measuring, and place each ingredient on a plate or in a small bowl. That way, you can just focus on cooking, and it will make the process smoother and faster. It is also the best time to slice your poultry. That being said, cut your chicken into small pieces and place them into a plate, then set aside. When you're done, you can also pull out your pots, bowls, and other kitchen tools that you will use for the preparation and cooking.

In a clean bowl, combine cornstarch and soy sauce, and add oyster sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing cooking wine (or mirin), white pepper, and sugar. Mix thoroughly until all of the dry ingredients have dissolved. Next, pour half of the mixture in with the chicken, and combine them. Flip the poultry to make sure all sides are coated, and let the chicken marinate for 20 minutes. Set the remaining marinade aside, as you will need it later.

While you're waiting for the marinade, you can start preparing the other ingredients. Apart from the chicken, the other main ingredient is noodles. In a large pot, add water, and let it boil. Next, add the medium egg noodles into the boiling water. Let it cook for about five to six minutes. When done, drain the noodles using a colander and let them sit for 10 minutes or more, so they can dry out.

For the next step, you can either use a wok or a large pot. Add the vegetable oil, and set the heat to high. When the wok becomes hot, add the chopped garlic and ginger. Stir quickly to avoid burning, then add the chicken. Stir again, moving it around the wok. Let the pieces cook until they start to brown. When the chicken looks brown, add in the cabbage and carrots. Stir and cook for about two to three minutes, or until you see the cabbage beginning to wilt.

When the cabbage looks wilted, it is now time to add the noodles. Mix everything, then pour in the remaining marinade mixture you had set aside earlier. Stir thoroughly, and make sure the noodles are all coated with the sauce. If you want your Chow Mein to have a little moisture, you can add a splash or two of water, and cook for a few minutes. Next, throw in the green onions and bean sprouts. Stir thoroughly, and let it cook for one minute until the bean sprouts soften.

If you want your Chow Mein spicy, you can add a fresh red or green chili (chopped) when cooking, but you should add the chili together with the garlic and ginger. Alternatively, you can drizzle chili sauce or oil on top of the noodles, and mix well. When your Chow Mein is cooked, pour it in a serving platter or a large plate, and serve immediately. The Chinese dish tastes best when it's freshly cooked.