Hello friends! Today, I’m sharing one of the most famous noodle dishes from Chinese cuisine: Easy authentic Chicken Chow Mein vegetables. I’m sure you will love it!
Chow Mein (炒面), pronounced “Chao Mian,” literally means fried or stir-fried noodles. The word “Chow” means to stir-fry or fry, and “Mien” means noodles.
Varieties of Chow Mein
The ingredients for Chow Mein can vary greatly. Proteins can be chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp. Vegetables can be anything you have on hand, but the most typical ones include cabbage, Chinese scallions, bean sprouts, and other Asian vegetables like Pak Choi.
Which Noodles to Use for Chow Mein?
The most common noodles used for this recipe are thin noodles, usually made from wheat or egg. However, you can use any Chinese noodles you find easily, no matter the size or thickness. You can also adapt by using rice noodles, spaghetti, or angel hair pasta.
Important Ingredients: Soy Sauces
Dark soy sauce is crucial for this recipe. While it doesn’t add much flavor, it gives the noodles a beautiful golden-brown color characteristic of Chow Mein. Dark soy sauce is usually found in Asian supermarkets or online but can be harder to find in regular supermarkets.
Light or regular soy sauce adds the salty flavor to this dish and some color, but not the golden-brown hue. To get the right color using only light soy sauce, you’d need too much, which would make the dish overly salty. That’s why dark soy sauce helps balance it out.
Light soy sauce is easier to find nowadays in large supermarkets, online stores, or local Asian markets.
Ingredients for 2 Servings
- 200 g chicken thigh (or breast)
- 150 g Chinese noodles (egg or wheat)
- 100 g bean sprouts
- 100 g cabbage
- 50 g carrot
- 2 scallion stems
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1.5 tablespoons light soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Vegetable oil
For the marinade:
- ½ tablespoon light soy sauce
- Black pepper
- A little dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
Preparation
Step 1: Marinate the chicken
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl. Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce (for color, optional), black pepper, and optionally a splash of Chinese rice wine or dry sherry for aroma. Mix well and let marinate in the fridge while preparing other ingredients.
Step 2: Prepare ingredients
Chop the garlic finely, cut the scallions into 3 cm pieces, chop the cabbage into large chunks, and julienne the carrots. Boil noodles in hot water until they just start to separate, then remove immediately. Do not overcook. If using later, rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
Step 3: Cook the Chow Mein
Heat vegetable oil in a wok over high heat. Add the chicken and stir-fry until cooked. Add garlic and stir until fragrant. Add cabbage and carrots, stir-fry for 1 minute. Add noodles and stir well. Then add bean sprouts, scallions, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce for color, a touch of sesame oil for aroma, white pepper, and stir-fry until everything is well combined.
Your delicious Chicken Chow Mein with vegetables is ready to serve!
