Chicken Chow Mein

Method

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1. Toss the chicken with the Shaoxing wine and cornflour and leave 15 minutes.

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2. Boil the noodles for 2 minutes only, then drain, rinse under cold water and shake dry thoroughly. Toss with a teaspoon of oil.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

3. Whisk the sauce ingredients together and set aside.

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4. Heat a wok over the highest heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil and stir-fry the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes until just cooked. Remove.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

5. Add another tablespoon of oil and stir-fry the carrot and cabbage for 90 seconds, then the garlic, ginger and spring onion whites for 30 seconds. Remove.

   Mark done Start 90 sec timer

6. Add the last tablespoon of oil and spread the noodles across the wok. Leave undisturbed for 60 seconds so some strands crisp against the metal, then toss.

   Mark done Start 60 sec timer

7. Return the chicken and vegetables, add the beansprouts, and pour the sauce around the edge of the wok.

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8. Toss hard for 90 seconds until everything is coated and glossy and the beansprouts are just wilted but still snappy.

   Mark done Start 90 sec timer

9. Finish with the spring onion greens and serve immediately.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Beansprouts go in at the very end. Thirty seconds too long and they collapse.
• Fresh noodles beat dried; if using dried, cook them 1 minute short of the packet time.
• Do not overload the wok — cook in two batches and combine at the end.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• A cold lager or jasmine tea
• Serve with spring rolls as a starter
• Finish with orange segments

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate 2 days. Reheat in a very hot wok with a splash of stock to loosen the noodles.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.