Chicken Chow Mein

Where This Goes Wrong

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.

Making Chicken Chow Mein

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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.

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Related guide: Prep, cook and total time.

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What's Going On Here

Rinsing and thoroughly draining the boiled noodles removes surface starch that would otherwise glue them into a single mass in the wok. Letting them sit undisturbed for a minute against the hot metal crisps a few strands, which is the textural contrast that defines a good chow mein.

Storage and Reheating

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

Swaps and Variations

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• If you only have ground ginger, a quarter-teaspoon for each tablespoon of fresh is the ratio usually given; it tastes warmer and less bright than the fresh root.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the stand-in usually given when you are out of fresh garlic; it will not brown the same way, and it burns easily, so add it with the liquid.

Serving Chicken Chow Mein

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

Sides from the same cuisine on this site: Stir-Fried Water Spinach.

Still Wondering?

The Numbers per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.

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