Cantonese Chow Mein (Printable)
Crispy noodles crowned with colorful vegetables, chicken, shrimp and char siu in a savory sauce.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Noodles
01 - 14 oz fresh egg noodles (or thin Chinese wheat noodles)
02 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
→ Protein
03 - 5 oz boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced
04 - 3.5 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
05 - 3.5 oz char siu (Chinese BBQ pork), sliced
→ Vegetables
06 - 1 small carrot, julienned
07 - 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
08 - 3.5 oz bean sprouts
09 - 2 spring onions, sliced
10 - 3.5 oz snow peas, trimmed
→ Sauce
11 - 2 tbsp light soy sauce
12 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce
13 - 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
14 - 1 tsp sugar
15 - 1 tsp sesame oil
16 - 1/2 cup chicken stock
17 - 1 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp water
→ Marinade
18 - 1 tsp soy sauce
19 - 1/2 tsp cornstarch
20 - Pinch of white pepper
# Steps:
01 - Toss chicken and shrimp with marinade ingredients. Let marinate for 10 minutes.
02 - Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch noodles for 1-2 minutes if using fresh, then drain thoroughly.
03 - Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Spread noodles evenly and cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until golden and crisp. Flip and repeat on the other side. Transfer to a serving platter.
04 - Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to the wok. Stir-fry marinated chicken for 1-2 minutes until nearly cooked. Add shrimp and cook until pink. Add char siu, carrot, bell pepper, snow peas, and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
05 - Add bean sprouts and spring onions, stir-fry for 1 minute.
06 - Combine all sauce ingredients except cornstarch mixture. Pour into the wok and bring to a simmer.
07 - Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until sauce thickens.
08 - Pour the stir-fried topping and sauce over the crispy noodles. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The texture play between crunchy noodles and tender topping creates that restaurant quality contrast everyone craves
- Once you master the noodle crisping technique you can customize the toppings endlessly based on what's in your fridge
02 -
- Resist every urge to stir the noodles while they're crisping or you'll miss the entire point of this dish
- Have all sauce ingredients measured and mixed before you start cooking because everything moves fast once the wok is hot
03 -
- Drain blanched noodles incredibly well since water prevents proper crisping
- A wide spatula makes flipping the noodle cake much easier than chopsticks