Stir-Fried Chicken Chow Mein

I wanted to make a fried Udon Dish, but I could not find Udon noodles for the life of me. I checked the stores close to me and the closest thing I could find was Chow Mein Noodles. I know they are not even close, but they worked great. If you can find Udon feel free to substitute it instead of the chow mein. No matter what noodle you use, this dish is fantastic.

The noodles were fried just long enough to give them some color from the pan. Fantastic!

Preparing the Ingredients

The first step is to cook the dried noodles. Bring a pan of water to a boil. Then boil the chow mein noodles for a minute or two less than the package directions. This is because you will stir-fry them in the pan afterward and you don’t want them to overcook. Drain and rinse them with cold water. Tap the noodles to make sure they are drained and then toss them with a little oil (a couple teaspoons) to make sure they don’t stick together.

Slice and set aside the vegetables: broccoli florets, onions, peppers, and mushrooms.

Marinating the Chicken

Slice or dice the chicken and place it in a bowl. Next add a teaspoon of mirin along with the cornstarch. Mix well and let sit for a couple of minutes. If you don’t have mirin use a dry white wine.

Making the Sauce

Mix the sauce together by combining the remaining mirin, soy sauce and sugar. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.

Stir-Frying

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. When hot add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the pan. When hot add the chicken and garlic to the pan and quickly stir-fry until just no longer pink, but not too browned. Remove from the wok and set aside.

If the pan is dry add a little more oil if necessary then add the ginger, broccoli, peppers, onions and mushrooms. Stir-fry for a couple of minutes, or until they start to brown.

Next add the noodles. Stir-fry while folding the noodles into the mixture for about 2 minutes. Don’t over stir or else the noodles will fall apart. The noodles should begin to take on some color and the broccoli should begin to soften.

When the noodles start to get some color add about half of the sauce to the noodles. Once the sauce is about halved, then add the chicken and remaining sauce back into the pan. Continue to cook for a minute or two, or until the sauce thickens.

Serving

Serve the noodles topped with the green onions and sesame seeds. I also enjoy a little sriracha on the side for a little spice.

Stir-Fried Chicken Chow Mein

Easy stir-fried chicken chow mein with broccoli, peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Authentic Asian flavors with mirin, soy sauce, and fresh ginger. Ready in about 20 minutes.

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Prep Time 10 hours hrs

Cook Time 10 hours hrs

Total Time 20 hours hrs

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 package dried chow mein noodles
• 2 large chicken breasts sliced or diced
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 3 tablespoons regular soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar or 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 pound broccoli cut into florets
• 1 small yellow onion sliced
• 1 bell pepper sliced
• 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
• 4 green onions chopped
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds toasted
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for stir-frying
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil for tossing noodles

Method

 

1. Bring a pan of water to a boil. Boil the chow mein noodles for 1-2 minutes less than package directions.
2. Drain and rinse noodles with cold water. Toss with 2 teaspoons vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
3. Slice or dice the chicken. Place in a bowl and add 1 teaspoon mirin and the cornstarch. Mix well and let sit 2 minutes.
4. Slice and set aside all vegetables: broccoli, onion, pepper, and mushrooms.
5. Mix sauce by combining remaining mirin (3 tablespoons), soy sauce, and sugar. Stir well to dissolve sugar and set aside.
6. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
7. Add chicken and garlic to hot oil. Stir-fry quickly until chicken is just no longer pink, about 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
8. Add a little more oil if needed. Add ginger, broccoli, peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Stir-fry 2 minutes until beginning to brown.
9. Add cooked noodles. Stir-fry while gently folding for about 2 minutes until noodles take on color. Do not over-stir or noodles will break.
10. When noodles begin to get color, add about half the sauce. Continue cooking until sauce is mostly absorbed.
11. Return chicken to wok. Add remaining sauce and cook 1-2 minutes more until sauce thickens.
12. Serve topped with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve with sriracha on the side for extra spice.

Notes

You can substitute Udon noodles for chow mein noodles if available. If you don’t have mirin, use dry white wine instead. Make sure to use a wok or large skillet to allow proper stir-frying. High heat and constant movement are key to authentic chow mein texture. Equipment: Wok or large skillet, wooden spoon or wok spatula.