Recipe

Mastering authentic Cantonese chicken chow mein at home comes down to blistering high heat, velvety chicken, and dry, perfectly tossed crispy noodles.

Chicken Chow Mein

Name: Chicken Chow Mein
Ingredients: 8 oz chicken breast (cut into thin 2-inch slices); 1 tsp light soy sauce; 1 tsp cornstarch; 1/2 tsp sesame oil; 1/4 tsp baking soda (tenderizing agent for velveting); 1 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tbsp oyster sauce; 1 tsp dark soy sauce (for rich color); 1/2 tsp sugar; 1/4 tsp ground white pepper; 8 oz fresh chow mein egg noodles (pre-cooked or parboiled); 2 tbsp vegetable oil (divided); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1/2 cup carrot (julienned into thin matchsticks); 1 cup bean sprouts; 2 stalks green onion (cut into 2-inch pieces)

Guangdong / Takeout Style

Serves 2 | 30 minutes

Sources: Cross-checked against Made With Lau, Souped Up Recipes, and The Woks of Life

2 servings

You’ll need

16 items · tap to check off

For the chicken marinade

For the savory sauce

For the stir-fry

Make it step by step

15 steps · 23 min of timed cooking

Mix the sliced chicken, light soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, and baking soda together in a medium bowl.
Let the marinated chicken rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.⏱ 15 min
Whisk the light soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and white pepper in a small bowl to make the seasoning sauce.
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a 12-inch wok or large skillet over high heat until smoking.
Add the chicken slices and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until fully cooked and golden around the edges.⏱ 3 min
Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate and set it aside.
Wipe the wok clean and heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over high heat.
Toss in the minced garlic and julienned carrots, stir-frying rapidly for 1 minute until fragrant.⏱ 1 min
Add the fresh egg noodles to the hot wok and spread them into an even layer.
Pan-fry the noodles untouched for 1 to 2 minutes until the bottoms turn slightly crisp.⏱ 2 min
Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the hot noodles.
Toss the noodles vigorously for 1 minute until they absorb the sauce and turn rich dark brown.⏱ 1 min
Return the cooked chicken to the wok along with the fresh bean sprouts and green onions.
Stir-fry everything together over maximum heat for 1 minute until heated through and bean sprouts remain crisp.⏱ 1 min
Remove from heat and transfer to serving plates immediately.

💡

Chef’s tip · Parboil dry egg noodles briefly and pat them completely dry before hitting the hot oil so your chow mein stays crisp rather than soggy.

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