Cantonese Chow Mein (Printable)
Crispy noodles with stir-fried chicken, shrimp, and vegetables in savory Cantonese-style sauce
# What You 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
# Directions:
01 - Combine chicken and shrimp with marinade ingredients. Let sit for 10 minutes to absorb flavors.
02 - Bring a large pot of water to boil. Blanch fresh noodles for 1-2 minutes, then drain thoroughly.
03 - Heat 1 tbsp 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, and snow peas; stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
05 - Add bean sprouts and spring onions. Stir-fry for 1 minute until slightly tender but still crisp.
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 to desired consistency.
08 - Pour the stir-fried topping and sauce over the crispy noodles. Serve immediately while noodles remain crisp.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast between crunchy fried noodles and tender savory topping creates texture in every single bite
- Once you master the crispy noodle technique, you will want to make this for every dinner party
02 -
- Drying the noodles thoroughly after blanching is the most important step for achieving that restaurant-style crispy bottom
- Have all ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking because the actual stir-frying happens incredibly fast
03 -
- If your noodles start sticking, add a little more oil and gently loosen them with a spatula instead of forcing them
- Pre-cut all vegetables to similar sizes so they cook evenly and look beautiful in the final dish