Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Chow Mein Recipe
An excellent Chow Mein comes right down to the sauce, fabricated from soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar and cornstarch for thickening. Slippery noodles slick with the savoury sauce is noodle heaven! One in every of my favorite noodles, up there with all time greats Pad Thai, Pad See Ew and Singapore noodles.
It is a reader-favourite recipe included by widespread demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
It is a reader-favourite recipe included by widespread demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
I wish to say that Chow Mein is my favorite noodle-child however I’m anxious that I’ve stated that in one other recipe (or two… or three… 😂).
As a result of there may be, in any case, some heavy hitting noodle competitors on this large vast world. Pad Thai, Pad See Ew (Thai Stir Fried Noodles), Singapore Noodles, Yakisoba (Japanese noodles) – to call only a few.
However Chow Mein is correct up there and it’s not simply because it’s noodle-slurpingly scrumptious, but additionally due to the next:
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Tons of hidden veggies– cabbage, carrot and bean sprouts, all in “noodle shapes” so they only meld proper in there with the noodles so you haven’t any concept how a lot you’re truly consuming (it’s like feeding a youngster);
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Quicker to make that residence supply – quarter-hour from begin to end;
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Versatile– as all stir fries are. Swap the proteins and veg as you please;
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Charlie – Chow Mein Sauce could be produced from scratch, or utilizing Charlie, my all objective Stir Fry Sauce that I all the time have readily available. Sure, I named him as a result of I really like him a lot.
The factor that distinguishes Chow Mein from different stir fried noodles are the kind of noodles used. Chow Mein noodles are skinny crinkly trying noodles which might be calmly coated in flour.
Right here’s an in depth up of the noodles. The grocery store model by Implausible Noodles is barely extra yellow than it ought to be however it’s simply as tasty.
Can’t discover Chow Mein Noodles?
Use Ramen Noodles or different on the spot noodles – simply toss the packet seasoning! Or use skinny spaghetti or different skinny egg noodles (verify components on packet, ought to have egg listed).
Apart from noodles, Chow Mein virtually all the time has cabbage, bean sprouts and carrot, then your alternative of protein. I’m fairly certain chicken is by far the preferred, however I’ve no information or figures to again that up. 😉
I like to make use of chicken thigh for stir fries as a result of it’s juicier than breast and tenderloin. If I make this with chicken breast, I all the time tenderise it utilizing a Chinese language restaurant method utilizing baking soda (bi-carb). It’s tremendous easy, see instructions right here: Easy methods to Velvet Chicken.
Right here’s what you want for the sauce. The Chinese language cooking wine is the important thing ingredient that makes residence cooking really rival takeout – your native Chinese language restaurant makes use of Chinese language cooking wine in nearly all the things!!
Distinction between Lo Mein and Chow Mein
The distinction lies within the noodles. Each are wheat noodles made with egg so they’re yellow(ish). Lo Mein Noodles are moist and oily out of the packet, then boiled or soaked till smooth earlier than tossing with a sauce, greens and protein.
Chow Mein noodles are thinner, and type of dry and crinkly out of the packet (see photograph above). They can be utilized to make:
- smooth noodles (this recipe) – soaked in boiling water till smooth then tossed with a sauce, greens and meat; or
- Crispy Chow Mein – fried till crisp then served with a saucy stir fry on prime – that is the normal Chinese language/Hong Kong approach of serving Chow Mein noodles.
And right here’s the right way to make it. Ensure you have all the things able to toss in as a result of when you begin cooking, you’ll be plating up in simply over 5 minutes – I instructed you it’s quick!!
Completely fantastic to prepare dinner Chow Mein in a skillet as a substitute of a wok. Simply remember to use a giant one – so your noodles don’t go flying as you enthusiastically toss!
The very fact of the matter is, it doesn’t matter what protein you utilize, what greens and even what noodles, you’re going to finish up with a bowl of slurp-worthy noodles so long as you utilize the Sauce recipe plus the same amount of noodles + different stuff (veg, protein and so on) so the flavour isn’t diluted.
So don’t get too hung up on the precise noodle kind! Consider the sauce. The sauce, the sauce!! – Johnsat x
This recipe options in my debut cookbook Dinner. The e book is generally new recipes, however it is a reader favorite included by widespread demand!
This recipe options in my debut cookbook Dinner. The e book is generally new recipes, however it is a reader favorite included by widespread demand!
Ingredients
- 200g /6 oz chicken breast or thigh fillets , thinly sliced (Note 1 tenderise option)
- 4 cups green cabbage , finely shredded (Note 3)
- 1 1/2 tbsp peanut oil (or other cooking oil)
- 2 cloves garlic , finely chopped
- 200g /6 oz chow mein noodles (Note 2)
- 1 carrot , julienned
- 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
- 3 green onions , cut into 5cm/2″ pieces
- 1/4 cup (65 ml) water
- 2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce , all purpose or light (Note 4)
- 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce (sub Hoisin)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine OR Mirin (Note 5)
- 2 tsp sugar (reduce to 1 tsp if using Mirin)
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- White pepper (sub black)
Instructions
- Mix together cornflour and soy sauce, then mix in remaining ingredients.
- Alternative: Use 1/3 cup Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce, if you have some in stock.
- Marinate Chicken: Pour 1 tbsp of Sauce over the chicken, mix to coat, set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
- Noodles: Prepare the noodles according to the packet instructions (my pack says soak in boiled water for 1 minute), then drain.
- Heat oil in wok or large fry pan over high heat.
- Add garlic and stir fry for 10 seconds or until it starts to turn golden – don’t let it burn!
- Add chicken and stir fry until the surface gets a tinge of browning but inside is still raw – about 1 minute.
- Add the cabbage, carrot, and the white pieces of shallots (i.e. from the base of the stalk). Stir fry for 1 1/2 minutes until the cabbage is mostly wilted.
- Add the noodles, Sauce and water*. Stir fry for 1 minute, tossing constantly.
- Add bean sprouts and remaining shallots/scallions. Toss through for 30 seconds or until the bean sprouts just start to wilt.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Notes
1. Chicken – I prefer making this with thigh because it’s juicier, but it can be made with breast or tenderloin. If using breast, option to tenderise using the Chinese method so it’s super tender and juicy like you get at Chinese restaurants – see How to tenderise chicken the Chinese way (Velveting)
Can also Velvet Beef.
Other proteins: Sub with sliced pork, beef or turkey, whole prawns/shrimp or even ground meat (still marinate, crumble into chunks and cook like that).
2. Chow Mein noodles are sold at Asian grocery stores and also at Woolworths in Australia (Fantastic noodles brand, fridge section). See in post for photos and description.
3. Cabbage – I use any type of green cabbage, Chinese cabbage or savoy etc. I even use purple cabbage! Once cooked, you can barely tell the difference in flavour / texture.
4. Soy Sauce – This recipe requires ordinary all purpose soy sauce OR light soy sauce. All purpose soy sauces just say “soy sauce” on the label, Light Soy Sauce is labelled as such. I use Kikkoman. Do not use dark or sweet soy sauce. Tamari is a suitable gluten free substitute.
5. Chinese cooking wine – aka Shaosing / Shaoxing wine. Essential for Chinese cooking, it’s the key to making home cooking truly taste like restaurants. Now sold at supermarkets in Australia – Asian aisle!
Substitutes: Mirin (reduce the sugar to 1 tsp) or dry sherry. If you really can’t use alcohol, use chicken stock/broth in the sauce instead of the Chinese cooking wine AND replace the water with chicken broth.
6. GENERAL TIPS:
Garlic – don’t use mincer/garlic press or jarred garlic, they burn too quickly. Finely chop it.
Skillet is fine, just use a big one so the noodles don’t go flying when you toss.
7. NUTRITION is for 2 servings which are BIG servings. I actually think this recipe is more like 3 servings – but I say 2 servings just to be safe!
Did You Make This Recipe?
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