Cantonese Chow Mein (Printable)

Crispy noodles topped with stir-fried vegetables, chicken, shrimp, and char siu in 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Toss chicken and shrimp with marinade ingredients. Let sit for 10 minutes.
02 - Bring a large pot of water to boil. Blanch noodles for 1-2 minutes if fresh, 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 other side. Transfer to serving platter.
04 - Add remaining oil to wok. Stir-fry chicken for 1-2 minutes until nearly cooked. Add shrimp, 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.
06 - Combine all sauce ingredients except cornstarch mixture. Pour into wok and bring to simmer.
07 - Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook until sauce thickens.
08 - Pour stir-fried topping and sauce over crispy noodles. Serve immediately.

# Tips from dashanddishes:

01 -
  • The contrast between impossibly crispy noodles and tender, saucy toppings creates the most satisfying texture in every single bite
  • Once you learn the noodle crisping technique, you will feel like a restaurant chef in your own kitchen
02 -
  • Do not be tempted to move the noodles while they are crisping, trust me, impatience leads to broken, unevenly cooked noodles
  • Have absolutely everything prepped and measured before you turn on the stove because stir-frying moves incredibly fast
03 -
  • The difference between restaurant-quality Chow Mein and home version is serving it immediately, so have your family or guests at the table before you start the final assembly
  • If your noodles soften before serving, try crisping them in a hot oven for 5 minutes, though nothing beats fresh-from-the-wok texture

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