CHOW MEIN PROPER CHICKEN

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PROPER CHICKEN CHOW MEIN

Learn how to make a Chicken Chow Mein that really does taste as good as what you get at Chinese restaurants. It all comes down to the sauce, and contrary to some recipes you may come across, it is made with more than just soy sauce and sugar!

Chow Mein is probably the most universally popular stir fried noodles in the whole wide world. And it is honestly faster to make it at home than ordering take out. Plus, it’s jam packed with a surprising amount of veggies. I truly believe that this is the ultimate hidden veggies meal!!!

But Chicken Chow Mein is the noodles that I make the most not only because I love it so much, but because:

a) It’s seriously loaded with veggies so it’s a well rounded meal. There are 4 cups of cabbage alone, plus carrots, bean sprouts and shallots/spring onions;
b) Cabbage keeps for ages and it’s the key vegetable in this and I pretty much always have some because it lasts for ages and ages in the fridge;
c) Versatile – I can toss any veggies and proteins I want into it; and
d) It can be made with Charlie. For those who are unfamiliar with Charlie, he is my secret weapon all purpose REAL Chinese Stir Fry Sauce which keeps for ages and I always have a jar of him in the fridge. You can get the recipe for him here – and also find out why I named him Charlie (I bet you snigger!). So I’ve provided the recipe to ways – from scratch and using Charlie.

Slice carrots on the diagonal, then fan them out in a line so they are kind of overlapping;
Starting from the right (I’m right handed), I use my left Baby Hand to lightly stabilise the carrots with my fingertips (hold the fingers almost vertical so the knife can’t chop off your fingers!);
Keep the tip of the knife on the cutting board then “rock” the knife up and down, moving across the carrots to cut them into a fine slice.

I’ve provided directions for two ways of making this Chicken Chow Mein. Both use the same stir fry ingredients. But then I provide directions for two ways to make the sauce. The first is making the sauce and marinade from scratch, just making enough for this recipe. The other way is using my homemade Real Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce (Charlie!) that I referred to earlier.

Charlie is perfect because he is very similar to the sauce used for Chicken Chow Mein. Having him on hand makes this a seriously fast meal!