Chicken Chow Mein
The main ingredients of Chow Mein are meat, noodles, vegetables and onions but very varied between countries and continents. There is no one 'gold standard Chow Mein recipe', that's for sure although one thing they have in common is that they are based on Chinese cuisine (often loosely though). The one I put together represents what I like in a stir fry, although when I make it, I divide the stir fry in two, one including chicken (for my husband) and one with tofu or shrimp, for me as I don't eat meat. This is a lovely stir fry and really easy as well.
Note that the recipe contains oil from sesame seeds although you may omit it if you prefer. Also note that fish sauce (Nam Plah) sometimes contains sugar so buy from a health food store if uncertain.
This recipe is:
- Egg free
- Gluten free
- Lactose (dairy) free
- Nut free but includes seeds/oils from seeds
This recipe is easy to make:
- Vegan
Chicken Chow Mein
Ingredients
- 250 grams rice noodles (brown rice noodles if you can find them)
- 275 grams chicken (please use free range chicken)
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 pepper (red), de-seeded and sliced finely
- 100 grams shiitake mushrooms, sliced finely
- Half a leek, sliced finely
- 100 grams bean sprouts
- 1 tablespoon tamari sauce
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (Nam Plah)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil (omit if you are allergic to seeds)
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
- 0,5 teaspoon pepper (black)
Preparation
- Cook the 275 grams noodles according to instructions on packet. Place the noodles under cold, running water for 10 seconds and then drain. Set the noodles aside.
- Slice the pepper in half, scoop out the seeds and the membranes and slice the pepper in thin slices (similar to a pencil in circumference).
- Slice the 100 grams mushrooms thinly.
- Slice half the leek very thinly.
- Peel the garlic and chop very finely or crush.
- On a small pan, heat 1 teaspoon coconut oil and heat the chicken for 7-10 minutes or until cooked throughout. Cool slightly and shred fairly finely. Set aside.
- Heat a large frying pan (preferably a wok pan) and turn up the heat to the highest setting.
- Add 1 teaspoon coconut oil to the pan and stir fry the garlic, pepper, mushroom, leek and 100 grams bean sprouts. Stir fry for about 2-3 minutes and move the ingredients every few seconds. Add water if you need more liquid. If you don't own a wok it's best if you stir fry each of the ingredients on their own and then combine at the end.
- Now add the chicken and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the 1 tablespoon tamari sauce, 2 tablespoon fish sauce and 0,5 teaspoon pepper.
- Add the cooked noodles and heat for a few minutes.
- Add the 1 tablespoon sesame oil and heat for a few seconds.
- Stir well so that everything is well combined but make sure not to break the noodles.
- Serve in deep bowls, with chopsticks.
Tips
- You can omit the chicken and use vegetables only in this recipe. You can add zucchini, bamboo shoots or tofu and more. You can also use shrimp or even salmon instead of the chicken.
- You can use 4-5 spring onions instead of the leek.
- You can use udon noodles (note that they contain wheat) or soba noodles (made from buckwheat) instead of the rice noodles.
- If the coconut oil is cold (in which case it becomes solid), place the jar in a bowl filled with hot water for a couple of minutes.
- Please use free range chicken.