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Takeaway Style Chicken Chow Mein Recipe
Put the takeaway menu down! This chicken chow mein recipe is tasty, delicious and very easy to make yourself at home. This takeaway style recipe is made with the best homemade chicken chow mein sauce which is packed full of flavour.
Every time I make chicken chow mein I have a WOW did I just make this moment: it tastes just like the takeaway! This easy recipe will leave you shocked because it tastes so good and you can make it in 20 minutes. Great for a Friday night fakeaway or a midweek dinner you’ll actually want to eat.
I don’t think I’ve ever ordered Chinese takeaway without ordering chicken chow mein, it’s a UK takeaway favourite (and a great recipe). It has been a favourite of mine for many years, so I decided to have a go at making it myself and I’m so happy I did. This takeaway style chicken chow mein recipe tastes so authentic. Plus, it will save you lots of money and you can make it in the time you would have been waiting for your takeaway delivery. That’s a win-win right here!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Great For Left-Overs: Most authentic chicken chow mein recipes are filled with bean sprouts, carrots and shredded cabbage. You can completely customise this recipe by using leftover vegetables in the fridge and leftover chicken. This recipe allows you to work with what you’ve got and with whatever vegetables you prefer.
- Save Money: This recipe is way cheaper than buying chicken chow mein from your local takeaway, plus you’ll get enough for two big plates or 3 smaller plates!
- Simple To Make: So uncomplicated and straightforward; this one-pan takeaway style chow mein is very simple to make.
What Is Chow Mein Sauce Made Of?
What makes a good chow mein is the chow mein sauce which is the best combo ever! This homemade sauce is what gives this chicken chow mein recipe it’s Chinese style authentic taste.
Chow Mein sauce is made with dark soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, chilli sauce and salt.
What Is The Difference Between Chicken Chow Mein And Chicken Lo Mein?
Chow mein and lo mein share many similarities such as both being egg noodles and having a slight yellowish tint to them. The main differences between the two is down to how they are cooked and served.
Lo mein noodles are boiled and served tossed in a sauce, they’re also softer in texture. In comparison, authentic chow mein noodle recipes are traditionally fried until crispy before being served with a sauce.
Recipe Ingredients
The main ingredients in chow mein other than noodles are the vegetables, protein and homemade sauce. The ingredients mentioned below can be found in large supermarkets (particularly in the worlds’ food section), online or in Asian food shops.
- Noodles: Noodles are the main ingredient in this dish which is coated in a homemade chow mein sauce. There are a wide variety of noodles you can use to make chicken chow mein. Below I’ll tell you what I like to use and the best noodles to choose from.
Which Noodles Are Best To Use For Chow Mein?
On most occasions I like to use fresh egg noodles brought in the chilled section of the supermarket (near the stir fry sauces and veggies). They are pre-cooked and only need to be re-heated by frying in the wok for a few minutes. It is the easiest way to make chow mein and is why you can make it so quickly.
Egg noodles are commonly used in Chinese takeaways, they’re the preferred choice and are the best noodles to use for a chicken chow mein takeaway style recipe.
I have used dried noodles that were no-egg noodles and white in colour. After boiling in hot water for a around 5 minutes the dried noodles become soft. Making chow mein with this type of noodles took a little longer to make. The overall look of the chow mein was not as brown as using egg noodles (but they were cheaper and I still enjoyed eating it).
- Vegetables: This chicken chow mein fakeaway recipe is with bean sprouts, shredded cabbage and carrots. Pretty much all recipes have these key ingredients inside. The addition of spring onions and garlic adds to the indulgent flavours.
- Chicken Breast: Chicken breast sliced into long pieces are marinated in a mixture containing garlic paste, ginger paste, black pepper, bicarbonate soda, salt and dark soy sauce. Bicarb helps to tendersie the meat.
Watch How To Make It
How Do You Make Chicken Chow Mein From Scratch?
Here’s a step by-step-guide with pictures on how to make Chinese chicken chow mein with this recipe. Full recipe instructions are on the recipe card at the bottom. Find out how to make this chicken chow mein (a UK takeaway favourite) below with this fakeaway recipe.
Step One:
Cut the chicken breast into long strips and place in a mixing bowl. Add the marinade ingredients: garlic paste, ginger paste, black pepper, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), salt and dark soy sauce into the mixing bowl. Mix until evenly distributed and the chicken is fully coated in the marinade.
Set the chicken aside for later use and chop your vegetables (carrot, cabbage, garlic and spring onions) for later use.
Step Two:
Make the chow mein sauce by mixing together oyster sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, chilli sauce and salt in a small bowl.
Step Three:
Heat the wok or frying pan on a medium to high heat and add oil. When hot, add the chicken breast and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until cooked and remove from the wok.
Step Four:
Add oil to a clean wok or frying pan, stir fry the bean sprouts, shredded cabbage and carrots in the frying pan for 1 to 2 minutes or until softened and keep aside for later use.
Step Five:
Add oil to a clean wok or frying pan, stir fry the spring onions for 1 minute before adding the garlic and stir for an extra 1 minute. Then add the egg noodles inside and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cooked chicken and mix together, then add the chow mein sauce and mix until the sauce is evenly distributed. Finally, add the cooked vegetables, mix well and serve.
And it’s done! That’s how to make chicken chow mein just like the takeaway.
Variations – Make A Plain Chow Mein
The steps to making chow mein pretty much stay the same despite which ingredients you take-out or add-in. If you want to make a plain chow mein, simply omit the chicken breast and marinade ingredients from this recipe.
Also, feel free to play around with the vegetables! You don’t have to stick with just bean sprouts, cabbage and carrots. Though it’s not traditional, you can always add more if you like.
My Top Tips
Here are my top tips to use for this recipe:
If you’re going to buy your ingredients in the supermarket, go the worlds’ food section. It is likely for that section to have more authentic products which are also cheaper in price.
Use fresh egg noodles! This recipe is already super quick. Dinner in 20 minutes sounds crazy right, especially when your making chow mein that taste just like the takeaway! This recipe really is perfect for a quick tasty meal. Buying dried noodles means you’ll have to pre-cook the noodles which will add time.
I used 3 tbsp of vegetable oil each to fry the chicken then vegetables then the garlic and spring onions. Start with 1 or 2 tbsp of oil, if you find that the vegetables are starting to stick to the wok or frying pan add more oil.
How To Store Left Over Chow Mein
If you end up with leftovers, you can save them to eat later. Leave the chow mein to cool down before placing in an air-tight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. When reheating, place in a microwaveable container with the lid loosely fitted. Microwave until piping hot throughout.
More Chinese Recipes
Go all out with a Chinese feast with these Chinese fakeaway recipes below:
How To Make Chicken Chow Mein Like The Takeaway
Ingredients
- 300 g Egg Noodles 10½ oz
- 300 g Chicken Breast Two Pieces
- 1 Carrot
- 50 g Beans Sprout Big Handful
- 50 g Shredded Cabbage Big Handful
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 4 Spring Onions
- 9 tbsp Vegetable Oil See notes
Marinade
- 1 tbsp Garlic Paste
- 1 tbsp Ginger Paste
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 tsp Bicarbonate Of Soda Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Salt
Chow Mein Sauce
- 2 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tbsp Chilli Sauce
- ½ tsp Salt
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breast into long strips and place in a mixing bowl. Add the marinade ingredients: garlic paste, ginger paste, black pepper, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), salt and dark soy sauce into the mixing bowl. Mix until evenly distributed and the chicken is fully coated in the marinade. Set the chicken aside for later use.
- Chop your vegetables (carrot, cabbage, garlic and spring onions) for later use.
- Make the chow mein sauce by mixing together oyster sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, chilli sauce and salt in a small bowl.
- Heat the wok or frying pan on a medium to high heat and add oil. When hot, add the chicken breast and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until cooked and remove from the wok.
- Add oil to a clean wok or frying pan, stir fry the bean sprouts, shredded cabbage and carrots in the frying pan for 1 to 2 minutes or until softened and keep aside for later use.
- Add oil to a clean wok or frying pan, stir fry the spring onions for 1 minute before adding the garlic and stir for an extra 1 minute. Then add the egg noodles inside and stir for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the cooked chicken and mix together, then add the chow mein sauce and mix until the sauce is evenly distributed. Finally, add the cooked vegetables, mix well and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Music in video from Uppbeat, License code: 08VBCZFHCZBZDBBY
Chicken Vermicelli (Stir Fry Rice Noodles)