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House Special Chow Mein Recipe
Want to make special chow mein at home? Yes… well my recipe will tell you everything you need to know. These noodles are quick, easy and the taste is so satisfying! Let’s get cooking…
Everyone loves house special chow mein noodles (I’m yet to find anyone who doesn’t!) and let me tell you, these noodles taste absolutely delicious! I mean just look at the pictures!!
Fresh egg noodles are tossed in a homemade special chow mein sauce that’s savoury and full of umami flavour. These noodles might be simple to make, but trust me, the taste is out of this world.
If you’re looking for a quick side dish or main meal to pair with other delicious Chinese takeaway recipes, then look no further, THIS IS IT! I’ve added vegetables, prawns and chicken all tossed into egg noodles and coated in a delicious chow mein sauce.
Why You’ll Like This Recipe
- These noodles are full of flavour
- Leftovers are good to eat the next day
- This recipe takes just 20 minutes to make
- It’s a super easy recipe and you need just one wok or pan
Special Chow Mein
Special chow mein (also called house special chow mein) is a popular noodle dish found in many Chinese takeaway shops.
It typically consists of stir-fried egg noodles mixed with vegetables and a variety of proteins such as chicken, prawns and pork. This way, there’s no need to choose between chicken noodles or prawn noodles as you get everything in one!
Like this recipe, I also have other fakeaway noodle recipes that are popular on this site. My homemade chicken chow mein, plain chow mein and this king prawn chow mein are a few of my favourites and are not to be missed!! Also, I can’t forget my char siu chow mein.
Recipe Ingredients
Below are the ingredients I used to make this recipe:
- Egg Noodles: I like using fresh egg noodles as it’s firm and springy in texture. You can use dried egg noodles, but you’ll have to pre-cook it before starting this recipe.
- Meat & Seafood: For this recipe I used King prawns and chicken but feel free to add beef or pork too. You can add in any of your favourite meats and seafoods.
- Garlic Cloves: Diced into small pieces, you can also use pre-minced garlic.
- Vegetables: To make life easier I used a pack of stir-fried veggies containing beansprouts, carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms and cabbage. You can also gather these vegetables separately.
- Spring Onions: Freshly diced spring onions to add extra flavour.
- Special Chow Mein Sauce: I make a mixture containing dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, vinegar, salt and chilli sauce. Trust me, the taste is amazing!
How To Make Special Chow Mein
Here’s a summary of how I make this special chow mein. You can get the full recipe instructions on the recipe card below:
Step One:
I 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 Two:
A wok is heated on a medium to high heat and I add a tablespoon of oil. The chicken is fried for 2 to 3 minutes or until it’s cooked on the outside.
Step Three:
I add prawns to the wok and continue to stir-fry for a further 1 to 2 minutes or until opaque.
Step Four:
Spring onions, diced vegetables and diced garlic are added and fried for 2 to 3 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
Step Five:
I pour the egg noodles into the wok and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes and finish by drizzling the homemade chow mein sauce on top, mixing everything until it’s evenly distributed.
Serving Ideas
Wondering what to serve with this chow mein, well… let me inspire you! I like to serve this dish with a side of sesame prawn toast and succulent char siu pork!
Occasionally, I like to make my popular chicken and mushroom stir fry or this beef with ginger and spring onion. But if I’m making this dish for friends or family, then I go over the top by serving a side of sweet and sour chicken or this honey chilli chicken with the noodles.
My Top Tips
I recommend using a stir fry pack as you don’t need to prep multiple ingredients in advance. If there are any vegetables I want to include that are not in the stir fry pack, then I buy it separately.
Create even more flavour by marinating the meats and prawns before starting this recipe. I make a simple marinade by mixing 1 tablespoon of ginger and garlic paste, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce (light or dark) and 1 teaspoon of white pepper. The longer the meats get to soak in the marinade the more flavour it will absorb.
Make sure the wok or pan you are using is wide enough, otherwise all the ingredients will fly off the sides!
Make sure the oil is hot enough before adding the meats, this is to ensure that the meats are quickly seared, the veggies stay firm, and the noodles don’t turn soggy.
Recipe Variations
Change The Vegetables: Add more Chinese style vegetables like bamboo shoot, water chestnuts, baby corn and mushrooms.
Make It Vegetarian: To make this special chow mein vegetarian, simply take out the meat and add more veggies or tofu.
Add Chinese 5 Spice: Now this is not traditional, but on occasions I love adding half a teaspoon of Chinese 5 spice to the chow mein sauce mix or marinade to add extra flavour.
How to Store & Freeze
If you have any leftovers, place the chow mein in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.
You could also place leftovers in the freezer for up to 3 months and reheat when you’re ready. When defrosting, make sure it is piping hot throughout. I generally prefer not to freeze noodles as I find the taste doesn’t have the same quality and the noodles are not as firm.
Special Chow Mein
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Cooking Oil
- 400 g Egg Noodles
- 200 g Chicken Fillets (Or Any Type Of Chicken)
- 200 g King Prawns
- 3 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Stir-Fry Pack (Or Individual Vegetables) See Notes
- 3 Spring Onions
Special Chow Mein Sauce
- 2 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tbsp Chilli Sauce
- ½ tsp Salt
Instructions
- 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.2 tbsp Oyster Sauce, 2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce, 2 tbsp Vinegar, 1 tbsp Brown Sugar, 1 tbsp Sesame Oil, 1 tbsp Chilli Sauce, ½ tsp Salt
- Heat a wok or frying pan on a medium to high heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Fry the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes or until cooked on the outside.1 tbsp Cooking Oil, 200 g Chicken Fillets
- Add prawns to the wok and continue to stir-fry for a further 1 to 2 minutes or until opaque.200 g King Prawns
- Add the diced vegetables and spring onions, then add the diced garlic and fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.3 Garlic Cloves, 1 Stir-Fry Pack (Or Individual Vegetables), 3 Spring Onions
- Pour the egg noodles into the wok and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Finish by drizzling the homemade chow mein sauce on top and mix until evenly distributed.400 g Egg Noodles
Video
Notes
Soy Sauce
I prefer using dark soy sauce instead of light soy sauce as it’s richer and sweeter. Dark soy sauce is also great for adding colour to dishes like noodles. If you use light soy sauce, then you may want to add more sugar to the chow mein sauce mixture. Serving This dish feeds 3 to 4 people, you can make 3 large plates or 4 standard sized plates. Vegetables If you want to make this dish fast, then I recommend using a stir fry pack as you don’t need to prep multiple ingredients in advance. If there are any vegetables missing that you want from the stir fry pack, then you can get it separately. Marinade Create even more flavour by marinating the meats and prawns before starting this recipe. You can make a simple marinade by mixing 1 tablespoon of ginger and garlic paste, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce (light or dark) and 1 teaspoon of white pepper. The longer the meats get to soak in the marinade the more flavour it will absorb.Nutrition
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