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House Special Chow Mein Recipe
Want to make special chow mein at home? Yes… well this recipe will tell you everything you need to know. These house special chow mein noodles are quick, easy and the taste is so satisfying!
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!
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 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! There’s vegetables, prawns and chicken tossed into egg noodles and coated in a delicious chow mein sauce.
Why You’ll Like This Recipe
- These noodles are full of flavour and are so tasty
- 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
Chinese noodle recipes are quite 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 the ones below too:
Watch How To Make It
What Is Special Chow Mein?
Special chow mein is a popular Chinese noodle dish found in many Chinese takeaway shops. It’s also known as house special chow mein and contains a wider number of vegetables, seafoods and meats in comparison to classic chow mein recipes.
It’s quite popular due to its range of classic flavours mixed together into one noodle dish. Takeaway special chow mein 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!
What Meat Is In Special Chow Mein?
Special chow mein usually is made with chicken, prawns, pork and sometimes beef too. You’ll find that the mix of meats and seafood vary depending on the restaurant or takeaway.
The term House Special Chow Mein refers to a version of chow mein that is unique or special to that particular restaurant. lt’s also used by restaurants to use up leftover ingredients or create a dish using a mix of ingredients that are available in their kitchen at the time.
However, I’ve had special chow meins at many restaurants and I’ve found that the flavours and ingredients do not differ drastically.
Special Chow Mein Recipe Ingredients
Below are the ingredients needed for 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 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 fry ingredients 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
To make the special chow mein sauce you’ll need the following ingredients below. This is my-go to sauce that’s perfect for all Chinese takeaway chow mein recipes.
It contains a mixture of dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, vinegar, salt and chilli sauce. Trust me, this sauce tastes amazing!
How To Make Special Chow Mein
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to make this special chow mein. Full recipe instructions are on the recipe card:
Step One:
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:
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.
Step Three:
Add prawns to the wok and continue to stir-fry for a further 1 to 2 minutes or until opaque.
Step Four:
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.
Step Five:
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.
Serving Ideas
Wondering what to serve with this chow mein, well… let me inspire you! I’ve listed a few of my go-to side dishes that will go so well with this recipe. You can also serve these noodles on its own.
- Chicken And Mushroom Stir Fry
- Beef With Ginger And Spring Onion
- Sesame Prawn Toasts
- Sweet And Sour Chicken
- Honey Chilli Chicken
- Char Siu Pork
My Top Tips
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 (though you can if you want too). If there are any vegetables missing that you want from the stir fry pack, then you can buy it separately.
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.
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 or under a stove.
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.
FAQs
Special chow mein generally refers to a basic version of stir-fried noodles with vegetables and protein, while house special chow mein is more of an elaborate or unique variation offered by a restaurant, showcasing additional ingredients and flavours.
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.
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
Nutrition
Music in video from Uppbeat, License code: 08VBCZFHCZBZDBBY
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