To spice up our dinners a bit, I decided to try my hand at a Chinese recipe for the first time. To me, it looked complicated, and I was afraid of what might happen if I pulled out the wok, so whenever we got a craving for Chinese food, we ordered takeout. The moment I stumbled upon this recipe, I knew I had to give it a try. My family raved about it, and I was impressed by how simple it was to make and how well the flavors blended. I feel a sense of pride on many levels because they have started asking me to make this meal instead of ordering Chinese takeout.
Lastly, I can’t talk about this Chow Mein without praising the sauce. The depth of flavor and the harmonious combination of sweet and savory make this dish irresistible. It’s hard to put into words, but this is unlike any sauce I’ve ever tasted. I’m sure you’ll find it fascinating.
You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand, and there’s no need to stick to a set list. For further reading, please refer to the footnotes.
Ingredients :
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts weighing 1 pound (cut into bite-sized strips)
Three tablespoons of olive oil
Chow Mein Noodles, 12 Ounces (uncooked)
cabbage, 2 cups
1 cup of julienned large carrots
1/4 of a bunch of sliced green onions
2-garlic cloves
Sauce for Chow Mein
Oyster sauce, 6 tablespoons
Reduced-sodium soy sauce, 3 tablespoons
Light sesame oil, 3 tablespoons (not toasted)
One-half cup of chicken stock
Cornstarch, 1 Tablespoon
Granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon
Instructions:
Chow-Mein Sauce Must Be Made.
Whisk together the oyster sauce, granulated sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, chicken broth, and cornstarch in a small mixing bowl. Put aside.
Noodles should be prepared according to package directions, then drained, cooled, and set aside.
Warm olive oil in a large wok or sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken in hot oil until it’s a nice golden color. Take the chicken out of the equation and put it aside.
For a few minutes of cooking time, add carrots, cabbage, and pressed garlic and sauté until the vegetables are tender and the cabbage is becoming translucent.
Reintroduce the chicken and the noodles to the skillet. After 2 minutes, pour the sauce over the top and keep cooking the mixture.
When ready to serve, top with chopped green onions.
Enjoy!
Notes
If you’re creative enough, there are no limits on the kinds of vegetables you can use. The most fundamental vegetables are carrots, cabbage, and green onions. If you’re looking to broaden your horizons, choose the vegetables that you like best. You can’t go wrong with bok choy, bean sprouts, celery, broccoli, spinach, kale, or baby corn (if you’ve developed a taste for it, of course).
While chicken is a common protein option, you might be surprised to learn that you actually prefer beef, shrimp, or pork.
Vegetarians can easily adapt the recipe by substituting vegetable broth for chicken broth and cubes of baked tofu for meat. When I bake tofu, I always make a little extra so that I can have some in the fridge. This has drastically reduced the amount of time I spend in the kitchen.