This quick chow mein brings together crisp vegetables, saucy noodles and tender grilled chicken for a satisfying weeknight meal.
It delivers the comfort of takeout flavours with the ease of cooking at home.
The dish comes together in stages, starting with a simple marinade that keeps the chicken juicy while the noodles and vegetables cook. A savoury sauce ties everything together, coating the noodles without weighing them down and letting the fresh vegetables keep their texture. It is a flexible recipe that works with whatever produce you have on hand, making it an easy go to for busy evenings when you still want something warm and satisfying.
Stir-Fried Chow Mein Noodles with Grilled Chicken
A fast, flavourful chow mein with crisp vegetables, tender grilled chicken and a savoury sauce. This weeknight friendly dish brings takeout style comfort to the table in under an hour. Serves 4-6.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 1 chicken breast, sliced horizontally into two thin cutlets
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp crushed garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
Sauce
- 3 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 3 tbsp hoisin sauce or oyster sauce
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp sugar
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sambal oelek (reduce for less heat)
Stir-fry
- 3 tbsp cooking oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 5 small white button mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
- 2 cups coleslaw mix
- 1 tsp salt
- cooked chow mein noodles (per package instructions)
- spring onions, for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix all marinade ingredients with the chicken until well coated. Set aside while you prepare the other components.
- Boil the chow mein noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove and let rest.
- In the same wok or pan, increase heat to medium-high and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook for 2minutes.
- Add sliced peppers and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the coleslaw and cook for a further 2 minutes until just tender but still crisp. Remove onto a plate.
- In the same wok, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the noodles and leave undisturbed for 1 minute to lightly crisp. Stir and repeat this process 2–3 times.
- Return the vegetables to the wok. Add the prepared sauce and toss everything together, stirring and sizzling for about 1minute until well coated and heated through.
- To serve, slice the chicken and arrange over the chow mein. Serve hot, garnished generously with spring onions.
I made this recipe to use up a package a of coleslaw I bought. Very good recipe, I liked the sauce flavour. This made more than 4 helpings. Can it be frozen?
Hi Barb. Thanks for trying the recipe. Glad you enjoyed the sauce!
Yes, it can be frozen, but the texture will change slightly. Noodles tend to soften after freezing and thawing, and the vegetables will lose some of their crispness. It will not be the same as if made fresh. If freezing, let the dish cool completely, store in an airtight container and use within about two months for the best quality.
To reheat, warm it in a wok or large pan with a splash of soy sauce, water or stock to loosen the noodles and bring the sauce back together.
If you are planning ahead for the freezer, another option is to freeze the grilled chicken and sauce and cook fresh noodles and vegetables when reheating.