This Chicken Stir Fry with Rice Noodles is a terrific QUICK fridge and pantry forage meal, made with your choice of dried noodles, a simple tasty stir fry sauce and whatever veggies you can scrape together.
This is loaded with veggies and light on the noodles so it’s nice and healthy. I love stir fried noodles like Chow Mein, Beef Broccoli Noodles and Pad See Ew because they’re a complete meal made in one wok – or skillet!
Quick Rice Noodles Recipe
I literally rummaged through my fridge to make this Chicken Stir Fry with Rice Noodles. Photographed it, ate half, gave the other half to the homeless guy at the dog park.
Smugly patted myself on the back for making a recipe I wanted to post on my site using things I already had – no special run to the grocery store to get specific ingredients.
Then I realised I needed to make it again for the recipe video. And so off I went to the grocery store. ?
#StoryOfMyLife
ANY DRIED RICE NOODLES
I wanted to share this recipe because I have a theory that almost everyone has some sort of dried noodles in the pantry. I made this with thinnish rice sticks which I’m fond of because they just need soaking in boiled water. But you can use any dried noodles you want – dried or fresh.
Many noodle stir fries tend to be heavy on the noodles and light on the veggies. This one is the other way round. It only uses 100g/3.5 oz of dried noodles for 2 servings. When you pull out the dried noodles, you’ll be doubtful that it’s enough. But it will be! Once the noodles are soaked, they expand, then when tossed in the sauce and loosened up, they increase in volume again. And also, there is stacks of veggies in this recipe. By volume, there is more veggies than noodles, but they shrink a lot during cooking.
Love spicy food?
Try this spicy Beef Hokkien Noodles!
Speaking of cooking – as with all stir fries, this Chicken Stir Fry with Rice Noodles cooks super fast. Actually, it cooks even faster than most because it’s made with dried rice noodles and if you toss rice noodles in the wok for more than a couple of minutes, they will start to break apart. It’s so disappointing when you dig into a big bowl of noodles only to find it’s just a pile of short broken strands!
That is pretty much the only rule with this recipe – it must be cooked super quickly! Any longer than 5 minutes and it’s been on for too long.
So next time you’re wondering what to make for dinner – if you can find some dried noodles and bits and bobs in your fridge, make this! – Nagi x
More really quick Asian recipes
-
Quick Beef Ramen Noodles and Chicken Vegetable Ramen Noodles
-
Egg Foo Young (Chinese Omelette with Pork)
-
All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce – Charlie! Yes I named it/him
-
See all Asian recipes and 15 Minute Meals collection
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Chicken Stir Fry with Rice Noodles
Ingredients
Chicken (Note 1):
- 150 - 180 g/ 5 - 6 oz chicken breast , cut into thin strips
- 1 tsp cornflour / cornstarch (optional)
- 1 tsp oil (peanut, vegetable, canola) (optional)
Sauce (or use my Homemade Stir Fry Sauce, step 2):
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce (or sub with Hoisin)
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (Note 2)
- 1/2 tsp each sesame oil, sugar (optional)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Shoaxing wine) OR Mirin (Note 3)
- 1/4 tsp white pepper (or black pepper)
- 3 tbsp water
Stir Fry:
- 100 g / 3.5 oz dried rice noodles (Note 4)
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 garlic clove , finely chopped (Note 5)
- 1 small onion , sliced (white, brown, yellow)
- 1/2 bunch choy sum or other Asian greens , stems separated from leaves (Note 6)
- 1/2 red capsicum / bell pepper , sliced
- 1 carrot , peeled, cut in half lengthwise and sliced on the diagonal
- 5 - 7 mushrooms , sliced
- Sesame seeds and finely sliced green onions/scallions , optional
Instructions
- Mix chicken, cornstarch and oil in a bowl.
- Mix Sauce ingredients in a bowl. OR use 3 tbsp Homemade Stir Fry Sauce + 6 tbsp water.
- Just before cooking, soak noodles in hot water per packet directions, then drain. (Note 7)
- Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat.
- Add garlic and onion, cook for 30 seconds.
- Add chicken, cook for 1 minute until it changes colour from pink to white.
- Add carrot, Choy Sum stems and capsicum. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add mushrooms, cook for 30 seconds.
- Add noodles, Choy Sum leaves and Sauce. Toss for 1 minute until leaves have wilted and Sauce has evaporated. Don't toss for more then 1 1/2 minutes - noodles may break.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions then serve immediately.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
CHICKEN STIR FRY WITH RICE NOODLES
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Chicken Stir Fry with Rice Noodles recipe video!
LIFE OF DOZER
Winter? What’s that?? (I took this photo bundled up in a fleece wearing waterproof pants and gum boots!)
I just came across this recipe. I made the stir fry sauce and this dish was SO GOOD! Definitely putting this in the weekly rotation. Thanks so much Nagi!!!!
Yumm! I’ve been pinning your recipies for years, and this is the firt time I’ve tried my hand at cooking authentic Chinese cuisine. I bought most of the ingredients and our local Asian market, and the ladies were wonderful and so kind in helping me find ingredients, I can’t wait to go back! This recipie was a great, and I’m looking forward to the wonton soup and cashew chicken I’m going to make this weekend 🙂 thanks Nagi! xoxo
That’s so great to hear Amber! Thanks for letting me know – N x ❤️
NAGI!!!! As always, you do not disipoint. I admit though, I had to do this with the “poor-man’s” method. Being in College, while my wife is a full-time teacher, I find cooking has to be fast, taste awesome, and be as cheap-as-possible. So, I grabbed some stirfry veggie mix from walmart, added some extra peppers and onions that I had on hand, put on the rice, and miraculously found I already had everything for the sauce. This rice version was a hit. I doubled the recipe to feed my in-law’s family (40oz of stirfyveggies, double chicken, double sauce, 3 cups of rice, 3-4 sweet-bell-peppers, 2 red onions)–and everyone wanted more. My wife said she hated stirfry (I ignored her this one time), but now she loves it. Thank you so much for always turning out awesome recipes!
Ps. This recipe, your mexican corn, and risotto have all gone into our “These are the best” recipe book.
Ps.p.s I LOVED discovering your mom a few months ago! If only she would have been around all the times my mom wanted someone to adopt me =)!
I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this Isaiah! Thanks for letting me know! N x ❤️
I stumbled across this recipe in an internet search, and am glad I did. It’s easy to make and very delicious.
I’m so happy you enjoyed this! Thank you for letting me know – N x ❤️
I made this last night and it turned out really tasty. Thanks, your recipes never fail!
That’s fantastic to hear Jen! Thanks for leaving a review! N x ❤️
Hello, Nagi love your recipe … its simple .. I am trying to create a adapted version … hope it works great .
I hope you love it Deepayan!
Hello Nagi, I tried this stir fry last night, it was a success. I doubled the recipe for 4 people, my husband & kids love it.
thanks alot
I’m so pleased to hear that Paramis! Thanks for letting me know! N x
You shared it with the homeless guy that lives at the dog park, wow, that is the best thing I have heard in forever. You are good people. 🙂 Love a stir fry myself, always good to clear out the fridge and its such a cost effective meal too.
I AGREE!!! It is my absolute fridge-clean-out meal! N xx
Hi Nagi
This looks like another great recipe,I tried your Mongolian beef tonight it was amazing my husband loved it.
I will have to try this one soon..Thanks for the great recipes.
Rhonda.
Hope you do Rhonda! It is so good for a quick simple dinner! N xx
I’m new to your web site and so far it’s been all good. You mentioned using baking soda to tenderize chicken. Can you explain that method please?
Hi Cheryl! There’s a link in the recipe Note 1 to the directions for that method in another recipe 🙂 It works terrific – but I don’t use it for this recipe because it’s so super quick, no chance of the chicken overcooking! N x
Dozer: compared to the rest of the world, what do we know of winter ? Especially you, up there on the Northern Beaches . . . . a jealous hmph! Actually – making this with soba noodles [nope, nought to do with you, buddy!] in about 10 minutes for lunch! Yummee . . . Your Mom’;s ‘comme ici, comme ca’ recipe hits my reaching for bottles and jars in the same thus way . . . . . any way to look ‘pleading; and ‘needy’ ? . . . . hugs of huggies’ . . .
But trust me, it is probably just as cold as it is down there!!! ICE COLD ocean, that’s for sure!
This looks great, Nagi! Love how quickly it cooks up and that you can use what you have on hand – perfect for a week night meal!
Thank you Melissa! 🙂 Hope you have a fab weekend – N xx
Yep, always have a packet of noddles (read: many packets) sitting in the pantry, that I could probably set up a noodle buffet! I also have spare chicken and veggies sitting in my fridge (and a jar of homemade hoisin sauce), and no other plans for dinner tonight so… may just have to give this a go 🙂
Hazard of the job, isn’t it?? I always have random half used packs of all sorts of things in the pantry and fridge, hence why having an arsenal of fridge forage recipes is sooooo handy!!! 😂
This looks great! Nagi, have you ever soaked rice stick noodles in cold water? A recipe I used this week said to soak them in cold water for an hour before adding to the stir fry – it worked. The noodles went from transparent to a glassy white but did not stick together – my bugbear!
(I am reading your blog super early, Nagi – there is a slight typo in the directions – no. 9 – “coy” instead of choy)
Gosh really?? I haven’t tried but I will! And thank you for picking up the typo – seems my proof reader is on a holiday… (that would be my mother….. 😂) N xx
Really like this one Nagi. Looks simple to do which is what I like. Fast & easy! I follow you everyday to see what you’re up to! Oh, and don’t worry about your little hands as I have tiny hands also!!
FELLOW BABY HANDS! 😂 👶🏻 👊🏻
You got it!!
I’m so glad this recipe popped into my inbox. It sounds delicious and I have some rice noodles in the pantry I’ve been pondering what to do with. Yum! Thanks for the related tips in your cashew chicken recipe on “velveting” chicken. I will try this.
Try it try it! It is truly amazing, especially with chicken breast! N xx
Hi Nagi. This is one of the quickest meals I have ever seen; I imagine that it took longer to prep the ingredients than it did to actually cook them. I like the high veg ratio to noodles. Dozer and his friend don’t seem to mind the cold at all.
You are so right Dorothy! 🙂 Especially because I actually made an effort to chop them half neatly for the photos… How are you coping with Gary around?? 😂