Crispy pan fried noodles topped with a saucy chicken and vegetable stir fry make up this Crispy Chinese Noodles with Chicken, my favourite dish at my local Chinese. On the table in 20 minutes!
At my local Chinese, they call this Crunchy Chow Mein Noodles. It’s a Hong Kong / Cantonese style dish, and there are a lot of variations but the core of it is a bed of crunchy noodles topped with a saucy stir fry. The stir fry topping is much saucier than most Chinese stir fries (authentic ones, not Western restaurant versions) and this is because you need the sauce otherwise the noodles can be a bit too dry.
You can buy crunchy fried noodles at grocery stores and Asian grocery stores which you can use instead of pan frying your own. But have a look at the nutrition information before you decide to use it! The brand at my local grocery store is 350 calories per serving (that’s just the noodles, then you need to add the topping).
In any case, I love making my own because fresh made crunchy noodles are sensational and if you haven’t tried it before, you are in for a treat. It’s simple to make and the only thing you need to remember is to use the right noodles. Make sure you get a packet of Chow Mein Noodles. Whether you get them from the supermarket or Asian grocery store, they will say “Chow Mein” on the packet (even the Asian brands with Chinese characters on it that you can’t read, it should still display “Chow Mein” in English!).
This recipe for Crispy Chinese Noodles with Chicken won’t work using hokkien or Singapore noodles or other common types of noodles because they are stickier and wetter so they don’t crisp up as well. Chow Mein noodles are distinctly drier and a bit crinkly.
Pan frying the noodles is super easy. You just fry one side in the wok, then slide it onto a plate, then flip it back into the wok to crisp the other side. Because there’s no binding agent, you can’t flip the noodles without the aide of a plate. But trust me, it’s super easy. If I can do it, anyone can!
Other than using the right noodles, there’s nothing tricky about making Crispy Chinese Noodles with Chicken. As with all stir fries, once you start cooking it comes together very quickly. So have all the ingredients prepared and ready to toss into the wok. And make sure you serve it the minute this comes off the stove because it would be such a shame if the noodles went soggy!
Don’t let the list of ingredients daunt you. There’s a lot of double up because of the way I group ingredients together for different parts of the recipe. You’ll have this on the table in 20 minutes, making it a great midweek meal treat!
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Crispy Noodles with Chicken
Ingredients
Crispy Noodles
- 150 g / 5 oz fresh chow mein noodles
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp peanut oil
Stir Fry
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
- 1 carrot , sliced diagonally
- 1 bok choy , stems and leaves separated with stems cut vertically into sticks.
- 2 shallots/scallions , cut into 5cm/2" pieces
- 1 cup cabbage , shredded
- 1 cup bean sprouts
Chicken and Marinade
- 150 g / 5 oz chicken , cut into bite size pieces
- 1½ tsp light soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp corn starch
- White pepper , one dash
Sauce
- 3 tbsps cornflour / corn starch
- 3 tbsp water
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (shoasing wine) or Dry Sherry (or sub Mirin)
Instructions
Marinade Chicken
- Combine Chicken and Marinade ingredients in a small bowl and set aside for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
Crispy Noodles
- Turn oven onto low (to keep noodles warm while you cook the topping).
- Loosen the chow mein noodles with your fingers.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in wok over medium high heat. Place noodles into wok and gently pat into a round pancake.
- Add water. Wait until the water evaporates, then let cook for a further 1 to 2 minute until the bottom of the noodles are golden brown (lift up with a spatula to check).
- Slide noodles onto a plate. Return wok to heat and add remaining 1 tbsp oil into wok. Flip noodles upside down back into the wok to crisp the other side. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the bottom is golden brown. Slide noodles onto serving plate and keep warm in the low oven, uncovered.
Sauce
- Mix together cornflour and 3 tbsp water in a medium size bowl until there are no lumps.
- Add remaining sauce ingredients and mix to combine.
Stir Fry
- Heat 1tbsp oil in wok over high heat. Add garlic and fry for 10 to 15 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.
- Add chicken and marinade, then stir fry until it turns a very light golden brown, but not yet cooked through.
- Add the carrot, bok choy stems and shallots, then stir fry for 30 seconds.
- Add the Sauce into the wok, bring to simmer and cook, stirring, for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes so the sauce thickens.
- Turn off heat. Add the bok choy leaves, cabbage and bean sprouts and gently stir to coat with sauce and allow residual heat to wilt these vegetables.
To serve
- Place stir fry and sauce over crispy noodles. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Worked well. We only had dried noodles and can’t wait to try it again with fresh. The sauce was bang on, veggies crisp. Thanks for this.
oh my goodness!! Thank you for this recipe. I just made it for my family and it’s exactly what i wanted. you made me look like i knew what i was doing!!
You nailed it Daniel!!
Oh Nagi -Wow! Chicken Chow Mein is my all time favourite dish. I judge every Chinese Restaurant on their Chicken Chow Mein, I rate Golden Century in Chinatown the best BUT your recipe has just surpassed any other restaurant or takeaway I have tried & trust me there have been so many.. I never write comments but I have tried a few of your recipes in recent weeks and every one is so authentic that I have to commend you. I have read comments about using using the Charlie Brown sauce & all
I can say is as good as Charlie Brown sauce is I would use the sauce recommended in this recipe as it is so good & makes this dish taste better than your local Chinese
I gave this five stars because it was so easy to follow and SHOULD have tasted great but I stuffed up on the sauce. I tripled the recipe (feeding a family) but must have gone wrong somewhere because it was very think and the flavour wasn’t great. I saved it by adding more chicken stock.
I wonder if it was the shao xing sauce I used?
Would love to see some sauce/marinades converted for family sized meals because my idea of simply tripling everything didn’t work.
Can’t wait to try your next recipe.
Hi Deborah, I’m so sorry the sauce didn’t happen correctly – you can always adjust the servings on the recipe and it will adjust all the ingredient quantities for you – N x
Great receipe-pronounced to be better than our favourite restaurant by my wife and a takeaway beater for sure.
Had plenty of success with dried chow mein noodles – simply boiled for a couple of minutes only until still slightky firm /chewy then drained and cooled a while so they werent too wet (as if fresh out of a sealed pack i guess!).
Crisped up and tasted great with the stir fry and sauce. We doubled up on the chicken, there was a lot of sauce!
Thank you!
Wow David! Thats a great compliment – I’m so happy it was a hit!
What is the difference between these Chinese crispy noodles and Vietnamese crispy noodles? I usually order them from my local Vietnamese restaurant and they look exactly like these. Looking forward to trying them.
Prawn crackers 🙂
What are the round crunchy discs called that are also in the picture?
I have been trying for most of my adult life to replicate crispy noodles. Until now, I had always failed. Nagi, I love you. I bow down before you.
I tried Chow Mein dehydrated noodles and reconstituted them (boiled) before drying as best I could and then fried them. Fail. Not crunchy. Lucky we had another packet and made soft Chow Mein.
Then, THEN I found the refrigerated type and tonight, my heart fluttering, we fried.
So nervous. So desperate for them to work.
Looks good…fry some more… looks GOOD! Looks great!!! Fry more, just because we could. Warm in the oven, followed rest of recipe. Piled up, sat down, and GORGED.
OH. MY. GOODNESS.
Exactly, absolutely just like my favourite crunchy noodles when we eat out. I’m pretty overwhelmed. I never thought I’d find a good enough version but this is it!!!!!!!!
Most satisfying dinner I’ve had in a long time. So pleased. Food that makes you happy is life.
Keep on keeping on, Nagi. We all benefit from your endeavors. Thank you. ❤️
That’s SO GREAT to hear Carly! I’m so glad you enjoyed this, thank you for letting me know! N xx
Did you use fresh noodles or dried? If dried, do you fry without first rehydrating or cooking?
I tried with dried and fresh. We rehydrated then fried the dried noodles and as far as we’re concerned, it didn’t work.
Tonight we tried with the fresh noodles and oh yes that’s the way to go. They’re already soft and fried up beautifully. We’ll only use fridge ready noodles when we want crunchy Chow Mein. We’ll keep the dried noodles for soft Chow Mein. Hope that helps but feel free to experiment!
Hi Nagi,
I enjoy reading your recipes and your photos are great.
Today, I have made some of your Charlie sauce. Can we use this to speed up the sauce in this recipe?
Thank you
Yes! We did!
I want a deep fried rice now!!!!!!!!
Cooked this dish tonight for the family and they all loved it ! It was simply delicious and the recipe was very easy to follow. My son even wanted to take it to school for lunch tomorrow ! Thanks Nagi ! This is now one on our favourites list.
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed this Jeanie, thanks for letting me know! N x
wow
I like all your recipe you posted Thanks
Made this tonight and WOW how delicious.
I spent my poor husband to shops for the noodles and bok choy etc.
He came home with four different noodle types. None were any good. He did try though.
I made the meal notheless and it was sensational.
Truly beautiful and the sauce was unbelievable.
I used to love having Chinese takeaway as a treat. You have burst my bubble in that regard Nagi.
This meal tonight was 100% better than any Chinese meal that I have paid for.
It was first class and restaurant quality and I know exactly what I was eating.
Thank you again for another fabulous meal.
So great to hear Julie!! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x
That was wonderfully yummy !Even my pick Nicaraguan boyfriend loved it 😉
That’s terrific to hear Katouka! Thanks for sharing your feedback! N x ❤️