Growing up, having Chinese takeout for dinner was always an uncommon occurrence. Usually, my mom or dad would prepare dinner, and there was never a need to order in. On the rare occasion that both my parents were too tired or busy to cook, however, we would place an order from a place called No. 1 Chinese. Which is an apt name, because that particular place made some of the best takeout food I've ever had.
While you may think that the dishes we ordered from the standard takeout menu were similar to what we were eating every night for dinner, nothing could really be further from the truth. Dishes like beef with broccoli, Singapore Mei Fun, and lo mein were as rare a treat as the pot roasts and chicken pot pies I used to eat at my cousin's house (her mom was much more well-versed in traditional American cooking than my own mother, who preferred making stir-fry over spaghetti and meatballs).
When it came to Chinese takeout, the one item that I ALWAYS requested was chicken lo mein. It's still my go-to when I order out these days, but too often I'm disappointed by slightly soggy or overly greasy noodles that are somewhat lacking in the flavor department. Which is why I decided to make it myself, with spectacular (if I may say so) results. If you're a lo mein fan, definitely give this recipe a try! The key to the deep color of these noodles is dark soy sauce, which you can find at any Chinese grocery store.
You'll need:
8 oz. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into thin strips
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons oil, plus more for cooking
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups shredded cabbage
2 medium carrots, julienned
1 tablespoon shaoxing wine or dry sherry cooking wine
16 oz. fresh lo mein egg noodles
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 teaspoons dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Pinch of salt
Pinch of sugar
2 cups bean sprouts
2 scallions, julienned
In a medium bowl, combine the chicken with 2 teaspoons each of cornstarch, water, and oil. In a wok over high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil, and sear the chicken for a couple minutes until browned. Remove from the wok, return to the marinade bowl, and set aside.
Add another couple tablespoons of oil to the wok, and add the garlic. After 10 seconds, add the cabbage and carrots. Stir-fry on high heat for a minute and add the wine in a circle around the perimeter of the wok.
Add the noodles and chicken back to the wok and mix well from the bottom up for about 30 seconds. If the noodles aren't coming apart, add about 1/4 cup water to the noodles to loosen them up a bit.
Then cover the wok for one minute. Remove the cover and add the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and sugar. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, and add the bean sprouts and scallions.
Stir-fry for one more minute…
And serve.
Chicken Lo Mein
Prep time
20 mins
Cook time
10 mins
Total time
30 mins
Serves: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
- You'll need:
- 8 oz. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into thin strips
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons water
- 2 teaspoons oil, plus more for cooking
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 4 cups shredded cabbage
- 2 medium carrots, julienned
- 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine or dry sherry cooking wine
- 16 oz. fresh lo mein egg noodles
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 4 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of sugar
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 2 scallions, julienned
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the chicken with 2 teaspoons each of cornstarch, water, and oil. In a wok over high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil, and sear the chicken for a couple minutes until browned. Remove from the wok, return to the marinade bowl, and set aside.
- Add another couple tablespoons of oil to the wok, and add the garlic. After 10 seconds, add the cabbage and carrots. Stir-fry on high heat for a minute and add the wine in a circle around the perimeter of the wok.
- Add the noodles and chicken back to the wok and mix well from the bottom up for about 30 seconds. If the noodles aren't coming apart, add about ¼ cup water to the noodles to loosen them up a bit.
- Then cover the wok for one minute. Remove the cover and add the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and sugar. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, and add the bean sprouts and scallions. Stir-fry for one more minute and serve.
3.5.3208
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