Chicken Chow Mein

Step 1

Season the chicken. Season the chicken with the spices and seasonings you have on hand. I used cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, chicken seasoning, and paprika.

Step 2

Cook the chicken. Heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat before adding the chicken. Cook the first side for about 5–7 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Turn the chicken and cook the other side for about 5 minutes, or until browned and fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Step 3

Stir-fry the vegetables. Add the vegetables directly to the same pan. I don't add additional seasoning because the browned bits and seasoning left behind from the chicken add flavor to the vegetables. Keep the vegetables moving constantly in the pan, stirring and turning them until they become tender. The goal is to stir-fry them rather than fry them.

Step 4

Cook and drain the noodles. While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the noodles according to the package directions. Add a little salt and oil to the cooking water and cook for approximately 7–10 minutes, or until tender. Drain the noodles thoroughly. Removing the excess water is important because wet noodles will steam in the pan instead of stir-frying.

Step 5

Stir-fry the noodles. Add a little more oil to the pan and add the drained noodles. Allow them to sit undisturbed for a few minutes so that the bottom can brown slightly and develop some crisp edges. Turn and repeat on the other side. Continue tossing and turning the noodles until you have some lightly browned bits throughout. They don't need to become very crispy.

Step 6

Prepare the sauce. Mix the sauce before adding it to the chow mein. For the amount I prepared, I used approximately 1–2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of water, and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Adjust the amount according to how much you are making.

Step 7

Bring everything together. Add the cooked chicken and stir-fried vegetables to the noodles and mix everything together. Pour the prepared sauce over the mixture and toss well so the sauce coats the noodles, vegetables, and chicken.

Step 8

Cook until dry. Continue stirring and cooking until the sauce has completely cooked into the noodles and vegetables. The finished chow mein should be dry, with no sauce left sitting in the bottom of the pan.

Step 9

Serve. Once the sauce has cooked in and the chow mein is dry, remove it from the heat and serve immediately.