Chicken Chow Mein

prep time:: 20 min

Makes 4 main course servings

Yarden

ingredients

3 oz dried chuka soba noodles, or other Chinese egg noodles
1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons peanut oil
Kosher salt
1/2 C chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
3 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce, plus more for the table
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sugar
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 6 ounces), cut into thin 2-inch-long strips
1 tsp dark Asian sesame oil
1 heaping tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 scallion, white and green minced
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced on the diagonal
10 dried shittake mushrooms, rehydrated, drained, and thinly sliced
1/3 C thinly sliced canned water chestnuts
6 oz fresh mung bean sprouts
3 C cooked white rice, hot

directions

1
Boil the noodles according to package instructions. Drain in a colander in the sink and rinse under cold running water. Shake the colander to drain off excess water and pat the noodles dry with a towel.
2
Heat 1/4 cup of the peanut oil in a large seasoned or non-stick skillet over high heat. Add the noodles, spreading them out to evenly cover the skillet, and fry, turning once, until golden brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. (Break the noodles up, by stirring, near the end of the cooking). Transfer noodles to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt to taste. Set aside. Discard any excess oil and wipe out the pan.
3
Whisk together the chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch, and sugar in a small bowl, and set aside. Season the chicken with the dark sesame oil, salt, and pepper, and set aside.
4
Heat the skillet over high heat. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil until very hot. Add the ginger, garlic, and scallion and stir-fry, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry, until lightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the onion, celery, and mushrooms and stir-fry, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the water chestnuts and spread the ingredients to the outside of the pan to form a well in the center. Pour the chicken broth mixture into the well, bring to a boil, and stir to coat the chow mein mixture. Stir in the bean sprouts and remove from the heat. Season generously to taste with pepper.
5
Transfer chicken chow mein to a warm platter and top with the fried noodles. Serve immediately with rice. Pass more soy sauce at the table.