Chicken Chow Mein
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
- 500g/1.1lb chicken breast or thigh fillet, skinless
- 1 egg white
- 2 tablespoons cornflour/fine cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarb of soda
- Salt and white pepper
- 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
- 280g/9.9ozs. chow mein noodles
- 1/2 cup/125ml/4flozs. peanut or canola oil
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 3 slices fresh ginger
For Sauce
- 1.5 cups/375ml/13flozs. chicken stock
- 100ml/3.5ozs oyster sauce
- 3 teaspoons soy sauce
- 3 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
- 1.5 tablespoons cornflour/fine cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
Step 1 - First whisk the egg white, cornflour and bicarb together in a medium sized bowl and then coat with the chicken slices with this mixture. Marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge to tenderise the chicken. While it is marinating you can cut the broccoli up into florets, get the garlic and ginger ready and measure the sauce out adding everything but the cornflour and water into a jug.
Step 2 - Place a medium pot of water onto boil and cook the broccoli until tender, it won't take long, about a minute will do. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside. Then rinse the chicken of the marinade and add the chicken to the simmering water and cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute. Drain in a sieve and keep aside.
Step 3 - Then switch to a large frypan or wok and have a large serving plate ready. Heat the oil in a frypan on high heat and when the oil is hot and shimmering add the noodles (no need to boil or rinse noodles beforehand). Do this in 2 lots if necessary to avoid over crowding the pan. Cook noodles until crispy and lightly browned turning with tongs to ensure that all noodles get an even cooking. Place the noodles on the serving plate arranging as a bed for the chicken. Remove all of the browned noodle bits and using the same oil and pan turn down to medium high heat add the garlic, ginger and chicken and fry until chicken is golden (this will take around 6-8 minutes or so) and then add the broccoli and warm through. Season with salt and white pepper. Remove from the pan and place the chicken and broccoli on top of the noodles.
Step 4 - Add the sauce ingredients to the same pan and heat until gently simmering. Then add the cornflour slurry and allow to thicken while whisking. Pour the sauce over the chicken and noodles and serve immediately.