Chicken Chow Mein

Shimmering noodles - laced with soy, sesame, garlic, and ginger - embellished with sauteed chicken and vegetables. It's like party in a bowl. A really good party. And, start to finish, you can have this on the table in 20 minutes flat.

About the chow mein noodles: I chose to use stir-fry noodles that require no cooking (just a quick stir-fry as the name implies). You can find those both refrigerated and shelf-stable. You can also use Chinese egg noodles - the ones sold in dry packs. For this recipe, you'll need to cook those first and then add them to the skillet later. I've given instructions for both below.

Where's the cabbage? Yes, I realize traditional Chicken Chow Mein has cabbage in it. I didn't forget. I wasn't lazy. I opted to leave it out - for no reason other than I wasn't feeling it. Maybe it's because we had Brussels sprouts the night before. Or because I was serving roasted broccoli with this dish. Either way, I took a little culinary license. Don't judge too harshly. I was in my own kitchen, so nobody was harmed. If you want to add cabbage, slice up 1/2 head and add it to the skillet with the carrot. It's that easy.

Chicken Chow Mein

14 ounces packaged chow mein noodles (dry or fresh)
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
Salt and ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 large carrot (or 2 smaller carrots), peeled and julienned
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Chopped green onions for serving

If the chow mein noodles are dry, cook them according to the package directions and drain.
Meanwhile, heat the peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, stirring frequently. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and ginger to the chicken and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute.
Push the chicken to one side of the skillet and add the carrot to the other side (and cabbage if using). Cook until the carrot is tender, about 3 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, broth, oyster sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil. Add the sauce to the skillet with the noodles. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the noodles are hot (if you started with fresh noodles). Top with green onions before serving.

Serves 4