Cantonese style chow mein is a delicious and easy recipe that features crispy pan-fried noodles tossed in a savory, salty, sweet, and umami stir-fry sauce. This dish is popular at restaurants and Asian takeout places, but it’s super simple to make at home! It also makes a quick and healthy lunch or dinner for busy days. This recipe is vegetarian (or vegan if you use a vegan broth) and includes chicken, but you can easily add your favorite protein to customize the dish to your liking.
This chow mein is based on a recipe from the restaurant Congee Village in Manhattan, where I first tried this dish. They call this dish “Lo Mein” () and they serve it with beef, shrimp, or chicken. It is very similar to traditional chow mein, but with a much more delicate texture and more of a wok-fried flavor.
The secret to the crispy noodles in this chow mein is a combination of ingredients and cooking techniques. The noodles are boiled and then stir-fried in a lot of oil, which helps them crisp up. The noodles are also fried on both sides, which gives them that lovely golden color and more surface area. They are topped with a simple but flavorful sauce made from soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Finally, a few garnishes are added for an extra pop of color and flavor.
You can choose to use any type of noodles you like, but the traditional choice is thin Hong Kong-style egg noodles. They are found in many Asian grocery stores in the refrigerated aisles and are already parboiled, making them very easy to prepare for this recipe. You could also try using udon or soba noodles, but they may not get as crispy as the egg noodles.
If you are not able to find these types of noodles, try making this chow mein with beef or chicken chow fun instead. This is another Chinese noodle dish that is popular at restaurants and is very similar to lo mein but with a thicker, chewy rice-based noodle.
If you have leftover chow mein, it will reheat very well in the microwave or on the stove top. Just be sure to stir it occasionally so that the noodles do not stick together. You can also add a few tablespoons of water to the pan when reheating, just enough to keep the noodles from drying out. You can also enjoy it with a fried egg on top for an even heartier meal!