With an easy stir-fry method, this Cantonese noodle dish comes together quickly. First we brine the chicken briefly in a combination of baking soda and cold water, which helps keep the chicken tender while it cooks. Then we marinate the chicken in rice wine and cornstarch to keep the chicken moist. We cut the vegetables into similar sizes and shapes so that they cook evenly. Then we add blanched Chinese egg noodles to the skillet and stir-fry everything together. The chow mein is finished with a sauce of rice wine; chicken broth; oyster sauce; and a bit of cornstarch, which allows the sauce to cling to the noodles without any floppiness.
2chicken breasts6-ounce boneless, skinless , trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3tbsprice wine or dry sherry
1tbspcornstarch
½cupchicken broth
3tbspsoy sauce
3tbspoyster sauce
¼tspwhite pepper
2tbspvegetable oil
6ozshiitake mushroomsstemmed and sliced thin
1carrotpeeled and cut into 2-inch matchsticks
2celery ribscut on bias into 1/4-inch-thick slices
4scallionswhite and green parts separated and sliced thin
3garlic clovesminced
1tbspgrated fresh ginger
4ozmung bean sprouts2 cups
Instructions
Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add noodles to boiling water and cook until tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain noodles, rinse thoroughly with cold water, then drain again. Toss noodles with sesame oil in bowl; set aside.
Meanwhile, dissolve baking soda in 1/2 cup cold water in second bowl. Add chicken and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Drain chicken, rinse under cold water, then drain again. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Combine 1 tablespoon rice wine, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and chicken in bowl; set aside.
Whisk broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, pepper, remaining 2 tablespoons rice wine, and remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch together in bowl; set aside.
Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until opaque, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and carrot and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 2 minutes. Add celery and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Add scallion whites, garlic, and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Whisk broth mixture to recombine, then add to skillet and cook until thickened and chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add bean sprouts and noodles and toss until sauce evenly coats noodles, about 1 minute. Transfer to platter and sprinkle with scallion greens. Serve.