Mie Goreng Ayam (Gai See Chow Mein)

Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine the marinade ingredients with your sliced chicken and set aside. Use your hands to tear the green vegetables lengthwise into manageable pieces and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the fresh or dried noodles. For fresh noodles, boil for 30 seconds to a minute. For dried, it’ll take a little longer. Cook until they’re just softened. Be careful not to overcook them, or they’ll be soggy! Rinse with cold water, drain, and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, salt, white pepper, and hot chicken stock. In another bowl, mix the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water into a slurry and set aside. To go over what you’ve prepared so far: the marinated chicken, the washed and trimmed veggies, the cooked noodles, the sauce mix, and the cornstarch slurry. I know it seems like a lot of prep, but the dish really does come together quickly!
4. Heat your wok over high heat and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, making sure to swirl it around to coat the sides. Spread out your noodles in an even layer and fry for about 3 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Flip the noodles over and fry the other side (you can add a bit more oil if necessary). If preheated properly, the noodles should not stick to the wok. With practice, you’ll be able to flip all the noodles in one shot! If you’re not feeling lucky, then just flip it in small sections. When the noodles are golden on both sides, transfer the noodles to a large round plate.
5. Next, heat the wok until just smoking and add another tablespoon of vegetable oil. Sear the chicken breast. Once browned, add the garlic and then the Shaoxing wine to deglaze the pan. Pour in your sauce. Now you get why I said hot chicken stock, since I doubt you have a 50 thousand BTU roaring flame beneath your wok! Our dinky little Beijing flame isn’t the best either. Let the liquid come to a boil and add your green vegetables. Stir and cook for about a minute.
6. Stir up your slurry mixture again, since the cornstarch probably settled to the bottom of the bowl. Once the liquid is boiling, add about 2/3 of the cornstarch and stir the mixture to thicken. Add more slurry until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon. How thick you like your sauce it is also about personal preference. Allow to bubble up for another 30 seconds or so.
7. Pour the entire mixture over the noodles and serve immediately. Serve with hot chili oil or Sriracha on the side if you like!