Description
This Chicken Stir Fry with Rice Noodles is a quick and flavorful Asian-inspired dish featuring tender chicken breast strips sautéed with fresh vegetables and delicate rice noodles. The savory sauce, combining oyster sauce, soy sauce, and Chinese cooking wine, adds a rich umami depth. Perfect for a fast and satisfying weeknight dinner that’s ready in just 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 150 – 180 g (5 – 6 oz) chicken breast, cut into thin strips
- 1 tsp cornflour/cornstarch (optional)
- 1 tsp oil (peanut, vegetable, or canola) (optional)
Sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce (or substitute with Hoisin sauce)
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil (optional)
- 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine) OR Mirin
- 1/4 tsp white pepper (or black pepper)
- 3 tbsp water
Noodles and Vegetables
- 100 g (3.5 oz) dried rice noodles
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 small onion (white, brown, or yellow), sliced
- 1/2 bunch choy sum or other Asian greens, stems separated from leaves
- 1/2 red capsicum (bell pepper), sliced
- 1 carrot, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and sliced on the diagonal
- 5 – 7 mushrooms, sliced
Garnish (optional)
- Sesame seeds
- Finely sliced green onions/scallions
Instructions
- Marinate Chicken: In a bowl, combine the chicken strips with cornflour and 1 tsp oil. This helps tenderize the chicken and gives a slight coating for stir-frying.
- Prepare Sauce: In a separate bowl, mix oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, Chinese cooking wine, white pepper, and water. Stir well to combine the savory, sweet, and aromatic elements.
- Soak Noodles: Just before cooking, soak the dried rice noodles in hot water according to the packet directions until softened, then drain thoroughly.
- Heat Oil: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering, to ensure quick searing.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add finely chopped garlic and sliced onion to the hot oil and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Cook Chicken: Add marinated chicken to the wok and stir-fry for 1 minute until the chicken changes color from pink to white, indicating it is partly cooked.
- Add Hard Vegetables: Introduce carrot slices, choy sum stems, and red capsicum. Stir-fry them for 1 minute to start softening while retaining crunch.
- Add Mushrooms: Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 30 seconds until slightly tender.
- Combine Noodles and Greens: Add the drained rice noodles, choy sum leaves, and prepared sauce to the wok. Toss everything together for 1 minute until the greens wilt and the sauce has mostly evaporated. Avoid tossing more than 1.5 minutes to prevent noodles from breaking.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from heat, garnish with sesame seeds and finely sliced green onions, then serve immediately for best freshness and flavor.
Notes
- Cornflour is optional but helps tenderize the chicken and create a slight glaze when stir-fried.
- Dark soy sauce adds a deeper color and richer flavor; if unavailable, regular soy sauce can be used but with less quantity.
- Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine) adds authentic aroma; Mirin is a good substitute for a sweeter flavor.
- Rice noodles must be soaked just until soft to prevent mushiness during stir-frying.
- Use a wok or large skillet to ensure even heat distribution and quick stir-fry.
- Choy sum or similar Asian greens add fresh flavor and texture; stems and leaves are added at different times for optimal cooking.
- Do not over-toss noodles to avoid breaking them down.
