My love for stir-fried
Asian-style noodle dishes runs wide and deep. I just can’t help
it. I love them. I never tire of meals like this and while they don’t
all end up wowing me and subsequently being posted here, this simple
chicken lo mein number certainly did.
So, so super easy to
prepare, after the noodles are cooked and the chicken marinades for a
quick 15-minute stint, this meal comes together lightning fast. Maybe
that’s why I love stir-fried meals so much; I can usually count
on the good ones being fast, flavorful and (sorry, I have to do it)
freakishly fantastic.
The vegetables could
definitely be changed up a bit, depending on what you have on hand.
I’m thinking asparagus or cauliflower or green beans or
zucchini would work great (among many other things). It’s
really the drinkable sauce that makes this meal pop with flavor and
pizzazz. I had trouble tracking down fresh stir-fry noodles so I
opted for very unauthentic spaghetti and it was still wonderful.
Even though we’ve
recently moved back to the land of real, live restaurants (for the
last couple of years, we had a few local diners + DQ + Subway unless
driving 2 hours for dinner sounds fun), I’m having a hard time
getting up the energy to change out of my sweatshirt, pop into
society and order something from an official restaurant when a meal
like this can be made in less time, with less money, and tastes
waaaay better than takeout. Lo Mein = Love.
Stir-Fried Chicken and Vegetable Lo Mein Yield: Serves 6
The original recipe
calls for fresh stir-fry noodles. You could certainly use them but
they are hard to find (at least for me). Dry spaghetti isn't exactly
authentic, but it works deliciously. If using fresh noodles, adapt
the recipe according to the package directions (they may need to be
boiled in advance or you might be able to just toss them in with the
sauce and chicken at the end).
1-2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
5 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted or not
Directions
For the marinade, whisk together
the broth, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, and
cornstarch. Place the chicken in a resealable zipper bag and pour
1/2 cup of the marinade over the chicken. Seal the bag and
refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 4 hours or so,
reserving the rest of the sauce.
Cook the noodles in a pot of
boiling, salted water. Drain and rinse lightly with cool water. Set
aside.
In a large 12-inch nonstick
skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a
single layer with space in between each piece so that the chicken
browns nicely (you may need to cook the chicken in two batches),
seasoning with a light touch of salt and pepper as it cooks. Cook
until the chicken is browned on all sides and cooked through, about
3-4 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces. Transfer
the chicken to a plate.
To the hot skillet, add the
broccoli, bell peppers and garlic. Stir fry, stirring often, for 2-3
minutes.
Add the reserved sauce, noodles,
and chicken. Cook, tossing every so often so the ingredients are
evenly coated in the sauce, for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce
thickens and the noodles are heated through.
Serve and garnish with sesame
seeds.
Recipe Source: adapted from a recipe in Cuisine
at Home, October 2014 (increased to serve 6 instead of 4, changed up all the sauce ingredients, used dry noodles
instead of fresh stir-fry noodles, adapted the method to use the
marinade differently)
Melanie Gunnell is a food-loving, chocolate-obsessed mom who has a desperate need to share
her favorite tried-and-true recipes with the world. In a past life she graduated from Brigham
Young University with a degree in public health, but for the past ten years, stay-at-home
motherhood has been her job along with blogging-from-home for the past five.
She resides in the brilliantly cold tundra of Northern Minnesota with her husband and their brood
of five children: four boys and one tiny, bossy girl. Dark chocolate (particularly the act of
shoving chocolate chips in her mouth whilst hiding in the pantry) is her coping skill of choice for
both the never-ending winters and the never-ending wrestling matches in her front room.