Mary Berry’s ‘gently spiced’ chicken chow mein recipe
When you’re ordering takeout, the price can gradually creep up, but a simple chicken chow mein can be made at home for a fraction of the cost.
When you buy ready-made sauce for a stir-fry, you’re likely to use the whole packet on the day when you decide to cook chicken chow mein.
But, if like Mary Berry, you make your own sauce, not only do you have all the ingredients to make it a few more times, it will taste fresher.
Plus, it’s super simple to make your own sauce for a lovely chicken chow mein that can be added to your culinary skillset.
Here’s how to recreate Mary Berry’s chicken chow mein with a sauce that will taste delicious.
Chicken chow mein
Serves: four people
Ingredients
Three nests of fine egg noodles
Two tbsp sunflower or sesame oil
Two chicken breasts, skinned and sliced into 2cm cubes
One tbsp runny honey
One small onion, finely chopped
15g piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
175g chestnut button mushrooms, thickly sliced
Two cloves garlic, finely grated
For the sauce
Two tbsp black bean sauce
One tsp soy sauce
One tbsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
Two spring onions, sliced
175g beansprouts
Method
Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain and set aside. Toss the chicken in the runny honey.
Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a large non-stick wok (or non-stick frying pan) and stir-fry the chicken over a high heat for a few minutes until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining oil to the pan, then the onion and cook over a high heat, covered with a lid, for about three minutes. Add a drop of water to prevent burning, if needed. Stir in the ginger, mushrooms and garlic, and fry for about three minutes.
The sauce
Mix the black bean sauce, soy sauce and rice or white wine vinegar together in a small bowl with two tablespoons of water.
Add the drained noodles to the pan with the vegetables, toss well, then add the sauces, spring onions and the cooked chicken.
Stir-fry for a few minutes. Add the bean sprouts, season with black pepper and serve.