Ever since Lori got me a wok for Christmas of 2020, there’s been no turning back. I’ve been rockin’ out with my wok out on a regular basis. So much so that my foodie friend Don Nguyen gifted me “The Wok: Recipes and Techniques” book by J. Kenji López-Alt. I highly recommend it if you want to really kick up your wok game.
Growing up in New Jersey, I got used to eating some of the best NY-style Chinese food. When cooking Chinese food at home, it makes a huge difference when you acquire and use traditional Chinese-made ingredients, such as Shaoxing Wine, Chinese Chinkiang Vinegar, and Pixian Doubanjiang. Pixian chili bean paste, or doubanjiang, is often called the soul of Sichuan cooking, as it is the deeply flavorful base of so many classic Sichuan dishes.
Chinese Noodles & Chicken Stir Fry
Equipment
- 1 Carbon Steel Wok
- 1 Wok Chuan also called a wok spatula
- 1 Infrared Thermometer Digital Temperature Gun For Wok temp, optional
Ingredients
Stir Fry Ingredients
- 8 oz Skinless, Boneless Chicken Thighs Cut into small pieces, 1½" cubes
- 8 oz Package KA-ME Chinese Noodles (Pre-cooked - follow package directions - cooks in 3 mins)
- 3 tbsp Grape Seed Oil, divided or other high heat cooking oil, like Avocado
- 2 cloves Garlic Minced
- ½ Red Bell Pepper Batonnet sliced
- ½ Yellow Bell Pepper Batonnet sliced
Garnish
- 1 Scallion ¼" green tops cut on a bias for garnish
Marinade Ingredients
- ½ tbsp Chinese Dark Soy Sauce
- ½ tbsp Shaoxing Wine
- ½ tbsp Corn Starch
Sauce Ingredients
- ½ tbsp Chinese Dark Soy Sauce
- ½ tbsp Shaoxing Wine
- ½ tbsp Chinese Chinkiang Vinegar
- 2½ tsp Pixian Doubanjiang
- 1 tsp Honey
- 1 tsp Brown Sugar
- ½ tsp MSG optional
Instructions
Marinate Chicken
- Combine chicken, 1/2 tbsp Chinese Dark Soy Sauce, 1/2 tbsp Shaoxing Wine, and 1/2 tbsp Corn Starch in medium bowl and mix thoroughly. Allow to marinate in fridge for 30 minutes.
Cook Noodles
- Cook noodles to package instructions, drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
Make the Stir Fry
- Whisk all sauce ingredients together. Re-whisk just before using at the end.
- Heat up a wok with 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil to 400. Check temperature with infrared temperature gun, or heat until oil is shimmering.
- Add the chicken to the wok and do not disturb for 30-40 seconds. Stir fry the chicken for another 30-40 seconds.
- Remove the chicken from the wok and into a bowl. Set aside.
- Clean the wok using tongs and a bunched up wad of paper towels. Heat it up with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil.
- Add in the minced garlic and stir-fry until light brown or aromatic. About 30 seconds.
- Add the bell peppers to the wok and do a few quick stirs.
- Stir in the noodles.
- Re-whisk sauce, and pour down the edges of the wok so it slides down the sides. Do not pour over top.
- Continue to stir fry until the noodles are well blended with the sauce and all of the ingredients, and the sauce is thickened, about 1 minute.
- Transfer into two serving bowls with tongs.
- Top with sauce from wok.
- Garnish with the scallions.
- Serve immediately.
