Chicken Chow Mein Base
Chicken, cabbage, carrot and pepper in a glossy soy and oyster sauce. Toss through egg noodles for a takeaway-style chow mein.
makes 19 blocks, about 38p each
- Time
- 30 min15 min prep · 15 min cook
- Makes
- 19 blocks
- Cost per blockPer block
- 38p
- Calories per blockCalories
- 74 kcal
- Spice
- 1 of 5
You’ll need
- 600gchicken thigh fillets, thin strips
- 200gwhite cabbage, finely shredded
- 200gcarrots, matchsticks
- 1 (160g)red pepper, thin strips
- 1 (150g)onion, sliced
- 4 cloves (20g)garlic
- 15gfresh ginger
- 40mlsoy sauce
- 40mloyster sauce
- 10gsugar
- 10gcornflour
- 10mlsesame oil
- 4 (60g)spring onions, sliced
- 15mlrapeseed oil
- 200mlwater
Allergens: Molluscs, Sesame, Soya. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.
Serve it
Tossed through medium egg noodles · With beansprouts and a splash of chilli oil · Over rice if you're out of noodles
Method
- Step 1: Heat the oil in a wok or large pan over a high heat and stir-fry the chicken until golden and cooked through. (6 min)
- Step 2: Add the onion, carrots and pepper for 3 minutes, then the cabbage, garlic and ginger for 2 minutes more.
- Step 3: Mix the soy, oyster sauce, sugar, cornflour and water and pour in. Bubble for 2 minutes until glossy.
- Step 4: Off the heat, stir in the sesame oil and spring onions.
- Step 5: Cool quickly and freeze in 70g blocks.
Hotter: add a sliced red chilli with the garlic, or chilli oil at the table.
| kcal | protein | carbs | fat | fibre | salt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per block | 74 | 6.9g | 5.2g | 3g | 1g | 0.36g |
| Per 3 blocks | 222 | 20.7g | 15.6g | 9g | 3g | 1.08g |
Cook’s notes
- To serve 1: cook 1 nest of egg noodles, reheat 3 blocks with 2 tbsp water in a hot wok, then toss together for a minute.
- Keep the cabbage crisp; it softens more on reheating.
- Pork or beef strips work instead of chicken.
Serve it
Tossed through medium egg noodles · With beansprouts and a splash of chilli oil · Over rice if you're out of noodles.
Freeze, reheat and serve
- Freeze
- Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
- Reheat
- Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
- A portion
- 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 222 kcal and 20.7g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.
Chicken Chow Mein Base questions
Which noodles should I use for a gluten-free meal?
Egg noodles contain wheat, so use rice noodles instead, and check the labels on the soy and oyster sauces.
Can I change the vegetables?
Mangetout, pak choi or Chinese leaf work in place of some of the cabbage. Add beansprouts fresh when you serve, as they go limp in the freezer.
What can I use instead of oyster sauce?
A mushroom-based vegetarian stir-fry sauce is the closest swap. Use the same amount.
Sauces that go with it
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Updated . Nutrition, costs and yields are estimates. Gluten-free assumes tamari in place of soy sauce.