House special chow mein recipe

5 from 4 votes

House Special Chow Mein with crispy chow mein noodles tossed in a delicious chow mein sauce with chicken, shrimp, and bean sprouts.

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: house chow mein, House special chow mein, special chow mein

Servings: servings

If using chicken and shrimp, thinly slice the chicken to ⅛ inch thin pieces and do a quick 15-minute marinade. Follow our how to velvet chicken for details.
For shrimp, peel and devine then pat dry and set aside ready to use.

Follow your noodle package instructions. If the instructions require boiling, reduce the total time by 1 minute less to keep the noodles al dente and still a bit firm for stir frying. See notes for details.
Drain the noodles and shake out as much water as possible then spread them out in a large sheet pan and toss the noodles with 2 tsp oil. Keep the noodles dry so it’s easier to crisp them up in the pan. Set aside to cool down.

Preheat a large non-stick wok pan (12-inch wide) until it feels hot, pan sear the chicken in a single layer with 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat without disturbing until golden brown, about 2 minutes then cook the flip side for 1 minute.
Add the shrimp. As soon as the shrimp turns pink, about 2-3 minutes, turn off the heat. Transfer them out to set aside and keep warm.

Add 1 tbsp oil to a large well-heated non-stick pan or wok. When it feels quite warm, add the noodles. Spread them out into a single layer. Turn heat up to medium high and pan fry the noodles without disturbing for 2 minutes. The bottom will crisp up. Then use a spatula to flip the noodles. Add 0.5 tbsp oil along the edge of the pan so that the flip side can crisp up as well. Fry the noodles without disturbing for 1 minute.
Then use a pair of chopsticks to stir and toss to loosen the noodles a bit. The noodle texture should be crisp but not burnt. When you shake the pan, you should hear a crisp sizzle sound.

Push the noodles to one side of the wok, add the garlic, onion, chive, and 0.5 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt. Saute for 1 minute. Add-in the bean sprouts, season with another pinch of salt. Give another toss then return the chicken and the shrimp to the pan.

Stir the sauce one more time then with one hand stirring the noodles and another hand drizzle in the chow mein sauce, little-by-little until all the sauce is poured-in. Doing this ensures that all noodles are coated with the sauce evenly.

Turn off the heat. Transfer to a large serving plate. Drizzle with a bit more toasted sesame oil and a small dash of white pepper. Serve hot.

If using dry chow mein noodles (looks like instant ramen noodles):
- Bring a pot of water to boil, add a little oil to the water then add the noodles turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid. Soak the noodles for 3 minutes. This will prevent the noodles from turning too soft.
- When time’s up, use a pair of chopsticks to gently break away the noodles, and drain, and rinse the noodles under cold water. Set them aside to drain and shake away excess water. Toss the noodles with 2 tsp oil and spread them out over a large plate. Keep the noodles dry so it’s easier to crisp them up in the pan.
If using fresh chow mein noodles or Hong Kong-style pan-fried noodles (from the refrigerator aisle):
- Bring a pot of water to boil, and use your hands to gently toss and separate the strands as you add the noodles in. Toss the noodles for 30 seconds, using a pair of chopsticks, then drain the noodles and don’t rinse. The noodles aren’t fully cooked and should still feel quite firm and not too sticky.
- Shake off the excess water and spread it out over a large sheet pan or plate. They are ready for stir-frying.