Chicken Chow Mein

Description

 * serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

 * 1 pound bean sprouts
 * 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 7 to 8 ounces each

Marinade

 * 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
 * 1 teaspoon soy sauce
 * salt and pepper, to taste
 * 1 small piece (less than 1 teaspoon) cornstarch

Sauce

 * ¼ cup water or low-sodium chicken broth
 * 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
 * 1 tablespoon soy sauce
 * salt and pepper, to taste
 * 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 4 tablespoons water

Other

 * ½ pound dry wonton noodles
 * 2 medium ribs celery
 * 1 pound bok choy or broccoli
 * ½ pound fresh mushrooms
 * 1 red bell pepper
 * ½ red onion
 * 1 green onion
 * vegetable oil for frying and stir-frying, as needed
 * ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds

Directions

 * 1) One or 2 hours before cooking, rinse the mung bean sprouts so that they have time to drain thoroughly.
 * 2) Cut the chicken into thin strips.
 * 3) Add the marinade ingredients, add the cornstarch last.
 * 4) Marinate the chicken for 20 to 25 minutes.
 * 5) The following 3 steps can be completed while the chicken is marinating:.

Sauce

 * 1) Whisk the water or chicken broth with the oyster sauce, soy sauce, salt, pepper and cornstarch and set aside.

Wontons

 * 1) Soften the noodles by placing them in boiling salted water.
 * 2) Plunge into cold water to stop the cooking process and drain thoroughly.

Vegetables

 * 1) Wash all the vegetables as needed.
 * 2) Cut the celery and the bok choy into ½-inch pieces on the diagonal.
 * 3) If substituting broccoli for bok choy, peel the stalks until no more strings come out, and slice thinly on the diagonal.
 * 4) Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth and slice.
 * 5) Cut the red bell pepper in half, remove the seeds and cut into chunks.
 * 6) Peel and chop the onion.
 * 7) Dice the green onion.

Assembly

 * 1) Heat a wok or frying pan over medium-high to high heat.
 * 2) Add 2 tablespoons oil.
 * 3) When the oil is hot, add the noodles.
 * 4) Fry in batches until golden.
 * 5) Remove the noodles from the pan.
 * 6) Heat 2 tablespoons oil.
 * 7) Add the onion and the meat.
 * 8) Let the meat brown briefly, then stir-fry until the redness is gone and the meat is nearly cooked through.
 * 9) Remove the cooked meat and onion from the pan.
 * 10) Cook the rest of the vegetables separately, seasoning each with a bit of salt while stir-frying if desired.
 * 11) When cooking the bok choy or broccoli, add ¼ cup of water and cover while cooking.
 * 12) Remove each of the vegetables from the pan when finished stir-frying.
 * 13) Add more oil as needed.
 * 14) Give the gravy a quick restir.
 * 15) Add all the ingredients back into the wok, making a "well" in the middle if the wok for the gravy.
 * 16) Add the gravy, stirring quickly to thicken.
 * 17) Mix everything together.
 * 18) Stir in the green onions.
 * 19) Pour the cooked vegetable and sauce mixture on top of the noodles.
 * 20) Garnish the chow mein with the toasted sesame seeds.
 * 21) Serve hot.