Guyanese Style Chicken Chowmein
This Guyanese Style Chicken Chowmein is a flavorful and colorful dish that blends tender marinated chicken with an assortment of fresh vegetables and perfectly cooked noodles. The seasoning and spices, including Chinese 5 spice, garlic, and soy sauce, bring a deep and savory flavor to the dish, while the vegetables add freshness and crunch. Whether you choose to cook the vegetables alongside the chicken or separately, this recipe is versatile and quick to prepare. The optional finishing sauce of coconut aminos garlic sauce and sesame oil adds a delicious finishing touch, enhancing the overall richness and flavor. Perfect for a weeknight meal or any special occasion, this chowmein is sure to satisfy!
Ingredients
- 1 Packet of dried Chowmein noodles
- 3 tablespoons of oil olive oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil
- 1½ lbs boneless chicken thighs
- 1 small onion thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon of Chinese 5 spice
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- Salt for taste
Vegetables
- ⅓ green cabbage thinly shredded (optional)
- 4 green onions finely chopped
- 1 carrot julienned
- ½ head of broccoli spears
- 1 cup petite green beans cut into 2-inch pieces
- 4 baby bell peppers julienned
- May replace the fresh vegetables with 2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables
To season the chicken:
- ½ tablespoon of dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon cassareep or soy sauce may substitute with coconut aminos for a soy free and sugar free option
- 3 cloves of garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon of brown sugar use coconut aminos for a sugar free option
- 2 teaspoons of onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
- 1 tablespoon of ketchup
Optional Finishing Sauce
- ¼ cup of coconut aminos garlic sauce or other Chinese garlic sauce
- 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
Instructions
Cook the noodles:
- Follow the instructions on the packet to cook the noodles, then drain and set aside. For best results try to cook your noodles so that they are finished cooking just when it is time to add them to the other ingredients
Season the chicken:
- Cut chicken into 1 inch chunks.
- Then season with thyme, cassareep or soy sauce, grated garlic, brown sugar (or coconut aminos), salt, mustard, black pepper, Chinese 5 spice and ketchup
- Set aside and let marinate while you are prepping your vegetables
Cooking the Chicken Chowmein
- Add oil to a large skillet or wok on medium heat. When oil comes up to temperature add onions and cook until onions are translucent and soft. Then increase the heat to high.
- Next, add seasoned chicken and sauté until chicken is fully cooked, stirring once or twice to ensure it doesn't burn. If you are using bone in chicken, you can reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and let the chicken cook for 10-15 minutes.
Adding the vegetables: Two options
- Option 1: Add the vegetables (except for the pepper, green onions and cabbage) to the cooked chicken and cook for another 5 minutes, constantly tossing for even cooking.
- Then add the peppers, granulated garlic, pinch of salt and remaining Chinese Five Spice and sauté for 2-3 minutes, then add the green onions and the cabbage.
- Option 2: Remove the meat from the pan and place in a clean bowl, then add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan.
- Next Add the vegetables (except for the pepper, green onions and cabbage) and sauté on high heat for 3-5.
- Then add the peppers, granulated garlic, pinch of salt and remaining Chinese Five Spice and sauté for 2-3 minutes, then add the green onions and the cabbage.
- Next add the chicken to the sautéed vegetables.
Adding the noodles
- Add the cooked noodles to the sautéed chicken and vegetables and stir-fry for a few minutes on high heat, mixing together well.
For the finishing sauce:
- Combine all the ingredients for the sauce, then drizzle over individual portions of chowmein as you serve them.