Classic Midwestern Chow Mein with Rice
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: main dish chicken
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, about 12 ounces
- 2 large or three small stalks celery with leaves if possible, sliced diagonally into 1/3” pieces
- 2 medium-sized carrots, sliced diagonally into 1/4” pieces
- 1 large onion, cut in half pole to pole, then sliced pole to pole, 1/3 inches
- 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into 1/3 inch pieces, then cut into thirds
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon sugar
- 4 cups of chicken stock or water
- 1 cup of bean sprouts, from a 14-ounce can, drained
- 1 small can or jar (4 to 5 ounces) of sliced mushrooms, drained
- 1 small can water chestnuts sliced or whole and sliced yourself, drained
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (or to taste)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup of water (see note in recipe)
- thinly sliced green onion for garnish
Note:
- A can Chinese vegetables, drained, may be used instead of the bean sprouts, mushrooms, and water chestnuts. Check for ingredients.
Instructions
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, add chicken breasts, celery, carrots, onion, bell pepper, garlic salt, and sugar. Add stock or water, bring to a boil then reduce to a gentle simmer. Partially cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are soft but still have some texture, 15 minutes or so. Remove the chicken, cut or shred, and set aside.
At a low simmer, add the canned/jarred vegetables of choice and the soy sauce. Heat through.
In the meantime, place the cornstarch into a small cup and while stirring, add in the water to form a slurry. Add slurry to the pot, gently stirring until the sauce has thickened. (See note.) Add the chicken back to the pot to heat through. Taste and just the amount of Soy Sauce if needed.
Serve over rice garnished with Crispy Chow Mein Noodles.
Notes:
- If the sauce seems too thick, add a bit of water to thin.
- If the sauce isn’t’ thick enough for your taste, mix up a little more cornstarch slurry (start with a tablespoon of cornstarch) add to the pot and simmer for a minute or two.