The Pan-Fried Rice Noodles My Dad's Made 100,000 Times

Ingredients

• 170 g (6 oz)rice noodles
• 170 g (6 oz)chicken breast
• 85 g (3 oz)shrimp
• 85 g (3 oz)snow peas
• 85 g (3 oz)carrot
• 85 g (3 oz)seafood mushrooms
• 85 g (3 oz)celery
• 14 g (0.5 oz)spring onion whites
• 14 g (0.5 oz)ginger
• 2 clovesgarlic
• 45 ml (3 tablespoons)oil
• 20 ml (4 teaspoons)oil
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)oil
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon)cooking wine
• 360 ml (1.5 cups)water
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon)sesame oil
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)Kikkoman® oyster sauce
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon)cooking wine
• 0.33 teaspoonwhite pepper
• 0.5 teaspoonsugar
• 2 teaspoonscornstarch
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)water
• 0.5 teaspoonwhite pepper
• 1 teaspooncornstarch
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)Kikkoman® oyster sauce
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)Kikkoman® light soy sauce
• 0.5 teaspoonKikkoman® dark soy sauce
• 0.33 teaspoonwhite pepper
• 1 teaspoonchicken bouillon powder
• 1 teaspoonsugar
• 0.5 teaspoonsalt
• 2.5 teaspoonspotato starch
• 48.75 ml (3.25 tablespoons)water

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the noodles

   Cover the dried rice noodles with hot water and leave them to soak for 5 minutes.

2. 2

   Slice the chicken

   Cut the chicken breast across the grain into thin slices about 0.25 inch (6 mm) thick.

3. 3

   Peel the shrimp

   Remove the shells from the shrimp.

4. 4

   Prepare the peas

   Wash the snow peas and remove their strings.

5. 5

   Mix the sauce

   In a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, white pepper, chicken bouillon powder, sugar and salt.

6. 6

   Make the slurry

   In a small bowl, mix the potato starch and water until thoroughly combined.

7. 7

   Heat the pan

   Set a stainless-steel pan over high heat and heat it for 1 to 2 minutes.

8. 8

   Heat the wok

   Set a wok over high heat and heat it for 1 to 2 minutes. The provided method ends at this point.

What are pan-fried rice noodles?

Pan-fried rice noodles are a Chinese-style noodle dish cooked with savoury seasonings and a mix of meat, seafood and vegetables. This version brings together chicken, shrimp, snow peas, carrot, celery and seafood mushrooms.

Its combination of oyster sauce, soy sauces and white pepper builds a rounded, savoury flavour. The method supplied here gives the preparation and initial heating stages, but not the full cooking sequence.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 700 calories, 38g protein, 76g carbs, 27g fat.

The rice noodles and sugar supply most of the carbohydrates; the listed oils contribute much of the fat, while chicken and shrimp provide most of the protein. Serve a moderate portion with extra vegetables on the side to add variety to the plate.

Preparing the noodles

Short soak: The recipe calls for soaking dried rice noodles in hot water, covered, for 5 minutes. The excerpt does not say how soft they should be afterwards, so check their texture rather than assuming they are fully cooked.

Handle gently: Rice noodles can break if stirred roughly, especially after soaking. Keep them ready to use without compressing them into a tight bundle.

Getting the ingredients ready

Chicken: Cutting across the grain into thin slices helps make the pieces easier to eat. Keep the slices similar in thickness for more even cooking.

Vegetables and seafood: Wash and remove the strings from the snow peas, and peel the shrimp as directed. The ingredient list also includes carrot, celery, seafood mushrooms, spring onion whites, ginger and garlic.

Building the seasoning

Sauce bowl: The method combines oyster sauce, light and dark soy sauces, white pepper, chicken bouillon powder, sugar and salt. Mixing these together first makes the seasoning easier to add evenly.

Starch slurry: Stir the potato starch and water until smooth before using. Starch settles quickly, so it may need another mix if it stands.

Managing the heat

Pan and wok: The instructions specify heating a stainless-steel pan on high for 1 to 2 minutes, then doing the same with a wok. Use care with a hot, dry pan and avoid leaving it unattended.

Missing cooking details: The supplied method stops just after the wok is heated. It does not specify when to add the listed oils, how long to cook the topping, or when to add the sauce and slurry.

Serving and texture

The ingredient combination is intended to give the dish a mix of soft noodles, tender chicken and shrimp, and vegetables with some bite. Since the cooking and finishing instructions are not included, the exact doneness cues and serving sequence cannot be confirmed from this method.

For a balanced plate, serve the noodles alongside extra vegetables if you have them, rather than adding ingredients to the recipe itself.

Recipe notes & tips

• Measure the sauce ingredients before heating the pan or wok.
• Slice the chicken across the grain, as specified, for more manageable pieces.
• Stir the potato starch slurry again if it has been standing.
• Keep the soaked noodles loose so they are easier to handle.
• Use caution when working with a pan or wok heated on high.

Variations

• Extra vegetables: Serve with additional vegetables on the side rather than altering the listed ingredient quantities.
• More ginger: Add extra ginger only if you are happy to depart from the supplied ingredient list.
• Milder seasoning: Reduce the white pepper to suit your preference.
• Seafood emphasis: Use more shrimp and less chicken if adapting the recipe.
• Gluten check: Check the labels on the soy and oyster sauces if you need to avoid particular ingredients.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Over-soaking the noodles: Follow the specified 5-minute soak and check the noodles rather than leaving them unattended.
• Thick chicken slices: Cut across the grain into thin, even slices as directed.
• Lumpy slurry: Mix the potato starch and water thoroughly before using.
• Unmixed sauce: Combine the listed sauce ingredients in a bowl before cooking.
• Assuming the method is complete: The provided instructions end after heating the wok, so do not infer cooking times or additions from this excerpt.

How to store

The supplied recipe does not give storage guidance. As a general food-safety approach, refrigerate cooked leftovers promptly in a covered container and use within 2 days; reheat until piping hot throughout.

Frequently asked questions