Chow Mei Fun - mihun with chicken and vegetables

Ingredients

• 1chicken breast or thighs
• ½ tbspcornflour
• ⅛ tspsalt
• 1 tbspShaoxing rice wine
• 1 tspoil
• 100 gmihun, rice vermicelli or thin rice noodles
• 3spring onions
• 4 clovesgarlic
• ½red pepper
• 100 gmixed mushrooms
• 100 gbean sprouts
• 1 tbsplight soy sauce
• ½ tbspdark soy sauce
• ½ tbspoyster sauce
• 1 tspwhite pepper
• ½ tspsesame oil
• 2 tbspoil
• As neededwater

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the noodles

   Soak the mihun in hot water for 2 minutes. Drain, cut the noodles into shorter pieces and set aside.

2. 2

   Marinate the chicken

   Cut the chicken into thin strips. Mix it with the cornflour, salt and Shaoxing rice wine, kneading until the liquid is absorbed. Stir in 1 tsp oil and set aside.

3. 3

   Mix the sauce

   Combine the light and dark soy sauces with the oyster sauce, white pepper and sesame oil. Set the sauce aside.

4. 4

   Prepare the vegetables

   Finely chop the garlic. Slice the red pepper into thin strips and the mushrooms into slices. Finely chop the spring onions, keeping the white and green parts separate.

5. 5

   Cook the chicken

   Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add the chicken and fry until it has changed colour, then remove it from the pan and set aside.

6. 6

   Stir-fry and serve

   Add the remaining oil to the pan and fry the garlic and the white parts of the spring onions for 1 minute. Add the mihun, pepper, mushrooms and bean sprouts, and fry until the mushrooms begin to soften. Return the chicken to the pan, add the sauce and the green parts of the spring onions, then mix well and serve.

What is chow mei fun?

Chow mei fun is a stir-fried rice-noodle dish associated with Chinese cooking and found in many versions across Asia. This version pairs tender chicken with mihun, mushrooms, pepper and bean sprouts.

The combination works because the thin noodles take on the savoury sauce quickly, while the vegetables add freshness and varied texture. Spring onions are added in two stages for a mellow flavour from the whites and a fresher finish from the greens.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1750 calories, 0g protein, 0g carbs, 0g fat.

The rice noodles provide most of the carbohydrates, while the chicken supplies much of the protein. Oil, sesame oil and the sauces contribute fat, and the vegetables add volume; serve with extra fresh vegetables if you want to balance the plate with more greens.

Choose the right noodles

Mihun: These thin rice noodles soften quickly, so soak them for the stated 2 minutes and drain them well before stir-frying. Cutting them into shorter lengths makes the finished dish easier to mix and serve.

Water: The recipe gives no measured amount; use enough hot water to cover the noodles while they soak.

Keep the chicken tender

Marinade: The cornflour, salt and Shaoxing wine coat the chicken, while the small amount of oil is stirred in after the liquid has been absorbed. Cut the meat into evenly thin strips so it cooks at a similar pace.

Pan-frying: Cook the chicken just until it changes colour, then take it out while you cook the vegetables and noodles. It goes back into the pan at the end to warm through with the sauce.

Build the flavour in stages

Aromatics: Fry the garlic and the white spring onion pieces for 1 minute before adding the other ingredients. Keep them moving so they flavour the oil without catching.

Sauce: Mix the soy sauces, oyster sauce, white pepper and sesame oil before they go into the pan. This makes it easier to distribute the seasoning evenly through the noodles.

Watch the texture

Vegetables: Add the mushrooms, pepper and bean sprouts with the noodles, and cook until the mushrooms just begin to soften. This cue leaves the vegetables with some texture rather than cooking them until limp.

Noodles: Toss gently but thoroughly so the thin mihun picks up the sauce without breaking into very short pieces. Once the chicken and green spring onions are mixed in, serve promptly.

Serve it as a meal

The chicken and rice noodles make this a substantial bowl on their own. For a fuller table, serve with a simple cucumber salad or extra vegetables alongside.

Put any additional seasoning on the table rather than adding it automatically: the soy and oyster sauces already bring savoury flavour to the dish.

Recipe notes & tips

• Measure and prepare the sauce and vegetables before heating the pan, as the stir-frying stages move quickly.
• Drain the soaked noodles thoroughly so excess water does not dilute the sauce.
• Separate the spring onion whites and greens before cooking so they can be added at the right stages.
• Use a wide pan to make it easier to toss the noodles and vegetables evenly.
• Cut the chicken into thin, similar-sized strips for more even cooking.

Variations

• Use prawns: Replace the chicken with prawns and cook them just until pink and opaque.
• Make it vegetarian: Leave out the chicken and use a vegetarian oyster-style sauce.
• Add more vegetables: Include thinly sliced carrot with the pepper and mushrooms.
• Change the mushrooms: Use one variety of mushroom instead of a mixed selection.
• Adjust the seasoning: Add more white pepper to the sauce for a stronger peppery flavour.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Over-soaking the noodles: They can become fragile in the pan; stick to the stated 2 minutes and drain them well.
• Cutting the chicken too thickly: Thick pieces take longer to cook; slice the meat into thin, even strips.
• Crowding the pan: The ingredients may cook unevenly; use a wide pan so they can be tossed properly.
• Burning the garlic: It can turn bitter; fry it with the spring onion whites for only 1 minute.
• Cooking the vegetables until limp: They lose their texture; stop when the mushrooms begin to soften.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and eat within 2 days. Reheat until piping hot in a pan, stirring gently; add a small splash of water if the noodles seem dry.

Frequently asked questions