Garlic Chicken Lo Mein

Ingredients:

For the Chicken:
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
For the Vegetables:
• 10 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups cabbage, shredded
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 4 green onions, sliced
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
• 6 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
For the Noodles and Sauce:
• 8 ounces buckwheat lo mein noodles
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Szechuan garlic butter (see note)
• Cooking oil (e.g., canola or vegetable oil)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Chicken:
◦ In a bowl, combine cubed chicken, garlic powder, salt, pepper, fish sauce, and grated ginger. Mix well to coat the chicken evenly.
2. Cook the Noodles:
◦ Boil lo mein noodles according to package instructions, undercooking by 1–2 minutes to maintain firmness. Drain and set aside.
3. Sauté the Chicken:
◦ In a hot skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over medium-high heat.
◦ Add the seasoned chicken and cook until golden brown, about 6–8 minutes.
◦ In the last 2 minutes, add 1 tablespoon of Szechuan garlic butter and half of the minced garlic. Sauté until fragrant.
◦ Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
4. Sauté the Vegetables:
◦ In the same pan, add another tablespoon of cooking oil if needed.
◦ Add the remaining minced garlic and grated ginger; sauté for 1 minute.
◦ Add cabbage, carrots, green onions, mushrooms, broccoli, and celery. Stir-fry until vegetables are tender-crisp, about 5–7 minutes.
5. Combine and Sauce:
◦ Return the cooked chicken to the pan with the vegetables.
◦ Add the undercooked noodles to the pan.
◦ Stir in soy sauce, hoisin sauce, fish sauce, black pepper, and the remaining Szechuan garlic butter.
◦ Toss everything together over medium heat until noodles are fully cooked and the sauce evenly coats all ingredients, about 2–3 minutes.
6. Serve:
◦ Remove from heat and serve hot.