This is a reliable weeknight recipe for fried noodles with chicken that uses a short list of ingredients and comes together fast. Egg noodles are boiled, drained and coated in sesame oil before going into the pan, which keeps them from sticking and adds a mild nuttiness to the finished dish. The chicken is sliced finely so it cooks through in just a couple of minutes. Three soy-based sauces, light soy, red chilli and sweet soy, do most of the flavour work without any complicated prep. Beansprouts, lettuce and optional capsicum and carrot keep things fresh without making the dish heavy. If you enjoy chicken noodle stir-fry style cooking, this recipe follows a very similar approach.
About the Recipe
The recipe uses 200 gms of egg noodles and 250 gms of finely sliced chicken breast, which gives a good balance of noodle and protein in each serving.
The sauces go in at two stages. Red chilli sauce and a portion of the light soy go in with the raw chicken, and the remaining light soy and sweet soy go in with the noodles. This means the chicken picks up the chilli heat first, while the noodles get coated in a slightly sweeter sauce.
Tofu or paneer is fried separately until golden and added near the end so it holds its shape. For a vegetable-forward version of a similar dish, see Veg Fried Noodles.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Once the noodles are boiled, the stir-frying takes under ten minutes. The ingredient list is short enough that most of it is likely already in your kitchen.
The combination of light soy, red chilli sauce and sweet soy gives you a savoury, mildly spicy and slightly sweet flavour without measuring out a long list of spices. The optional capsicum and carrot add colour and a little crunch without changing the character of the dish.
It works equally well for a quick lunch or a simple dinner. Fans of chicken noodles with hoisin sauce will find this just as easy to pull off.
Cooking Tips
The most common mistake is skipping the cold water rinse after boiling the noodles. Without it, the noodles keep cooking from residual heat and turn soft before they even reach the pan. Tossing them in sesame oil straight after draining prevents clumping.
Keep the flame at medium throughout. High heat can dry out the thin chicken slices before they cook through.
Add the lettuce and beansprouts only in the last minute so they keep some texture rather than wilting completely.
Top Tips
- Rinse the boiled noodles under cold water immediately after draining to stop them overcooking and sticking together.
- Toss the drained noodles in sesame oil before setting them aside. This keeps them loose and adds flavour.
- Slice the chicken as finely and evenly as possible. Uneven pieces will leave some undercooked while others dry out.
- Fry the tofu or paneer cubes in a separate small pan until all sides are golden before adding them to the main pan. They will hold their shape much better.
- Add the lettuce and beansprouts in the final minute only. They need just enough heat to warm through, not to cook down.
- If using capsicum and carrot, slice them as thin as the recipe suggests so they soften in the short cooking time without needing extra minutes on the flame.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
Serve the noodles immediately after removing from the flame. The lettuce and beansprouts lose their texture quickly as they sit.
This dish does not store particularly well. The noodles absorb the sauce and soften overnight. If you do have leftovers, keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one day and reheat in a pan with a small splash of water or light soy sauce. Avoid the microwave if you can.
Do not freeze this dish as the noodle texture will not survive it.
Similar Recipes
- Chicken Noodle Stir-Fry
- Veg Fried Noodles
- Chicken Noodles with Hoisin Sauce
- Fried Chicken with Bean Shoots
- Garlic and Chicken Pepper Stir Fry
Nutrient Benefits
Chicken breast is a lean source of protein, which helps keep the dish relatively light despite the noodles. Beansprouts contribute a small amount of vitamin C and folate. Tofu adds plant-based protein and some calcium, while paneer provides calcium and fat if used instead. Carrots, when included, add beta-carotene and a little fibre.
Chicken Fried Noodles
Ingredients
- 250 gms, finely sliced Chicken Breasts
- 200 gms Egg Noodles
- 1 tblsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tblsp Vegetable Oil
- 2 cloves, small, finely chopped Garlic
- 1 , small, finely sliced Onion
- 3 tblsp Light Soy Sauce
- 2 tblsp Red Chilli Sauce
- 1 tblsp Sweet Soy Sauce
- Lettuce - handful, chopped
- 2 tblsp, chopped into cubes Tofu (or Paneer)
- 1/4 cup Beansprouts
- Sea Salt as per taste
- Optional:
- 2 tblsp, finely sliced Red Capsicum
- 2 tblsp, cut into thin sticks Carrot
Instructions
- Heat a large pot of salted water over medium flame.
- Bring to a boil.
- Add the noodles and cook for 10 minutes.
- Drain well and rinse under cold water.
- Drain again and transfer to a bowl.
- Add the sesame oil and toss well.
- Heat vegetable oil in a pan over medium flame.
- Saute the onions and garlic for a minute or until onions turn golden brown.
- Add the chicken pieces and stir well.
- Add the red chilli sauce and 3/4 tblsp of light soy sauce.
- Stir well and cook for a minute.
- Add the remaining light soy sauce, noodles and sweet soy sauce.
- Mix well and cook for a minute or two.
- Fry the tofu (or paneer) cubes into little oil until golden brown.
- Add to the pan along with lettuce, capsicum, carrots and beansprouts.
- Toss gently and cook for a minute.
- Remove from flame and serve at once.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use any other type of noodle instead of egg noodles?
Rice noodles or flat wheat noodles work if egg noodles are not available. The cooking time will vary, so follow the packet instructions rather than the ten minutes in this recipe, which is specific to egg noodles. Thinner rice noodles need only two to three minutes and can turn mushy quickly if left too long. The rest of the recipe stays the same.
How do I know when the chicken is fully cooked?
Because the chicken is sliced finely, it cooks through quickly, usually within two to three minutes over medium heat. The pieces should turn from pink to opaque white all the way through with no pink remaining in the centre. If you are unsure, press a piece with a spatula. Fully cooked thin slices will feel firm rather than soft and yielding.
Can I leave out the tofu and paneer?
Yes. Both are optional and the dish works fine with just the chicken, noodles and vegetables. If you do want to include them, frying separately until golden before adding to the main pan is important. Added raw to the pan, they tend to break apart and become difficult to manage.
My noodles always clump together in the pan. What am I doing wrong?
The most likely cause is skipping either the cold water rinse or the sesame oil toss after draining. The rinse stops the noodles from continuing to cook and sticking to each other, and the sesame oil coats each strand so they stay separate. Also make sure the noodles are well drained before they go into the pan. Excess water causes them to steam rather than fry, which makes clumping worse.
Is this the same as Chinese chicken fried noodles?
This recipe draws from a broadly Asian stir-fry approach. The use of light soy, sweet soy and red chilli sauce gives it a flavour that is familiar in Chinese-style fried noodle dishes, and ingredients like tofu and beansprouts appear across several Asian cuisines. It is not an exact replica of any single restaurant style, but it will taste recognisably similar to the fried egg noodles with chicken you would find in most Asian-style home cooking.
Such a helpful recipe! The steps are clear and easy to follow.