Chicken and rice noodle stir fry is a popular Chinese takeout dish that you can easily make at home. The recipe is very simple, making it perfect for a midweek dinner when you just need to pull something together quickly. The fresh rice noodles are soaked in dark soy sauce before frying to ensure the beautiful caramel colour is evenly spread through. The veggies are flash-fried to keep their crunch, then covered in a Chinese oyster and soy based sauce. The total cost of this recipe comes to about $6.50 for two big servings which is another reason to make this dish!
Every time I release a new recipe on the blog, I always do a little research beforehand. I have noticed that most rice noodle recipes online will usually call for dried rice sticks. This seems really odd to me and it got me thinking… why? Because growing up, mum only ever used the dried version when we ran out of the fresh stuff. I honestly don’t mind the dried rice sticks but it really doesn’t compare to the fresh ones in my opinion.
Dried rice sticks have a distinct taste which I find can be over powering at times. I agree it does have its place in the world like Pad Thai (where you do need something that holds together better) but the fresh version is so much more softer and tastier. Granted it has not hit the shelves of mainstream groceries yet (not here in Australia anyway) but don’t let this stop you. Visit your local Asian grocery and get the fresh stuff. I promise it will be well worth the effort and your family will agree!
My Tips for Success
- If using the breast, cut chicken against the grain. It just makes it softer and easier to eat.
- Have everything prepped and ready to go before you start cooking. The cooking time for this meal is under 5 minutes so you have no time do anything else.
- Buying all the sauces may seem a lot at the start but they are staples in Chinese cuisine. You’ll have plenty of opportunity to use them again and they will keep.
- Any veggies in the fridge needing to be eaten soon? Chuck them in!
Protect the SLURP!
Like with all things, there are some pitfalls that you will want to avoid when using fresh rice noodles. Especially – preventing the noodles from breaking up into mush. Obviously, the dish will still taste good if the noodles are broken up but you want to be able to slurp them. I know it is considered bad manners in the Western world but there is so much satisfaction to be had. Here are some solid tips to get you started on your way to slurp heaven.
- Do not soak, boil or rinse fresh rice noodles for a stir-fry. (Noodle soups are a different story.)
- If the noodles were stored in the fridge and have gone hard, put them in the microwave for a few minutes to soften.
- Before using, separate the noodle strands from each other using your hands.
- Cover the noodles in the dark soy sauce beforehand, so you don’t need to worry about noodles getting evenly coloured while they’re cooking in the pan. This will not cause the noodles to break easily.
- Please use a non-stick pan or wok. PLEASE.
- Do not handle them with anything sharp, including tongs unless they have the rubber bits on the end.
- To combine the noodles with the sauce and other ingredients, toss it using the pan. You will get the odd piece of food or sauce to the face but them noodles gonna be geeeeeeeeeewd!
- Pour the noodles from your fry pan or wok into the serving bowls / plates / mouths instead of picking the noodles up with tongs and placing them in. I know… you are thinking Scruff that’s extreme and a little bat sh!t crazy. Just trust me on this one.
Recipe Costings
This table shows how much this recipe will cost if you had to go out and buy everything on the ingredients list (“Shop Price”), as well as the value of ingredients actually used in the recipe (“Recipe Cost”).
We haven’t bothered with small quantities of salt, pepper or sugar as the cost would be negligible. All prices are in Australian dollars and are based off what was published on Coles Online or Woolworths Online as at time of writing.
Serving size: 2 people (large portions)
| Ingredient | Quantity Bought | Shop Price | Recipe Needs | Recipe Cost |
| Dark soy sauce | 500 ml bottle | $4.00 | 1 tsp (5 ml) | $0.04 |
| Fresh rice noodles | 1 kg packet | $2.40 | 600 gm | $1.44 |
| Garlic | 1 bulb at $25/kg | $1.50 | 1 clove | $0.15 |
| Brown onion | 1 at $2.90/kg | $0.52 | 1/2 | $0.26 |
| Chicken breast | 1 at $9.50/kg | $3.61 | 200 gm | $1.90 |
| Pak choy | 1 bunch | $2.50 | 1/2 | $1.25 |
| Bean sprouts | 250 gm packet | $2.00 | 125 gm | $1.00 |
| Light soy sauce | 500 ml bottle | $2.85 | 2 tbsp (30 ml) | $0.17 |
| Oyster sauce | 320 ml bottle | $2.50 | 2 tbsp (30 ml) | $0.23 |
| Chinese cooking wine | 640 ml bottle | $1.40 | 1 tbsp (15 ml) | $0.03 |
| Total | $23.28 | $6.47 |
Optional Extras
If you have the budget and don’t mind adding a few more ingredients to elevate the recipe, then the following are good additions:
- Thin strips of carrot
- Thin strips of capsicum (bell peppers)
- Broccoli florets
- Any leftover meats
Other Recipes You May Like
- Quick Rice Noodle Salad with Vietnamese Ham
- Rice Noodle Stir Fry in Egg Gravy (Wat Tan Hor)
- Easy Chicken and Hokkien Noodle Stir Fry
- Bok Choy and Shiitake Mushroom Stir Fry
- Cheap Pasta Stir Fry
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– Scruff
Chicken and Rice Noodle Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
- 80 gm pak choy or you choice of Asian green, roughly chopped
- 200 gm chicken breast or thigh, thinly sliced
- 600 gm fresh rice noodles
- 2 tsp water
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbs oil
- 100 gm bean sprouts
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
- 1 tsp sugar
Garnishes
- 1 stalk spring onion (scallion), chopped (optional)
- 4 stalks coriander, chopped (optional)
Condiments
- sriracha sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare all your vegetables and chicken, and combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl.
- In a large bowl, add your rice noodles. With your hands, pull apart any strands that are stuck together.
- In a small bowl, mix the water with the dark soy sauce. Then pour over the rice noodles and use your hands to gently combine. Leave aside until needed.
- Bring a large non stick fry pan / wok to high heat and add 1 tbsp of oil. Once smoking, add the chicken and fry for 30 seconds.
- Add the garlic and onion. Cook until there is no pink left on the chicken and then add 2 tbsp of the sauce and stir-fry for 20 seconds.
- Add the pak choy to the fry pan / wok and toss. Once the pak choy starts to wilt add the noodles and the rest of the sauce. Toss the noodles and let it warm through for a minute.
- Check the noodles are hot, then add the bean sprouts. Toss the noodles again and serve immediately.
- Garnish with coriander and/or spring onions and serve with sriracha (if using).
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