Chicken Mei Fun Home-Style Noodle Recipe
This Chicken Mei Fun recipe features delicate thin rice vermicelli noodles stir-fried with tender marinated chicken, fresh vegetables, and fragrant seasonings. A simple yet flavorful home-style dish that’s perfect for a quick and satisfying meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
Scale
Noodles and Egg
- 150 grams (5.3 oz) dried thin rice vermicelli noodles
- 1 large egg
Vegetables
- 1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
- ½ medium onion (thinly sliced)
- ½ medium carrot (thinly striped)
- ¼ cup cabbage (thinly striped)
- ¼ cup celery (thinly striped)
- 2–3 scallion (green onion) greens (cut into 2-inch pieces)
Chicken Marinade
- 150 grams (5.3 oz) skinless chicken breast (cut into strips)
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- Salt (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon vegetable oil
Sauces and Oils
- 3 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon chicken powder (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper (additional for seasoning)
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Gather and prep the chicken, onion, garlic, carrot, cabbage, celery, and scallions by slicing and measuring as directed to have everything ready before starting to cook.
- Marinate Chicken: In a bowl, combine chicken strips with ground white pepper, salt, water, cornstarch, and vegetable oil. Mix thoroughly and let it marinate for 10-15 minutes to tenderize and flavor the meat.
- Soften Noodles: Soak the dried thin rice vermicelli noodles in hot water (not boiling) for 5-8 minutes until softened but not mushy. Test by tasting one noodle for texture.
- Drain Noodles: Rinse the softened noodles in cold water to stop the cooking process, drain well using a colander, and set aside ready for stir-frying.
- Beat Egg: Crack the egg into a bowl and beat it lightly to prepare for cooking.
- Cook Egg: Heat a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, swirl to coat, then pour in the beaten egg. As it begins to solidify, break into pieces and remove immediately to prevent overcooking.
- Cook Chicken: Increase heat to high until the pan is smoking hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil, then stir-fry the marinated chicken over medium-high heat until completely cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Make Stir-Fry Sauce: In a small bowl, mix together light soy sauce, oyster sauce, toasted sesame oil, and optional chicken powder until well combined to create the flavorful sauce.
- Stir-Fry Aromatics: Heat 1.5 tablespoons of oil in the same pan, add onion and minced garlic, and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Vegetables: Toss in the carrot, cabbage, and celery and stir-fry for another 30 seconds to lightly soften while keeping them crisp.
- Add Eggs and Chicken: Return cooked eggs and chicken to the pan, sprinkle in ground white pepper for seasoning, and mix well with the vegetables.
- Add Noodles: Add the prepared rice noodles and gently toss to heat evenly, being careful not to break the delicate noodles.
- Add Sauce and Scallions: Pour the stir-fry sauce over the noodles and chicken mixture, add the scallion greens, and toss everything together until well coated and heated through.
- Serve: Turn off the heat and serve the Chicken Mei Fun immediately for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use hot but not boiling water to soak noodles to avoid them becoming too soft or mushy.
- Marinating chicken with cornstarch and oil helps keep it tender and juicy during stir-frying.
- Be careful not to overcook the egg; removing it early keeps the pieces light and tender.
- If chicken powder is unavailable, you can omit it without significant change in flavor.
- Adjust the amount of soy and oyster sauce according to your taste preference and dietary needs.
- Use a wok or large skillet to ensure enough space for stir-frying and tossing ingredients evenly.
Keywords: Chicken Mei Fun, rice vermicelli noodles, Chinese stir-fry, home-style noodle recipe, quick chicken noodles
