Lo mein with sweet and sour chicken
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2 Servings
60 Minutes
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Inspiration
“Lexi and I cooked this up as an homage to the lo mein at Asian Palace on Columbus Avenue, which has saved our lives a few times. We usually get it with the General Tso’s Tofu, but it’s Meat Week at the Market, so I’ll substitute this ‘Mall Chicken’ from Lucky Peach Presents 101 Easy Asian Recipes for our air-fryed bean curd.”
Shared by Market employee Steve Ali.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs and/or breasts, cut into 1” piece
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 Tbsp neutral flavored oil
2 Tbsp sesame seeds, for topping
Kosher salt or fine sea salt
For the lo mein:
6 oz dry chow mein/lo mein noodles
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 a large onion, thinly sliced
1/3 a head of broccoli, divided into bite-sized florets
1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp onion powder
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp minced garlic
soy sauce
neutral flavored oil
Kosher salt or fine sea salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 375°F, and whisk together the honey, ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and garlic until smooth. In another bowl, season the chicken with a small amount of salt and dust with the cornstarch. Toss to coat and knock off the excess.
Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Working in batches, sear the chicken pieces on all sides until a light crust forms, and remove to a baking dish.
Once all the chicken is seared, pour the sauce over top and toss to coat. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is bubbling and thick (about 20 minutes).
For the lo mein: coat the skillet in a thin layer of oil and heat on high. Once it shimmers, add in the spices and garlic, and stir to prevent them from burning. Once you can smell everything, add in the broccoli and red bell pepper. Toss the veggies in the oil then cover the skillet to give them time to steam.
Cook the noodles according to their manufacturer’s instructions. When they’re cooked and still hot, remove them to a large mixing bowl with a pair of tongs, and toss with the sautéd veggies and sliced onion (the carry-over heat will steam the onion slices). Dress with brown sugar and soy sauce to taste. To serve, pile in a bowl with a serving-spoon-full of chicken, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
