Guyanese Style Chicken Chow Mein is a delicious fusion of Chinese and Caribbean flavors; tender marinated chicken tossed with fresh veggies, chewy noodles, and a savory sauce. This well-balanced meal comes together in just 40 minutes, for a deliciously satisfying dinner.
Guyanese Chicken Chow Mein
Chicken chow mein is one of those dishes that most Guyanese people make on special occasions (holidays, birthday parties, etc) or for lunch on Sundays. But in my house, it’s an “any day you don’t feel like cooking too much but want something delicious” kind of meal to prepare.
That’s probably why I have so many variations like these Whole 30 Compliant Ground Beef Chow Mein and Guyanese Style Chicken Chowmein recipes.
Why You’ll Love This Guyanese Style Chicken Chow Mein Recipe
- Quick & Easy: It’s quick and perfect for lazy days. We have it so often that it’s become a family favorite. And it’s ready in less than one hour.
- Healthier Than Takeout: If you’ve ever had Chinese takeout then you know how delicious it can be, in all its greasy glory. But when you make it at home, you control the amount of sodium, and oil, and can use fresher ingredients.
- A Delicious Fusion: This may not be authentic chicken chow mein in the traditional sense but making this Guyanese style is super yummy!
What is Chow Mein?
Chow mein is a Chinese-American dish traditionally made with egg noodles and stir-fried veggies in a wok.
Ingredients for Chicken Chow Mein
As you can see this easy chow mein recipe has elements of Chinese, American and Guyanese cuisine. It’s a fun tasty twist that makes for an excellent infusion of flavors from all over the world.
- Dried chow mein noodles: You can usually find this in the Asian aisle at your local grocery store. Or buy my favorite champion brand from amazon through this affiliate link.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs provide a rich flavor. But you can use chicken breasts or bone-in chicken cut up. Check out this post to see how to butcher a whole chicken.
- Onion: Thinly sliced.
- Seasoning: I use Chinese 5 spice and garlic powder.
- Green Cabbage: Thinly shredded.
- Green onions: Finely chopped.
- Carrots: Julienned.
- Broccoli (spears and stalk): About 1 cup.
- Petite green beans: Cut them into 2 Inch pieces. This is a substitute for Chinese long beans (bora beans). If you have access to bora beans, use those instead.
- Baby bell peppers: You can use red or green bell peppers. I prefer baby bell peppers because they are easier to digest that the standard bell peppers.
Chicken Seasoning
- Dried thyme: This adds herby flavor.
- Cassareep: This a thick brown syrup made from boiling down cassava and enhancing it with sugar and spices. Use soy sauce as an alternative if necessary. Substitute with coconut aminos for a soy and sugar-free option
- Garlic cloves: grated
- Brown sugar: If you end up using coconut aminos in this chicken chow mein recipe, skip this.
- Seasoning: The chicken is seasoned with onion powder, salt, black pepper, and Chinese 5 spice.
- Brown mustard: This helps the spices stick to the chicken. It is a bit spicier than dijon mustard.
- Ketchup: For a hint of sweet tomato flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Guyanese Chicken Chow Mein
Season the Chicken
I always prep and season my chicken before doing anything else. This way it marinates while I am prepping my vegetables.
Prep the Vegetables
Julienne your bell peppers (or baby bell pepper in my case), julienne your carrots, blanch your vegetables if you are using those, and have everything ready to go before you start cooking.
I also measure out my seasoning ingredients ahead of time if I am following a recipe. You don’t want to be hunting for a particular spice while you are stir-frying on high heat! No one likes burnt food, especially burnt chow mein.
Cook the Vegetable
You can vegetables separately from the meat or do it all together. When I first started cooking, I prepared chicken then added all of the vegetables into the pot with the chicken and stir-fry them all together. It is simple and produces a really delicious chow mein.
But all the color of the vegetables gets washed away by the sauce from the chicken, so I started sautéing them separately, then adding everything back together. It’s just a preference. Do what works for you. Both ways are delicious.
Cook the Chicken
Add large skillet or wok to medium heat. When it is hot add the oil. When the oil is hot add the onions and cook until the onions are translucent and soft. Then add the seasoned chicken. Cook the chicken stirring often until it is cooked all the way through.
Add in the veggies and the cooked noodles
If you didn’t cook the veggies separately you can add them to the pan in order of the toughest to cook first. That is, long bean or broccoli will take longer to cook than peppers and cabbage, so add those to the pot first.
Then add in your cooked noodles. I cook my noodles while I’m cooking the chicken and veggies so that it is ready to add to the chicken right when I need it. This way it doesn’t cool down and clump together. Finish it off with some scallions and your chow mein is ready.
To take the flavor of my chow mein up a notch I serve it with a garlicky sesame oil sauce. I love serving the sauce on the side and then dinners can pour it over the chow mein and mix it together for a real hands-on dining experience. And by diners, I mean my husband and children!
Substitutions & Variations
- Vegetarian Chow Mein. Add pre-cooked tofu instead of chicken.
- Noodle. Use dry spaghetti, rice noodles, or yakisoba as a substitute for chow mein noodles.
- Vegetables. Consider adding bok choy, wiri wiri peppers, bean sprouts, spinach, or kale.
- Chicken Lo Mein. Instead of pan-fried noodles, try soft lo mein noodles.
Equipment
- Large skillet or wok: This cooks each element of the recipe. Woks are preferred because they are deep and retain heat well.
- Large bowl: This contains the cooked chicken as you prepare the other elements of the dish.
Storage
After it has completely cooled, store leftover chow mein in an airtight container in the fridge. Consume within 5 days. Add a splash of water and reheat over medium heat in a skillet until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Although the two dishes are often used interchangeably, chow mein refers to dried noodles and lo mein references fresh egg noodles.
Guyana is a fusion of six cultures and Chinese is one of them. Guyanese people of Chinese descent pass down their traditions and the result is delicious fusion dishes like this Guyanese chicken chow mein. This recipe includes common Guyanese ingredients like cassareep and bora beans.
Chow mein sauce tends to be a mix of sweet and savory flavors. Different recipes use various ingredients to achieve this balance. For this recipe, I use Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos Garlic Sauce with sesame oil and red pepper flakes. Other recipes may use ingredients like oyster sauce, chicken broth, sugar, soy sauce, and cornstarch (for thickness).
Guyanese Chicken Chow Mein
Equipment
- Large skillet or wok
- Large Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 Packet dried chow mein noodles
- Water for boiling the noodles
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs Can also use bones in chicken
- 3 tablespoons oil (suitable for cooking)
- 1 small onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup petite green beans cut Into 2 Inch pieces (substitute for chinese long bean (bora) If available
- 1/2 head spears stalk sliced and spears separated
- 1/3 Green Cabbage Thinly shredded
- 1 carrot julienned
- 4 green onions finely chopped (white divided from green)
- 4 baby bell peppers
To season the chicken
- 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cassareep or soy sauce may substitute with coconut aminos for a soy and sugar free option
- 3 cloves garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar skip if using coconut aminos
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
- 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
Instructions
Cook the noodles
- Follow the instructions on the packet to cook the noodles, then drain and set aside. For best results try to cook your noodles so that they are finished cooking just when it is time to add them to the other ingredients.
Season the Chicken
- Cut chicken into 1 inch chunks. Then add to a large bowl along with thyme, cassareep or soy sauce, grated garlic, brown sugar (or coconut aminos), salt, mustard, black pepper, Chinese 5 spice and ketchup. Mix well, then set aside and let marinate while you prep your vegetables.
Cook the Chicken
- Add large skillet or wok to medium heat. When it is hot add the oil. When the oil is hot add the onions and cook until the onions are translucent and soft.
- Increase the heat to high and add the seasoned chicken. Cook the chicken stirring often until it is cooked all the way through (about 8 minutes) If you are using bone in chicken, you can reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and let the chicken cook for 10-15 minutes.
Add the vegetables: Two Options
- Add the vegetables (except for the pepper, green part of the scallions and cabbage) to the cooked chicken and cook for another 5 minutes, constantly stirring for even cooking.
- Then add the peppers, granulated garlic, pinch of salt and remaining Chinese Five Spice and sauté for 2-3 minutes, then add the green onions and the cabbage.
or
- Before you cook the meat in step 1 above, after cooking the onions, add the vegetables add the vegetables (except for the pepper, green stems for the scallions and cabbage) and cook on high heat for 3-5, stirring often. Then remove from the pan and set aside. Then add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and cook the chicken following the instructions from above.
- Then add the peppers, granulated garlic, pinch of salt and remaining Chinese Five Spice and sauté for 2-3 minutes, then add the green onions and the cabbage. Then add back in the chicken to the pan and mix well.
Add the noodles
- Add the cooked noodles to the cooked chicken and vegetables and continue to cook for a few minutes on high heat while mixing well. Top with the remaining scallions. Remove from the heat and serve hot.
Notes
- The key to good chow mein is to have a bit of sauce in the cooked meat and vegetables so that once you add the noodles, it soaks all that goodness up.
- You could substitute the protein in this dish for any protein of choice or eliminate it altogether. Check out my Vegetable Chow Mein Recipe.
- It takes about 30 minutes to cook this dish if you have good time management. Cut up the chicken first, season, and set aside, put noodles on to boil, while the noodles are cooking prep veggies.
- CASSAREEP is a Guyanese reduction sauce (similar to soy sauce) made from cassava/yuca juice. It’s traditionally made by the indigenous peoples (Amerindians) of Guyana and makes stews and almost any dish you would add soy sauce to, taste amazing.
Nutrition
The information listed in the recipe card is an estimate provided by an online nutrition tool. The tool evaluates ingredient names and amounts then makes calculations based on the number of servings listed for the recipe. It is provided as a general guideline and not as a precise calculation. For precise nutrition information please feel free to add the ingredients to your preferred nutrition calculator or consult a doctor or licensed nutritionist.
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Vince D Says
Great recipe. I made mine with colossal shrimp and it was great. Thank you.
Nalini Says
Amazing. Looks like the 60s back again. Make sure to get a ‘mocaspot’ (sp?) next to pegasus. Namaste