Shanghai Stir-Fried Noodles With Chicken

By
Liv Wan
Liv Wan
Liv Wan is a former professional chef who has published three cookbooks about Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/19/23
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for the Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer and product tester at Food Network. 
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Shanghai Stir-Fried Noodles With Chicken on a platter

The Spruce / Ana Zelic

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 2 to 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
409 Calories
25g Fat
22g Carbs
22g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 409
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g 33%
Saturated Fat 2g 12%
Cholesterol 48mg 16%
Sodium 414mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 22g 8%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 22g
Vitamin C 15mg 75%
Calcium 37mg 3%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 274mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This stir-fried chicken dish uses Shanghai-style noodles. These are thick noodles that are packaged in plastic bags and sold fresh in Asian/Chinese markets. If you can’t find Shanghai noodles, feel free to replace them with Japanese udon noodles, or you can use thick Italian pasta such as linguini or tagliatelle. While this dish is usually served as a side dish, it is hearty enough to be a quick dinner in itself. You can adjust the seasonings to your taste.

“A very clear and detailed step-by-step recipe, which leaves the cook nothing to worry about. The recipe seems involved, but it really isn’t. The entire dish came together in about 35 minutes. Although the author states that this was intended to be a side dish for 4, it would also make a healthy main dish serving for 2 people.” —Diana Andrews

Shanghai Stir-Fried Noodles with Chicken/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces chicken breast

For the Marinade:

For the Stir-Fry:

  • 1/2 pound fresh Shanghai-style noodles

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil, or as needed

  • 6 tablespoons oil, divided

  • 1 large clove garlic, minced

  • 1 cup shredded cabbage

  • Soy sauce, salt, or sugar, optional, for seasoning

  • 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce, mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons water

  • 1 medium spring onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Shanghai Stir-Fried Noodles With Chicken ingredients

    The Spruce / Ana Zelic

  2. Cut the chicken into 1-inch or bite-size cubes, or thin slices or strips.

    Raw chicken pieces in a black bowl

    The Spruce / Ana Zelic

  3. In a large bowl, mix together the dark soy sauce, rice wine, salt, pepper, and cornstarch.

    Dark soy sauce, rice wine, salt, pepper, and cornstarch in a large glass bowl with a whisk

    The Spruce / Ana Zelic

  4. Add the chicken pieces, turning to coat them well, and allow to marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, tossing occasionally, while you prepare the remainder of the stir-fry ingredients.

    Chicken pieces and marinade in a glass bowl

    The Spruce / Ana Zelic

  5. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water, stirring frequently to separate, until the noodles are al dente. Drain thoroughly. Rinse with cold water to cool, toss with the sesame oil, and set aside.

    Noodles cooking in a pot with water on the burner

    The Spruce / Ana Zelic

  6. Drain thoroughly. Rinse with cold water to cool, toss with the sesame oil, and set aside.

    Noodles with sesame oil in a large bowl, next to a small bowl

    The Spruce / Ana Zelic

  7. In a wok or skillet, heat 2 1/2 tablespoons oil over medium-high to high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the garlic. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

    Oil and garlic in a wok with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce / Ana Zelic

  8. Add the chicken. Stir-fry until they turn white and are nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken and garlic to a plate.

    Marinaded chicken cooking in a wok with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce / Ana Zelic

  9. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the wok. When the oil shimmers, add the cabbage. Stir-fry until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with a bit of soy sauce and sugar while stir-frying, if desired. Transfer to the plate with the chicken and garlic.

    Cabbage cooking in a wok with soy sauce and sugar

    The Spruce / Ana Zelic

  10. Heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in the wok. When the oil shimmers, add the noodles. Stir-fry quickly until the noodles are coated in the oil and making sure they don’t stick to the pan.

    Noodles cooking in a wok, while being stirred with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce / Ana Zelic

  11. Add the hoisin-water mixture, tossing to coat the noodles. Adjust the seasoning with salt or soy sauce if desired. Return the cooked chicken and cabbage and toss well.

    Noodles, chicken, cabbage and sauce in a wok with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce / Ana Zelic

  12. Remove from the heat and toss with the spring onions. Serve hot and enjoy!

    Shanghai Stir-Fried Noodles With Chicken garnished with spring onions in a wok with a wooden spoon

    The Spruce / Ana Zelic

Recipe Variation

This recipe uses chicken as one of the main ingredients, but you can use pork or beef instead with a slightly different marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, and 1/2 tablespoon rice wine or Shaoxing rice wine. Add the pork or beef and marinate 15 to 30 minutes before cooking.