Chicken Lo Mein

Noodle dishes are a hit around our house anytime. Here's a recipe for Lo Mein (soft noodles versus 'Chow Mein' which is usually the fried noodles, but a lot of times people use the terms interchangeably). Instead of cutting the chicken in 1/2 inch pieces, my mom taught me a different way - you shred cut the chicken. Take a chicken breast (best if it's slightly frozen, or not all the way thawed out), slice it in about 1/4 slices, then slice those slices in strips. My mom, who was the most amazing cook ever, also taught me the trick with the cornstarch and soy sauce (step 1 in the recipe). I also add salt and pepper in that step. You'll find that the cornstarch and seasoning marinade will make the chicken just amazingly tender and velvety.

Another tip - if you have an Asian grocery store near you, stop there to buy bulk garlic. Many times they will have packages of pre-peeled fresh garlic cloves that are ready to use. Very convenient and also a lot cheaper than at the regular grocery store. (Herbs such as basil (Thai) and mint are also a lot cheaper at the Asian store!)

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 lb. fresh or dry lo mein noodles
• 1/4 cup canola oil, divided
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1 bunch scallions, white and green parts separated, sliced 1/8-inch thick
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 3 cups packed spinach
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Mix cornstarch and soy sauce in a bowl. Add chicken; marinate for 5 minutes.

2. Boil the noodles in a large pot of salted water until al dente, about 5 minutes for fresh, 10 to 15 minutes for dried. Drain and transfer to a bowl filled with ice water. (It helps prevent the noodles from getting soft and sticky.) When theyre cold, drain and toss them with 1 Tbs. canola oil.

3. Meanwhile, heat 2-1/2 Tbsp. oil on high in a large pan. Stir-fry chicken until almost cooked through, about 6 minutes; remove. Add 1/2 Tbsp. more oil to pan; stir-fry ginger, scallion whites, and garlic until oil is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the noodles, chicken, and spinach and stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with scallion greens if your child likes them.

From Parents.com's article, Lunch Around the World Chicken Chow Mein