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If there’s one thing I do miss from a Chinese take-away menu it’s a good gluten free chow mein – especially chicken chow mein!
I’ve been wanting to make a gluten free chicken chow mein for a while and now I’ve finally cracked my gluten free egg noodles recipe, I can!
While you could make this with rice noodles (or even gluten free spaghetti) honestly, making the noodles from scratch is NEXT LEVEL.
They’re so easy to make – and this gluten free chow mein recipe is so quick to throw together – it’ll be worth the slightly extra effort. Trust me.
Made with a tasty mix of gluten free soy sauce, sesame oil and dry sherry, this gluten free chow mein really is the real deal.
You can make it with chicken, tofu, prawns, or just veg – honestly the possibilities are endless as it’s so quick and flexible to make.
Is chow mein gluten free?
One of the worst things about coeliac disease (celiac disease in the US) is that Chinese take-aways are basically out-of-bounds.
Unfortunately a standard chicken chow mein recipe is not gluten free due to the addition of egg noodles and soy sauce (both made with wheat).
Many chow mein recipes also sue Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine) which is made with wheat.
So to keep my chow mein completely gluten free, it’s made with my gluten free egg noodles, tamari soy sauce and dry sherry.
The sherry gives the same flavour as the Shaoxing would but with none of the wheat or gluten.
And honestly this gluten free chow mein recipe is just like the chow mein you’d order from a Chinese takeaway.
I’m working my way through recreating all my favourite Chinese takeaway recipes so make sure you check them all out!
So prepare to reintroduce your favourite dish back into your weekly meal plan!
Oh – and this chow mein recipe is also dairy free too.
Can you get gluten free chow mein noodles?
Usually chow mein would be cooked with egg noodles, which contain wheat flour.
Sadly I’ve never seen a gluten free version of egg noodles on the shelf.
However, I make my own gluten free noodles using a really simple recipe which takes no time at all.
They taste like the real thing and are worth making for an authentic chow mein.
Chow Mein ingredients
There’s a full printable recipe card below, but here’s an overview of some of the main ingredients you’ll need for this gluten free chow mein.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the exact quantities and full recipe.
- Gluten Free Egg Noodles: I haven’t found anywhere in the UK that you can buy gluten free noodles. However I have a really simple recipe which I’ve linked to in this post. If you want, you could use gluten free spaghetti or rice noodles but it just won’t be the same, trust me.
- Chicken Breast: You can use thigh meat if you prefer or any other kind of meat, meat replacement, tofu, prawns or just vegetables. This recipe goes with everything!
- Stir Fry Veg: I tend to buy a pack of pre-prepared stir fry mix for this gluten free chow mein. It just makes life easier and much quicker! If you want, you could individually prefer any veg you like, such as carrots, mange tout and cabbage.
- Beansprouts: I also add extra beansprouts on top of those included in the stir fry veg mix. You can never have too many beansprouts in a chow mein recipe!
INGREDIENTS FOR THE SAUCE:
- Gluten Free Tamari: Usually chow mein would have a combination or light and dark soy sauce. However, as these are not gluten free I use gluten free tamari which works just as well.
- Sesame Oil: I absolutely love cooking with toasted sesame oil as it adds such a lovely, nutty flavour. Perfect for this chow mein.
- Cornflour: Otherwise known as cornstarch in the US, this helps to thicken the sauce up. Cornflour is naturally gluten free.
- Dry Sherry: I use this in place of Shaoxing which is a Chinese rice wine which contains wheat. It just adds a lovely flavour to this recipe.
All the exact quantities are in the recipe card below, and I would recommend following this exactly and not substituting anything.
My gluten free chow mein recipe
Here it is – my gluten free chow mein recipe of dreams!
Don’t forget you’ll need to make my gluten free egg noodles for this – the recipe makes enough for two people.
Of course if you make more, don’t forget to increase the quantities in the chow mein recipe as well as the noodles!
I’ve also made a video to show you just how easy this chow mein recipe is too!
If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. I love seeing your bakes!
And if you loved it, please do leave a review to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me.
Gluten Free Chicken Chow Mein
I use my easy gluten free egg noodles recipe to make this gluten free chow mein really authentic, but if you prefer you can use gluten free rice noodles or even spaghetti instead. This recipe serves two people and is gluten and dairy free. Cooking time does not include making the noodles (approx 30 mins).
Ingredients
- 1 x portion of my gluten free egg noodles recipe
- 200g chopped chicken breast
- 1 tsp chopped garlic
- 1 tsp chopped ginger
- Salt and Pepper
- 4 spring onions
- 200g mixed stir fry veg
- 50g beansprouts
For the sauce:
- 3 tbsp gluten free tamari
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 1.5 tbsp dry sherry
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp chopped ginger
- 1 tsp caster sugar
Instructions
First make the sauce:
- Add the tamari, sherry and cornflour to a bowl and give it a good mix to get rid of any lumps.
- Add the sesame oil, chopped ginger and caster sugar. Stir well and then set to one side.
To make the chow mein:
- Cook the noodles as per the recipe (or pack instructions if using rice noodles). Drain and set to one side (tip - toss the noodles in a little sesame oil to stop them sticking while you cook the rest).
- Add a little toasted sesame oil to a wok or large pan and heat on a high heat. Once hot, add the chicken, ginger, garlic and salt and pepper, Stir fry for 3-4 minutes until brown.
- Add the stir fry veg, beansprouts and three-quarters of the spring onions. Stir fry for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the drained noodles to the pan and mix well. Give the sauce a good stir (in case the corn flour has settled on the bottom) and then pour over the noodles. Stir fry for another minute, ensuring everything is coated evenly in the sauce. Serve straight away and garnish with the extra spring onions!
Notes
- I recommend eating this straight away. You can refrigerate any leftovers and reheat - but it won't be quite as good! Make sure you always reheat thoroughly. I don't recommend freezing this chow mein.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 511Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 2193mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 41g
Need some more gluten free meal inspiration?
If you want to have a go at some of the other gluten free Chinese dishes on the blog, why not give some of these a try?
They’re perfect for creating delicious comfort food when you need it!
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Chicken with Cashew Nuts
- Gluten Free Prawn Toast
- Chinese Chicken Curry
- Gluten free Egg Noodles
- Gluten Free Salt and Pepper Chicken
Giving this recipe a go? Let me know! I’d love to see your photos using #theglutenfreeblogger, share them in my Facebook group or tag me on Instagram.
And if you have any recipe suggestions, please let me know in the comments what you’d like to see next!
Like this Gluten Free Chow Mein recipe?
Make sure you pin these recipe cards below for later!
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