Sweet ‘n’ Sour Chicken Chow Mein with Rachael Ray

I was thrilled to appear on the Rachael Ray Show (airing today — check local listings!) and prepare this delicious take on sweet ‘n’ sour chicken chow mein. It’s crowd-pleasing, savory, sweet, and generally unbelievable! Do yourself and your loved ones a favor and whip up a batch! I also talk budget friendly tips for feeding holiday guests!

Serves 10

4 cups vegetable oil (for frying the chicken)

10-12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces 
2-3 Tbsp. soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste 

Batter

2 1/2 cups seltzer water (we used lemon lime)
2 cups flour
3 tsp. kosher salt

Sweet ‘n’ Sour Sauce

2 cups pineapple juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp. toasted chili sesame oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper
2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar

Corn Starch Slurry

1/4 cup cold water
2 heaping tsp. corn starch

Chow Mein Noodles

16 oz. spaghetti noodles, cooked al dente according to the package directions 
1/4 cup olive oil 
2 cups celery 
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 head green cabbage
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce 
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. yellow mustard
3 garlic cloves, chopped 
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a heavy bottom skillet to roughly 325°F. It will shimmer but not smoke. Mix batter ingredients in a large bowl and prepare your station.

Season chicken with soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Work this part in 4 batches: place 1/4 of chicken into batter and drop into hot oil, then repeat with remaining pieces. Fry for 7-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked completely. This time varies depending on how hot oil is and how big chicken pieces are. While frying the chicken, start the sweet ‘n’ sour sauce and get water boiling for pasta. Once chicken is cooked, it keeps warm in a glass baking dish in a preheated 200°F oven, if necessary.

To make the sweet ‘n’ sour sauce, bring all the ingredients to a boil in a medium sized sauce pan. Whisk together cold water and corn starch in a measuring cup. Once sauce mixture comes to a boil, whisk in the slurry.  Turn heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly and has taken on a glossy sheen. 

To make chow mein, cook the noodles according to the package directions for al dente. They should have a bite to them.

In a large skillet with high sides, sauté vegetables over medium high heat in 1/2 olive oil until they are crisp tender, 3-4 minutes. Add cooked pasta and remaining ingredients, including oil, and cook 3-4 minutes, tossing frequently to mix sauce right in the pan. Once noodles are glossy and evenly coated with sauce, it’s time to serve.

To serve, cover chicken with prepared sweet ‘n’ sour sauce and top with additional chopped green onions.  Serve alongside noodles and enjoy!