Old-Fashioned New England Chicken Chow Mein

Old-Fashioned New England Chicken Chow Mein

If you grew up in New England, this is the chicken chow mein you remember: tender chicken, celery, onions and bean sprouts in a mild, savory gravy, piled high with those wonderfully crunchy chow mein noodles.

Serves 4–6

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces

• 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil, such as Avocado Oil

• 1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced

• 5–6 celery stalks, sliced diagonally

• 8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced, optional

• 3 cups fresh bean sprouts, or 1 can (about 14 oz) bean sprouts, drained

• 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth

• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce

• 3-4 teaspoons sugar, to taste

• 1 teaspoon Richard’s Famous Original Garlic Salt, or to taste

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

• ¼ cup cold water

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, optional

• Crispy store-bought Chow Mein Noodles, for serving (check the Asian food aisle in the grocery store)

• Steamed white rice, optional

FROM FRED’S PANTRY:

For an extra touch of old-fashioned Chinese-restaurant savoriness, add 1 teaspoon oyster sauce. Leave it out if you prefer the lighter, pale gravy found in many traditional New England chow mein recipes.

LET’S COOK!

1. Cook the chicken.
Heat the oil in a large skillet, wok or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3–4 minutes, just until the outside is no longer pink. Don’t brown it heavily.

2. Add the vegetables.
Add the onion and celery. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Make that classic gravy.
Add the chicken broth, soy sauce, sugar, white pepper and Richard’s Famous Original Garlic Salt. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 6–8 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the celery is tender but still has a little bite.

4. Finish the vegetables.
Add the mushrooms, if using, and cook for another 2–3 minutes. Stir in the bean sprouts.

5. Thicken it up.
In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch and cold water together until completely smooth. Slowly pour it into the simmering chow mein while stirring. If you want the gravy thicker, add another tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in a little water.

Cook for another 1–2 minutes, until the sauce becomes thick, smooth and glossy. Stir in the sesame oil, if using. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Add more garlic salt or sugar as desired.

SERVE IT THE NEW ENGLAND WAY

Spoon the hot chicken chow mein onto plates and top generously with crispy chow mein noodles.

For the full old-school New England Chinese-restaurant experience, serve it with both steamed white rice and top with crunchy chow mein noodles. Let a little of that savory gravy soak into the noodles while leaving plenty of them crisp.

FRED’S TIP

Keep this one simple! The chow mein many of us remember from old New England Chinese restaurants wasn’t a dark, heavily seasoned stir-fry. It was mild and comforting, with lots of celery and onion and a light savory gravy.

Good Garlic! Now THAT tastes like New England Chinese takeout.

Hoisin Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Hoisin Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Made with Richard's Famous Original Garlic Salt.

Tender ground chicken, sautéed mushrooms, fresh ginger, and a deliciously savory-sweet hoisin sauce, tucked into crisp butter lettuce leaves. All the flavor of restaurant-style lettuce wraps, made right at home!

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

For the Chicken Filling

• 1 lb ground chicken

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil

• ½ medium yellow onion, finely diced

• 4 oz baby bella mushrooms, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
  -or- water chestnuts, finely chopped -or- finely chopped celery

• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

• ½ teaspoon Richard's Famous Original Garlic Salt, plus more to taste

• 3 green onions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

For the Hoisin Sauce

• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce (without added MSG)

• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

• 1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons water

• ½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger

• 1 tsp. cornstarch stirred into 1 T. water (add to sauce after cooked)

For Serving

• 1–2 heads Boston or butter lettuce, leaves separated, washed, and dried

• Optional: shredded carrots, extra green onions, or chopped unsalted cashews

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, optional honey, water, and ginger. Set aside.

2. Sauté the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to brown. Add the white parts of the green onions and the ginger. Cook for another 30 seconds.

3. Brown the chicken. Add the ground chicken, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle with Richard's Famous Original Garlic Salt. Cook for 6–8 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165°F. Allow it to develop some golden-brown edges for extra flavor.

4. Add the sauce. Pour the prepared hoisin sauce over the chicken and stir to coat. Add the cornstarch mixture. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Stir in the toasted sesame oil and most of the green onion tops. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

5. Fill and serve. Spoon the warm chicken mixture into crisp lettuce leaves. Garnish with the remaining green onions and any optional toppings. Serve immediately!

FRED'S TIPS!

No water chestnuts? No problem! The finely chopped mushrooms add wonderful texture and flavor. For a little extra crunch, add ¼ cup finely diced celery when sautéing the onions.

Love a saucier filling? Increase the hoisin sauce to 4 tablespoons and the water to 3 tablespoons.

Make it ahead! Prepare the chicken filling up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate. Reheat thoroughly, then spoon into fresh, crisp lettuce leaves just before serving. Double the recipe for leftovers!

A little seasoning, a lot of delicious!

Lemon Lubber Chicken Cutlets Over Spaghetti

This recipe uses:
Richard's Famous Lemon Lubber's Lemon Pepper Salt Blend
Richard’s Famous Original Garlic Salt

Golden, crispy chicken cutlets served over spaghetti tossed in a bright lemon butter sauce. Fresh citrus, subtle garlic, parsley, and Richard's Famous Lemon Lubber's Lemon Pepper Salt Blend  and Original Garlic Salt create a bright, flavorful meal that's perfect for any night of the week.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

·       2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

·       1 tsp. Richard's Famous Lemon Lubber's Lemon Pepper Salt Blend, divided

·       1/2 cup all-purpose flour

·       2 eggs, beaten

·       1 cup plain or Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

·       1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

·       3 Tbsp. olive oil

·       5 Tbsp. butter, divided

·       1 cup chicken broth

·       3/4 tsp. Richards Famous Original Garlic Salt

·       Juice of 1 lemon

·       1 tsp. lemon zest

·       12 oz. spaghetti

·       2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, if desired

·       Fresh Parmesan, for serving

·       Lemon wedges

Directions

1.     Slice each chicken breast horizontally into two thin cutlets then pound until thin. Season both sides with Richard's Famous Lemon Lubber's Lemon Pepper Seasoning to taste, about 1/2 tsp.

2.     Set up three shallow dishes with the flour, beaten eggs, and a mixture of breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Coat each cutlet in flour, then egg, then the breadcrumb mixture.

3.     Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Check internal temperature for doneness, 165 degrees F. Remove and keep warm.

4.     Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain.

5.     Using the same skillet, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Stir in the chicken broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 3/4 teaspoon Richard's Famous Original Garlic Salt, or to taste. Simmer 3–5 minutes. Stir in the parsley, if desired.

6.     Add the spaghetti to the skillet and toss with the sauce, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to lightly coat the noodles.

7.     Serve the spaghetti topped with a crispy chicken cutlet. Spoon additional lemon butter sauce over the top and garnish with Parmesan, parsley, and lemon wedges.

Richard's Tip

For even brighter flavor, finish tableside with Richard's Famous Lemon Lubber's Lemon Pepper Salt Blend.