This Singapore Hawker-Style Char Siu Chicken Noodles is going to be on your weeknight rotation!
When you visit a Chicken Rice hawker stall in Singapore, you’re not going to find just Chicken Rice; you’ll find an array of chicken noodle dishes too. Char Siu Chicken Noodle is just one of them, alongside Chicken Noodles and Wanton Noodles.
Char Siu Chicken Noodles is a flavourful dish of silky egg noodles, tossed in an array of sauces, topped with Char Siu Chicken slices and freshly blanched Asian greens.
It’s a dish that’s easy to fall in love with, whether you’re a seasoned foodie or just looking to expand your palate. Best part is, this can take just 10-minutes to whip up!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Quick and Convenient: This recipe is surprisingly easy to make. It’s a fantastic option for a satisfying meal when you’re short on time, and the results are restaurant-quality.
- Easily Customisable: You can adjust the level of spice and ingredients according to your preferences, making it suitable for a wide range of tastes.
- VERSATILE: The star of this dish is the noodle base! I used easy air fryer char siu chicken here, but you can use a whole myriad of toppings of choice!
- A Fusion of Flavors: These chicken noodles perfectly balance the savoury, sweet, savory, and smoky elements of Chinese cuisine. The tender chicken, rich sauce, and springy noodles come together in a harmonious explosion of taste.
Key Ingredients for Char Siu Chicken Noodles
Now you would think the char siu chicken is the star of the show… it is in fact the noodles and the seasonings! The noodles are quick and easy, and make a fantastic base for your toppings of choice.
Egg Noodles
The base of this dish is the noodles. You can find fresh egg noodles at Asian grocery stores, and they add a wonderful, springy texture to the dish. If you can’t find fresh ones, these dried egg noodles and these too, work well too. Other noodles that will work great in this include Mee Pok and La Mian noodles.
Sauce
The sauce is where the magic happens!
It’s a simple blend of ingredients like oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, and – this is uniquely Singaporean – a dash of tomato ketchup! And of course, you will always be asked if you want a spicy bowl, if you do, you get a dollop of Sambal too!
A couple tablespoons of stock will blend everything into a nice sauce, but if you don’t have this, simply use a couple tablespoons of the blanching liquid from your noodles and vegetables.
Char Siu Chicken / Toppings of Choice
As mentioned, this noodle base is my go-to for when I need a delicious but quick and easy carb to go with my leftovers.
In this recipe, I used some easy air fryer char siu chicken. It can cook in less than 30 minutes (and I can make the noodle base meanwhile), but you can swap with other chicken dishes such as:
Not in the mood for chicken? Other toppings you can go for include:
- Wantons, or your favourite dumplings.
- Fishballs / Fishcakes: The seasoning make the perfect base for fishball noodles as well.
- Meatballs
- Tofu
Vegetables
To complete the meal, be sure to top with some blanched vegetables!
Asian leafy greens such as bok choy, chye sim, spinach, yau mak chye or Chinese lettuce work great for this, but don’t be shy to use your favourite seasonal vegetables. Try some kale or asparagus instead.
How to Make Char Siu Chicken Noodles
Step 1: Make the Char Siu Chicken
Start by making the Char Siu Chicken, if you don’t already have this on hand. I have a recipe for Char Siu Chicken Roast here, and an air fryer recipe here.
If you’re using any other proteins, prepare them accordingly. Remember, this dish is all about the noodles!
Step 2: Make the Seasoning Sauce
Add all of the seasonings straight into your serving bowl. You can customise each bowl according to individual preferences! Stir to combine.
Step 3: Blanch the Vegetables and Noodles
Set a pot of water to a rolling boil. Blanch vegetables first. If you are using leafy Asian greens such as bok choy, chye sim or yau mak chye or Chinese lettuce, dunk for just 10 seconds. Set vegetables to one side.
Then cook the egg noodles. Be sure to cook noodles last to extend its springiness and to avoid cooking the vegetables in starchy water.
If you don’t have stock on hand, you can use this blanching liquid to dilute your seasoning sauce.
Step 4: Add Noodles to Sauce and Toss
Immediately add the freshly cooked noodles to the bowl and add about 2-3 tablespoons of the blanching liquid to the bowl. Adding the liquid will create a more watery sauce for easier tossing.
Then toss noodles to coat! This is the most essential (and fun!) step.
Tossing the freshly cooked noodles in the sauce will prevent the noodles from sticking to each other. The hot noodles will also be able to absorb all of those gorgeous seasoning. Think of it as ‘open pores’!
Step 5: Add Toppings and Serve
Top with the char siu chicken, the vegetables and garnish with spring onions. Serve!
More Recipes Like This
Char Siu Chicken Noodles
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesIngredients
1 serving egg noodles
100g Char Siu Chicken, thinly sliced (or toppings of choice)
2-3 stalks of Bok Choy (or Asian green of choice)
Garnish with cilantro and spring onions
- Noodle Sauce (per serving)
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce (or kicap manis)
1 tsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp tomato ketchup (adjust according to preference)
1 tsp sambal (optional, adjust according to preference)
2-3 tbsps stock or noodle blanching liquid or water
Directions
- Prepare the Toppings: Make the Char Siu Chicken if you don’t already have it ready.
- Prepare the Sauce: While the chicken is cooking, prepare the seasoning sauce straight in the serving bowl. Adjust according to each individual’s preference.
- Cook the Vegetables: Set a pot of water boiling and blanch the vegetables. Set to one side.
- Cook the Noodles: Using the same pot of water, cook the egg noodles until they are just tender; fresh noodles take just 1-2 minutes. If using dried noodles, follow the instructions on the packet.
- Toss Noodles in Sauce: Once noodles cook, immediately take out the noodles and add straight to the seasoning sauce bowl. Add a couple tablespoons of stock, or just use the noodle blanching liquid. Toss the cooked noodles with the sauce, until well-coated.
- Assemble and Serve: Top noodles with the sliced char siu chicken, blanched vegetables and garnish with cilantro and spring onions. Serve!
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