Whether you're in love with spicy and tangy food or simply looking for a delicious yet tasty meal, give a treat to your taste buds with this tantalizing chicken American chop suey. This is one of the best and the easiest dishes to try at home. Whether you are wondering about a mouthwatering dish for today’s dinner or just looking for a quick recipe to please your guest, chicken American chop suey serves both purposes in a pretty good manner.
This guide will take you to the best American chop suey recipe. Before that, have a look at some interesting info about one of the most popular American Chinese dishes, chicken American chop suey.
What is chicken American chop suey?
Chicken American chop suey, a dish from American Chinese cuisine, is one of the most popular dishes which you can easily find in any of the American or Chinese restaurants. This flavoursome dish consists of meat and is loaded with crunchy vegetables such as bell pepper, cabbage, carrot, celery and bean sprouts which are bound in a sweet and tangy sauce poured over crunchy deep-fried noodles and a half-fried egg at the top.
Why is American chop suey considered one of the easiest and most popular dishes worldwide?
The best part about the American chop suey is that there is no boundation over the choice of ingredients you can use in this dish. Whether you are a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian, you are free to create the dish in your own way. Although, some kind of meat ( like chicken, beef or pork) is generally used in this dish but you can also use paneer or tofu as an alternative. As far as vegetables are concerned, you can use most of the veggies left in your fridge.
Topping a half-fried egg is also optional, totally depending on your personal choice. But there is a thing which you must not alter at all, this is American chop suey sauce. This is all which contributes to the popularity of chop suey and makes this delicacy the most loved and easiest dish to try at home. Apart from the ingredients, it's too quick to me made, perfect for people who are always in a hurry.
Are chow mein and chop suey the same?
Despite similar ingredients, the chow mein and chop suey are totally different. In the case of American chop suey, there are no strict rules for its ingredients and different chefs cook it with their own style, but this is not the same in the case of chow mein. With chow mein, the noodles and the other ingredients are cooked together. However, the noodles are cooked separately and then added to the mixture of sauce and veggies in chicken American chop suey.
Ingredients for the chicken American chop suey
For noodles:
- 450g or 1 packet noodles ( you can use Hakka noodles or any other noodles of your own choice)
- Oil to fry noodles
For sauce:
- 2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic (you can also use garlic paste)
- 1 tsp minced ginger (or ginger paste)
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 300 g chicken (boneless chicken thigh or breast), cut into strips
- 1/2 cup carrot, cut into thin strips
- 1/2 cup green beans, cut into thin strips
- 1/2 cup bell pepper (capsicum), cut into thin strips
- 1/4 cup shredded cabbage
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (black pepper powder)
- 1 cup tomato sauce (any tomato ketchup of your choice will work)
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- Salt to taste
- 4 eggs
- Chopped spring onions (scallions), for garnishing
- ½ cup water
Chicken American chop suey recipe
- Take a pan, pour water, add a pinch of salt and bring it to a boil. Now, add noodles and cook according to packet instructions or for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Drain the noodles into the kitchen towel or a shallow dish, let them dry then sprinkle some cornflour and set aside.
- Take a pan or a wok, heat the oil and deep fry the noodles until golden brown. Now transfer the fried noodles in a dish lined with tissue.
- Take a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of cornflour and water, stir the mixture and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a wok or a pan, add 1 tablespoon of garlic and 1 tablespoon of ginger, and saute for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant on medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for another 2 minutes. Now add chicken strips and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add all the veggies you have like ½ cup green beans, ½ cup carrots, ½ cup bell pepper and¼ a cup shredded cabbage and fry them for 2 minutes( don't cook the veggies for as long as you want them to retain the crisp ). Now add 1 tablespoon of sugar,¼ tablespoon of black pepper,1 cup of tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon of white vinegar, cornflour mixture ( prepared before) and ½ cup of water. Stir the mixture thoroughly, add salt to taste and bring it to a boil.
- Your American chop suey sauce is ready!
Optional for the egg:
- Heat the oil in a pan to medium-high heat, break the egg in a bowl, and pour that over the pan.
- Bring the heat to medium heat and wait until the egg white solidifies and perfectly sets.
- Now, gently transfer the egg to a plate. Here comes your half-fried egg.