Go Back
A top-down view of spicy black bean chicken noodles in a bowl, surrounded by crisp vegetables, green onions, and sesame seeds.

Black Bean Chicken Noodles

Black Bean Chicken Noodles with egg noodles, chicken, and vegetables in a savory sauce made with fermented beans and miso, finished with sesame oil and lime.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Noodles
Cuisine Asian Fusion
Servings 4
Calories 465 kcal

Equipment

  • large skillet or wok
  • large pot
  • strainer or colander
  • mixing bowl
  • knife and cutting board
  • spoon or spatula

Ingredients
  

Noodles and protein

  • 250g egg noodles
  • 300g chicken breast (or boneless, skinless chicken thighs) sliced into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • black pepper to taste (hold the salt for later!)

Aromatics and vegetables

  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small onion sliced
  • 1 cup carrots julienned
  • 1 medium bell pepper sliced
  • 2 cups cabbage shredded
  • 2 green onions for garnish

For the sauce

  • 100g fermented black beans
  • 1 tbsp doubanjiang (fermented broad bean paste)
  • 1 tbsp miso paste
  • 1 ½ tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 cup water

Finishes and garnish

  • 1 tsp sesame seeds for garnish
  • fresh lime juice

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the noodles. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook your egg noodles, intentionally undercooking them by 1 to 2 minutes based on the package instructions. Leaving them undercooked ensures they maintain a firm, chewy texture and won’t turn mushy later when they absorb the sauce in the pan. Drain the noodles and set them aside.
  • Sauté the chicken and aromatics. Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Toss in the minced garlic and sliced onion, sautéing for about 1 minute until fragrant to flavor the cooking oil. Add the chicken and season with black pepper, cooking for about 4 to 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
    Sautéing minced garlic, sliced red onion, and chicken breast with black pepper in a hot pan for black bean chicken noodles
  • Build the black bean base. Reduce the heat slightly to low to keep the ingredients from scorching. Add 100 grams of fermented black beans directly into the pan with the chicken, stirring them into the mixture to distribute that deep, savory base flavor.
    Adding fermented black beans to the chicken base for homemade black bean chicken noodles
  • Cook the fermented pastes. Keep the heat low and add 1 tablespoon of miso paste and 1 tablespoon of doubanjiang, along with 1 ½ tablespoons of oyster sauce and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Stir constantly for about 1 minute. Cooking these dense pastes and seasonings directly in the warm oil activates and deepens their complex umami flavors while coating the chicken completely.
    Stirring miso paste and doubanjiang into the pan to build the flavor profile for black bean chicken noodles.
  • Stir-fry the firm vegetables. Turn the heat back up to medium-high to keep your vegetables crisp. Add the julienned carrots and sliced bell pepper. Stir-fry for exactly 2 minutes so they absorb the paste while keeping their color.
    Adding crisp julienned carrots and sliced bell peppers to the stir fry for black bean chicken noodles.
  • Simmer the sauce base. Pour in 1 cup of water and stir thoroughly to dissolve the thick pastes, bringing the pan to a quick simmer.
    Pouring water into the savory paste and vegetable mixture to create the glossy sauce for black bean chicken noodles.
  • Wilt the cabbage. Toss in the shredded cabbage next. Stir it into the simmering liquid for just 1 minute until it just begins to wilt, allowing it to soften slightly while soaking up the sauce.
    Tossing shredded cabbage into the simmering sauce base for a vegetable-packed black bean chicken noodles dish.
  • Toss and finish the noodles. Drop your cooked egg noodles directly into the simmering pan. Toss vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes, allowing the undercooked noodles to finish cooking perfectly and completely absorb the concentrated sauce.
    Dropping cooked egg noodles into the simmering pan to finish cooking the black bean chicken noodles.
  • Garnish and serve. Turn off the heat entirely and transfer the glossed noodles to a serving plate. Finish the dish by drizzling with extra sesame oil for a fresh hit of aroma, squeezing fresh lime over the top to cut through the rich depth of the sauce, and garnishing generously with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
    A top-down view of spicy black bean chicken noodles in a bowl, surrounded by crisp vegetables, green onions, and sesame seeds.
Keyword asian fusion noodles, black bean chicken noodles, black bean noodles recipe, quick chicken noodles, savory noodle bowl