Vietnamese Crispy Noodles (Mì Xào Giòn)

This post may contain affiliate links to products I use and love. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

This recipe combines crispy chow mein noodles with a saucy shrimp stir fry with vegetables. It’s a wonderful contrast of textures as the noodles soak up the savory sauce. The best part is that it’s highly customizable, and I’ve simplified the process so you can easily have this ready in 30 minutes or less. Once you see how easy it is, there’s no excuse not to make Vietnamese Crispy Noodles (Mì Xào Giòn) at home!

Growing up, this used to be one of my favorite dishes. It just feels special to have this dish served to you. Saucy vegetables and meat served over a crispy nest of fried noodles? What’s not to like??

It’s fun to break apart the crispy noodles and enjoy all the crunchy bits. As it sits, the noodles really absorb the yummy sauce so you get a whole new texture of noodles when you eat them. It’s so good!

Where to find Mì Xào Giòn

I’ve seen this dish under so many different types of names at both Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants. Sometimes it’s called Hong Kong Style Noodles, Crispy Chow Mein Noodles, or Seafood Bird Nest. Like so many dishes, there is lots of crossover influence with Asian food so that is why you’ll see these noodles in both Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine.

Ingredients

There are three main components to this dish:

1. Crispy noodles
2. Sauce/broth
3. Toppings (veggies and protein)

Below are the main ingredients for this dish with substitutions:

• Chow mein noodles – It’s best to use fresh, thin chow mein egg noodles for best results. They are typically found in the refrigerated section and are yellow in color. Sometimes you’ll see them called Hong Kong Style noodles or wonton noodles. If you can’t find fresh, you can use the dried variety. You’ll need to cook them per the instructions on the package, and then proceed with the recipe.
• Shrimp – I love how fast the shrimp cook with this recipe. Typically this is also served with calamari to keep with the seafood theme. Alternatively, you could use chicken, beef, or tofu to make it vegetarian.
• Vegetables – You can use any type of vegetable for this dish, it’s very versatile. I personally like using brocolli, carrots, onions, or mushrooms. Other great options include bok choy, cabbage, cauliflower, or peppers.
• Oyster sauce – This is the main flavoring for the sauce. You can also substitute vegetarian mushroom sauce for this recipe.
• Chicken stock – You can also substitute with vegetable stock.

How to Prepare

In the past, I’d need to break out three different pots and pans to cook all the components separately. Now, I’ve simplified it to make cooking this dish faster.

Step 1: Start by shallow frying the noodles in oil. You can also deep-fry the noodles, but I like using less oil so there isn’t as much waste.

Step 2: Mix together the broth, flavorings, and corn starch. Heat the mixture until it comes to a boil and begins to thicken.

Step 3: When the sauce is thickened and almost ready to serve, I’ll toss in my veggies. Harder vegetables (like carrots) will be tossed in first, then the leafy vegetables. Don’t overcook the veggies, they should still retain some crunch. I throw the shrimp in last as they cook fairly quickly.

Step 4: You should have a good amount of sauce at the end (it should look like a thin gravy). Pour the mixture over the crispy noodles and serve immediately.

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy

• Vietnamese Steak Salad
• Asian Garlic Noodles
• Air Fryer Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken (Gà nướng sả)