Stir Fried Glass Noodles with Chicken and Shrimp
This post may contain affiliate links.These stir fried glass noodles with chicken and shrimp are naturally gluten free, thanks to mung bean noodles. Loaded with fluffy eggs, mushrooms, and colorful vegetables, this easy noodle dish is tossed in a savory sauce for a satisfying meal.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
🏷️ Recipe Name: Stir Fried Glass Noodles with Chicken and Shrimp
⏱️ Ready In: ~ 30 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 4 portions
🔥 Calories: 459 kcal per portion (estimate)
🧾 Main Ingredients: Glass noodles, chicken thigh fillet, shrimp, fish cake, dried shitake mushroom, wood ear mushroom, cabbage, mustard greens, green onion, carrot, chilis, dried shrimp, garlic, shallots, oyster sauce, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, mushroom powder, pepper.
🥗 Dietary Info: Gluten free
🧠 Difficulty: Easy with step by step guide
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These stir fried glass noodles are one of those easy meals that bring a little bit of everything into one pan—tender chicken, juicy shrimp, fluffy eggs, mushrooms, vegetables, and springy mung bean noodles coated in a savory sauce. Because mung bean noodles are naturally gluten free, this is also a great option when you want a satisfying noodle dish without wheat-based noodles.
For more easy noodle ideas, try my Beef Chow Mein, Shrimp Chow Mei Fun, Stir Fried Vermicelli, or Indonesian Fried Noodles. You can also browse my Easy Stir Fry Recipes for more quick and flavorful dishes for busy days.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Glass noodles – Use mung bean glass noodles, also called mung bean vermicelli or cellophane noodles. They become soft and pleasantly chewy after soaking and absorb the savory stir-fry sauce very well. Mung bean noodles are naturally gluten free.
Note: Although mung bean glass noodles are naturally gluten free, check the labels of the soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and Shaoxing wine if you need the finished dish to be completely gluten free.
Chicken thigh fillet – I prefer chicken thigh because it stays tender and juicy when stir-fried. Cut it into small bite-sized pieces so it cooks quickly and evenly.
Shrimp – Adds sweetness and another layer of texture to the noodles. Peel and devein the shrimp before cooking. You can leave it out if you prefer.
Fish cake – Optional, but it adds extra savory flavor and a pleasantly springy texture. Slice it into bite-sized pieces before stir-frying.
Shiitake mushrooms – Their rich, earthy flavor works especially well with the savory sauce. Fresh or rehydrated dried shiitake mushrooms can be used.
Wood ear mushrooms – These have a mild flavor and slightly crunchy texture that contrasts nicely with the soft noodles. If using dried wood ear mushrooms, soak them until fully rehydrated before cooking.
Cabbage, carrot, and mustard greens – A colorful mixture of vegetables adds freshness, texture, and a little natural sweetness. Cut everything fairly thin so the vegetables cook quickly without becoming too soft.
Chili – I remove the seeds because I use the chili mainly to add a pop of red color rather than heat. You can leave some seeds in if you prefer your noodles spicy.
Oyster sauce – Adds savory depth and a touch of sweetness to the sauce.
Soy sauce – Seasons the noodles and gives them their appetizing brown color.
Shaoxing wine – Adds aroma and depth to the stir fry and helps give it that characteristic Chinese-style savory flavor.
How to Make Stir Fried Glass Noodles
STEP 1. Prepare the ingredients. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water until softened (Image 1). Soak the glass noodles in cold water until pliable (Image 2). Keep them in the soaking water until you are ready to cook.
Finely chop the garlic and shallots (Image 3). Slice the chicken thighs, fish cake, and softened shiitake mushrooms (Images 4–6).
STEP 2. Prepare the vegetables, shrimp, and eggs. Thinly slice the cabbage and cut the carrot into thin julienne strips (Images 7–8). Slice the green onions and softened wood ear mushrooms (Images 9–10). If using dried wood ear mushrooms, soak them beforehand until completely softened.
Heat a little oil in a pan and stir-fry the shrimp just until pink and opaque. Remove and set aside (Image 11). Scramble the eggs separately until just cooked, then remove from the pan and set aside (Image 12).
STEP 3. Stir-fry the chicken and vegetables. Heat some oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped garlic and shallots and stir-fry until fragrant (Image 13). Add the sliced chicken thighs and stir-fry until the chicken is no longer pink (Image 14).
Add the cabbage, mustard greens, carrot, shiitake mushrooms, and wood ear mushrooms. Stir-fry until the vegetables begin to soften (Image 15). Lift the softened glass noodles directly from the soaking water and add them to the wok, allowing a little of the water to go in with the noodles (Image 16). Toss everything together and continue cooking until the noodles soften further.
STEP 4. Season and finish the stir-fry. Pour the prepared sauce over the glass noodles, then add the mushroom powder and pepper (Image 17). Toss thoroughly until the noodles are evenly coated with the sauce and begin to absorb the seasoning.
Add the scrambled eggs, cooked shrimp, green onions, and sliced chili (Images 18, 19). Toss everything together briefly until heated through and evenly combined. Serve the stir-fried glass noodles immediately while hot (Image 20).
Pro Tips
- Keep some soaking water with the noodles. Instead of draining them completely, lift the noodles directly from the water and let a little water go into the wok. The extra moisture helps the noodles soften and absorb the sauce without becoming dry.
- Cook the shrimp separately. Stir-fry the shrimp just until pink and opaque, then set them aside. Add them back near the end so they stay juicy instead of becoming rubbery.
- Cook the eggs separately, too. Scrambling the eggs first keeps them soft and gives you nice pieces of egg throughout the noodles rather than having them disappear into the stir-fry.
- Cut the vegetables thinly and evenly. Julienne the carrots and thinly slice the cabbage so everything cooks quickly and at roughly the same rate.
- Have everything ready before you start stir-frying. Once the wok is hot, this recipe moves quickly. Prepare the sauce, vegetables, proteins, and noodles beforehand so nothing gets overcooked while you are chopping the next ingredient.
- Toss the noodles gently. Once softened, glass noodles can break easily. Use tongs or two spatulas to lift and toss rather than aggressively stirring them.
- Add the shrimp, eggs, green onions, and chili at the end. They only need a quick toss to heat through and combine with the noodles.
Serving Suggestions
I usually serve these stir-fried glass noodles with crispy appetizers such as bakso goreng (deep-fried meatballs), fried shrimp balls, or fried wontons. The crunchy appetizers are a nice contrast to the soft and savory noodles.
If you would like to make the meal more comforting, serve the noodles with a warm bowl of Korean beef soup or egg drop soup on the side.
To finish the meal, try something light and refreshing such as peach gum dessert or mango sago dessert. You can also serve the noodles with a cooling drink like cucumber juice drink or lychee soda, especially if you add chili to the dish.
Stir Fried Glass Noodles FAQs
Glass noodles, also called cellophane noodles, are thin translucent noodles commonly made from mung bean starch. Once cooked, they become soft, slightly chewy, and almost transparent.
Mung bean glass noodles are naturally gluten-free. However, if you need the entire dish to be gluten-free, check the labels on the soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and other seasonings, as some brands may contain wheat or gluten.
No. For this recipe, simply soak the glass noodles in cold water until they become pliable. They will continue to soften as they cook in the wok.
Glass noodles absorb liquid very quickly. If they become dry before they are fully tender, add a small splash of water and continue tossing them over the heat. Avoid adding too much at once, or the stir-fry may become watery.
Yes. This recipe is very flexible. You can use vegetables such as bok choy, bean sprouts, bell peppers, snow peas, or other quick-cooking vegetables you have available.
Yes. You can use only chicken, only shrimp, or leave out both and add more mushrooms, vegetables, tofu, or eggs instead. Fish cake is also optional.
No. Although they can look similar when dry, glass noodles are usually made from starch such as mung bean starch and become translucent when cooked. Rice vermicelli is made from rice and stays white after cooking.
Storage
Store any leftover stir-fried glass noodles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, warm the noodles in a pan over medium heat, adding a small splash of water if they seem a little dry. You can also reheat them in the microwave until heated through.
The noodles may absorb more sauce as they sit, so a little water when reheating helps restore their softer texture.
More Stir Fried Noodle Recipes
Stir Fried Glass Noodles with Chicken and Shrimp
Ingredients
- 300 gr glass noodles
- 100 gr chicken thigh fillet
- 35 gr shrimp
- 1 piece fish cake
- 1 piece mushroom dried shitake
- 1 pcs mushroom wood ear
- 50 gr cabbage
- 50 gr mustard green
- 1 stalk green onion
- ½ pcs carrot
- 2 pcs chilis remove seeds
- 1 tbsp dried shrimp optional
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 pcs shallots
Sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tsp mushroom powder optional
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water until softened (Image 1). Soak the glass noodles in cold water until pliable (Image 2). Keep them in the soaking water until you are ready to cook.
- Finely chop the garlic and shallots (Image 3). Slice the chicken thighs, fish cake, and softened shiitake mushrooms (Images 4–6).
- Thinly slice the cabbage and cut the carrot into thin julienne strips (Images 7–8). Slice the green onions and softened wood ear mushrooms (Images 9–10). If using dried wood ear mushrooms, soak them beforehand until completely softened.
- Heat a little oil in a pan and stir-fry the shrimp just until pink and opaque. Remove and set aside (Image 11). Scramble the eggs separately until just cooked, then remove from the pan and set aside (Image 12).
Notes
- Keep some soaking water with the noodles. Instead of draining them completely, lift the noodles directly from the water and let a little water go into the wok. The extra moisture helps the noodles soften and absorb the sauce without becoming dry.
- Cook the shrimp separately. Stir-fry the shrimp just until pink and opaque, then set them aside. Add them back near the end so they stay juicy instead of becoming rubbery.
- Cook the eggs separately, too. Scrambling the eggs first keeps them soft and gives you nice pieces of egg throughout the noodles rather than having them disappear into the stir-fry.
- Cut the vegetables thinly and evenly. Julienne the carrots and thinly slice the cabbage so everything cooks quickly and at roughly the same rate.
- Have everything ready before you start stir-frying. Once the wok is hot, this recipe moves quickly. Prepare the sauce, vegetables, proteins, and noodles beforehand so nothing gets overcooked while you are chopping the next ingredient.
- Toss the noodles gently. Once softened, glass noodles can break easily. Use tongs or two spatulas to lift and toss rather than aggressively stirring them.
- Add the shrimp, eggs, green onions, and chili at the end. They only need a quick toss to heat through and combine with the noodles.
Stir fried glass noodles are a family favorite, especially for me! I love their soft, chewy texture and how versatile this dish is. I can easily make it with whatever vegetables or proteins I happen to have in the fridge.