Chao mein chapín is Guatemala’s version of chow mein: noodles stir-fried with chicken, carrot, güisquil (chayote), celery, onion and sweet peppers in soy sauce, very often piled onto a crisp corn tostada or stuffed into bread. Prensa Libre describes chao mein on a tostada or in bread as common in Guatemala today. This recipe serves six as a plate of noodles, or tops about 18 tostadas, in under an hour.

Recetas de Guatemala lists the core vegetables as carrot, green and red bell pepper, güisquil, celery and onion, cut into strips, with chicken and soy sauce. A reader on Antigua Daily Photo makes the same point about home cooking: every family has its own recipe, with onions, carrots and güisquil. Treat the quantities below as a starting point.

How Chao Mein Came to Guatemala

Prensa Libre traced the dish in a July 2024 article built on a talk at the XXI Feria Internacional del Libro en Guatemala (Filgua). According to that report:

  • Chao mein is a 20th-century adaptation created by Chinese people living in the United States, which then spread to other countries.
  • It became better known in Guatemala around the 1950s, after arriving with Chinese migration from the United States.
  • Chinese restaurants opened in Zona 1 of Guatemala City in the middle of the century. Anthropologist Pablo Jon Yao Yon Bobadilla said their basic menu included chao mein, tacos chinos, wan tan, sopa mein and chop suey.
  • Fu Lu Sho, which opened in 1956, brought its adapted chop suey and chao mein; the article also names Cantón, Chung King and La Bandeja among the early restaurants.
  • Chinese cooks in Guatemala adapted their recipes to local taste, adding sauces and meats popular with Guatemalans.

Ingredients

For the Chicken

  • 1 lb (450 g) boneless chicken breast or thigh, cut into thin strips
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 1/2 garlic cloves, minced (half the total)
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

For the Vegetables

  • 1 medium carrot, cut into thin strips
  • 1 güisquil (chayote), peeled, seeded and cut into thin strips
  • 2 celery stalks, cut into thin strips
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
  • 1 1/2 garlic cloves, minced (the other half)
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

For the Noodles and Sauce

  • 12 oz (340 g) chow mein noodles or thin egg noodles
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) soy sauce, plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water (optional, for a glossier sauce)

To Serve

  • Tostadas, soft French-style rolls, or warm corn tortillas

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Cut everything the same size. Slice the carrot, güisquil, celery and peppers into thin strips about the length of your little finger. Peel the güisquil, cut it in half and scoop out the soft seed before slicing.

Step 2: Cook the chicken. Season the chicken with salt, pepper and half the garlic. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or wide skillet over high heat and fry the chicken in one layer for 5 to 6 minutes, turning, until cooked through and lightly browned. Move it to a plate.

Step 3: Boil the noodles. Cook the noodles in salted boiling water for one minute less than the package says. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, and toss with 1 tsp oil so they do not stick. Recetas de Guatemala also cools the pasta in cold water before it goes into the pan.

Step 4: Stir-fry the vegetables. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in the same pan over high heat. Start with the carrot and güisquil, the firmest of the vegetables, and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the celery, onion, peppers and the rest of the garlic and stir-fry 3 minutes more, until the vegetables are bright and crisp-tender.

Step 5: Bring it together. Return the chicken to the pan, pour in the soy sauce and the cornstarch mixture, and toss for a minute until the sauce turns glossy.

Step 6: Add the noodles. Add the noodles and toss over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until hot and evenly brown from the soy sauce. Taste and adjust with more soy sauce or a pinch of salt.

Step 7: Serve. Pile a generous spoonful onto each tostada, stuff it into a split roll, or serve it on a plate with warm corn tortillas on the side.

Ways to Serve Chao Mein Chapín

HowSource
On a crisp corn tostadaPrensa Libre; Recetas de Guatemala
In breadPrensa Libre
With warm corn tortillasRecetas de Guatemala
On a plate as a main courseRecetas de Guatemala
Topped with ketchup and soy sauceOne Antigua Daily Photo reader

Como Lo Hacemos en Guatemala (Local Tips)

Use güisquil. Recetas de Guatemala and an Antigua Daily Photo reader both name it alongside carrot and onion.

Make it ahead for a crowd. Chao mein holds well at room temperature for a short time, so it suits a party table of tostadas. Keep the tostadas separate until serving so they stay crisp.

Pair it with guacamol. A thin layer of guacamol chapín under the noodles helps them stay on the tostada.

Find Ingredients in the US

  • Güisquil (chayote): Latin grocery stores and some supermarkets. Zucchini works in a pinch; add it with the peppers.
  • Noodles: chow mein noodles or thin egg noodles from the Asian aisle; thin spaghetti also works.
  • Tostadas: packaged corn tostadas from the tortilla aisle, or fry or bake your own corn tortillas until crisp.

More Guatemalan Recipes

Sources