Nissin Chow Mein Chicken Flavor

Made By:  Nissin USA
Tools Required:  Microwave, Water
Calories:  480 per package
Rating:  :)

(available online through Amazon.com)

Here is yet another of these Nissin Chow Mein products.  I usually keep stocked up on them; I like that they are easy to find in grocery stores, they're fairly economical, and for the most part the flavors have been pretty good.  Also, my partner likes them much better than the noodle-soup style products, so they are nice when we want to have lunch together.  Today's version is the Chicken flavor; that's a fairly generic descriptor, so I am hoping they don't turn out to be too bland.

Inside the package is a brick of Nissin's straight-cut Chow Mein noodles, a packet of dried goodies (aka. the "Premium Ingredients"), and a pack of liquid seasoning.  The dried stuff goes into the tray with the noodles, we fill to the line with tap water, and then microwave for five minutes.  If you are making two at once, as I am today, eight minutes seems to be the right number.  We let it stand for a minute, and then stir in the liquid seasoning packet, which contains a little bit of oil and a dark, rich sauce.  The finished product is very similar in appearance to the Teriyaki Chicken, but the aroma is less pronounced.

The noodles have a very good texture!  They seemed to absorb all the water better than I remember, and stay firm and not sticky.  I don't know if Nissin has actually changed anything, but I like it.  The sauce coats everything well, and has a nice rich-and-savory flavor.  I am not sure I would call it a chicken flavor, personally, I am noticing more of the soy and garlic flavors, but it is good.  Despite the similar appearance, it is distinctly different from the Teriyaki Chicken flavor--much less sweet.  As usual, the "Premium Ingredients" seem to be for color more than flavor, but that is more of an observation than a criticism, really.  I definitely enjoyed this flavor, and I am sure I will be buying more in the future! :)