Quick and Easy Shrimp Chow Mei Fun

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

Shrimp Chow Mei Fun, or Bihun Goreng, is a flavorful Southeast Asian stir-fried rice vermicelli dish that’s both delicious and satisfying. Packed with shrimp, chicken, crisp veggies, and aromatic spices, it’s a quick and tasty meal you’ll want to make again and again!

A plate of shrimp chow mei fun or fried vermicelli or bihun goreng.

Shrimp Chow Mei Fun—also called Bihun Goreng—is one of those super versatile dishes you’ll want in your meal rotation. You can serve it as a side or enjoy it as a complete one-plate dish. It’s light, tasty, and surprisingly filling!

“Mei Fun” is the Cantonese word for rice vermicelli (or bihun), and “Chow” just means stir-fry. In different parts of Asia, you might hear it called bee hoon, mee hoon, or mifen—but it’s all the same thin rice noodles we love. The noodles are usually tossed with shrimp, chicken, veggies like cabbage and carrots, sometimes mustard greens, and finished with a simple soy-based seasoning.

Chow Mei Fun originally came from China, but thanks to Chinese immigrants, versions of this dish can now be found all over Southeast Asia. Think of it as the cousin to popular dishes like Egg Fried Rice, Shrimp Fried Rice, Cantonese Chow Mein, or Beef Chow Fun—quick, comforting, and always satisfying.

It’s also a great make-ahead option. Soak the vermicelli ahead of time, chop up your meat and veggies, and when hunger hits, just throw everything in a hot wok. Dinner’s ready in 10 minutes! Serve it with some pickled cucumber or a spicy green chili sauce for a refreshing kick.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

It’s an ideal dinner option – This is an ideal dinner option. It’s simple and very delicious.
A complete meal in one dish – It is a complete meal of carbs, protein, and vegetables in one dish.
Quick and easy – This meal is quick and easy to prepare. It takes less than 10 minutes to stir fry it in the wok. You can prepare the ingredients first and keep in the fridge separately before cooking.

Recipe Ingredients

Shrimp chow mei fun or bihun goreng or stir fried vermicelli ingredients with labels.

Ingredient Notes

Rice Vermicelli or Mei Fun – Rice Vermicelli or mei fun (mee hoon) or bee hoon is made of rice flour and the color is white and it is gluten-free. It comes in dried form and need to be soaked until soft before cooking.

Shrimp and other meats – You can add pork, chicken, beef, or sausages. Marinate pork, chicken, pork, or beef before cooking. Fish cakes, fish balls or sausages already have their own flavor, so you don’t need to marinate them.

Vegetables – Cabbage, carrots, mustard greens, bean sprouts are the commonly used vegetables. If you have other vegetables in mind, you can try and experiment with the recipe.

Seasoning – Basically, the seasoning is very simple and easy to get. They are oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, mushroom powder, pepper, and chili oil.

Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below

How to Make

Step by step process photos of softening the vermicelli and making scrambled eggs.

STEP 1. Soak the rice vermicelli in a bowl of water (Image 1). Let it sit for at least 10 minutes, or until the noodles are soft (Image 2). Set aside. Heat a bit of oil in a pan, crack in the eggs, and scramble them (Images 3, 4). Once cooked, set them aside.

Step by step process photos of stir-frying the ingredients in shrimp chow mei fun.

STEP 2. In a separate pan, stir-fry the shrimp until they turn pink and opaque (Images 5, 6). Set aside. In a large wok, heat some oil and sauté the chopped garlic (Image 7). Once the garlic is golden and fragrant, add in the sausage and chicken cubes (Image 8). Stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through.

Step by step process photos of stir-frying the vermicelli, vegetables and shrimps.

STEP 3. Add the softened vermicelli to the wok and pour in the prepared seasonings (Images 9, 10). Stir-fry using chopsticks and a spatula to help coat the noodles evenly. Toss in the vegetables and chilies (Image 11), and continue stir-frying until the veggies are tender. Finally, add the scrambled eggs and shrimp back into the wok (Image 12). Mix everything well and it’s ready! Serve on a plate and garnish with minced leeks or coriander leaves.

Pro Tips

Prep the seasonings ahead of time. Mix all the sauces and seasonings in a small bowl before you start cooking. It’s easy to forget something once the heat is on!
Use a spatula and long chopsticks. This helps you toss and separate the noodles better, so the seasonings coat everything evenly without breaking the noodles too much.
Add a bit of water. If the mei fun feels dry or clumpy in the wok, lightly add water to help soften the noodles and spread the sauce more evenly.
Don’t over-soak the noodles. Soak just until soft but still slightly firm. Over-soaking can make them mushy once stir-fried and break the noodles easily.
Use high heat and work fast. Stir-frying is all about quick cooking over high heat—this helps keep the veggies crisp and the noodles from turning soggy.
Cut the ingredients small and even. Small, uniform pieces cook quickly and blend better with the noodles.
You can use flavored oil if you want to skip using chopped garlic.

How to Serve

Shrimp Chow Mei Fun is delicious on its own, but it gets even better with the right sides! For a spicy kick, serve it with green chili sauce—totally optional, of course. If you prefer a milder meal, just enjoy the bihun goreng as is. It’s flavorful enough to stand alone!

One of the best things about this dish is how easy it is to pair. You can serve it alongside dim sum-style sides like xiu mai, deep-fried meatballs, or crispy fried shrimp balls. It also goes great with simple stir-fries like Green Beans with Garlic, Kikurage Chicken Mushroom Stir-Fry, or a comforting Pork and Broccoli Stir-Fry.

FAQs about Shrimp Chow Mei Fun

What is Mei Fun?

Mei Fun or Bihun is rice vermicelli or thin rice noodles. They come in dried form. You can soak it with water for a while before cooking.

Where can I get Bihun or rice vermicelli?

You can get rice vermicelli in the dried noodle aisle at any Asian grocery store.

Is rice vermicelli the same as glass noodles?

No. Rice vermicelli is made of rice flour and the color is white. On the other hand, glass noodles are made of mung bean flour and the color is transparent. Both of them come in dried form and need to be soaked until soft before cooking.

Is Mei Fun gluten-free?

Yes. mei fun noodles is gluten-free. If you want to make this dish completely gluten-free, check other ingredients and make sure they are also gluten-free.

What kind of meat can I use in Shrimp Chow Fun or Bihun Goreng?

You can use pork, beef, or chicken. They all taste great with rice vermicelli.

A pair of chopsticks holding shrimp chow mei fun.

Storage

This easy dish is best served immediately. This recipe yields only 2 to 3 portions. If you do have some leftover, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge.

Reheating is easy. Simply stir-fry Bihun Goreng in a pan for a 5-10 minutes.