In a small bowl, whisk together broth, ¼ cup soy sauce, hoisin, sriracha, 5 spice, fish sauce, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, toss together sliced chicken with ginger, garlic, and remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Let stand 15 minutes.
Heat vegetable oil and sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat.
Add chicken mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is slightly browned and just cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Stir in cabbage, carrots, and water chestnuts to chicken. Whisk sauce; add to pan.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
Remove from heat; stir in cooked noodles until combined.
Notes
This recipe uses just half a Napa cabbage; use the leftover half to make a quick slaw or chop and use with apples, blue cheese, and a balsamic vinaigrette for great cold-weather salad.
If you can’t find chow mein noodles at your grocery store, use a package of ramen noodles, minus the seasoning packet.
Substitute an equal amount of boneless-skinless chicken thighs for the chicken breasts, if you prefer.
I’ve found that some people are scared of using fish sauce because they think it will make everything taste “fishy.” Trust me, and try it—it’s pungent, so you don’t need much, but it amps up the savory flavors of any dish.