Craving takeout? Skip the wait and make this easy chicken chow mein at home! It has everything you love about your favorite Chinese dish. Tender chicken, colorful veggies, and chewy noodles get tossed in a savory sauce.
The best part? It comes together in under 30 minutes, which is faster than delivery. I love having the leftovers for lunch the next day, too.
Once you make this at home, you just might kick the takeout menu to the curb.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Chow Mein
This chicken chow mein is a winner for more reasons than one!
- Flavor Fusion: It’s a wonderful mix of savory, sweet, and umami flavors. You won’t be able to resist it!
- One-Pan Wonder: Since you use a single pan or wok, clean-up is a total breeze.
- Quick and Easy: This dish is perfect for busy weeknights since it takes less than 30 minutes.
- Takeout Fake-Out: It tastes just as good (if not better) than what you’d get from your local Chinese spot.
Ingredients
You only need a few ingredients to whip up this tasty dish:
- Chow Mein Noodles (or Thin Egg Noodles): The foundation of this dish. They’re nice and chewy and act as a canvas for the savory sauce.
- Chicken Breast or Thighs: Use boneless and skinless, and cut into thin strips for quick cooking.
- Vegetable Oil: It’s perfect for stir-frying at high heat and keeps the ingredients from sticking.
- Veggies: Green cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, and green onions make a colorful mix.
- Garlic and Fresh Ginger: They make this dish flavorful and authentic.
- Sauce: The umami mixture coats the noodles with sweet, salty, tangy deliciousness.
How to Make Chicken Chow Mein
Follow these simple steps to make takeout at home:
- Cook the noodles. Cook the noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar, and white pepper. Set aside.
- Stir-fry the chicken. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the sliced chicken and stir-fry until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Cook the vegetables. Add the remaining oil to the pan. Stir-fry the cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, green onions, garlic, and ginger for 2-3 minutes until crisp-tender.
- Combine the ingredients. Return the chicken to the pan along with the cooked noodles. Pour the sauce over top and toss well to coat everything evenly. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes more.
- Serve hot. Serve the chicken chow mein immediately, garnished with extra green onions if desired. Enjoy!
Tips For the Best Chicken Chow Mein
These easy tips will make your chow mein restaurant-worthy:
- Get a step ahead. Prep all the ingredients before starting. Stir-fries cook extremely quickly, so have everything chopped and ready to go.
- Give the noodles a rinse. After par-boiling, drain and rinse the noodles in cold water to stop the cooking. Toss with a little oil to prevent sticking.
- Work some batch bliss. Cook the chicken first, remove it, then cook the veggies to avoid overcrowding the pan. Combine everything back together at the end.
- Toss in some water. Add a little water to the pan when you first start cooking the noodles and veggies. The steam will help cook them and prevent the noodles from sticking.
- Be gentle! Use tongs or chopsticks to gently toss everything together without breaking the noodles.
- Switch it up. Customize your chow mein with different proteins like shrimp, beef, pork or tofu. Use any veggies you like.
How to Store
If you have leftover chow mein, store it to enjoy it for lunch the next day and beyond:
To Store: Allow it to cool completely before transferring to an air-tight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
To Reheat: Place the desired portion in a microwave-safe dish and heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through. You can also reheat in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
Chicken Chow Mein
4
servings10
minutes10
minutes503
kcalThis easy chicken chow mein is even better than takeout! The combo of tender chicken, noodles, veggies, and a delicious sauce can’t be topped.
Ingredients
8 ounces chow mein noodles (or thin egg noodles)
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, sliced thin
2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
2 cups shredded green cabbage
1 cup julienned carrots
1 cup bean sprouts
3 green onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- Chow Mein Sauce:
1/4 cup oyster sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp white pepper
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and stir-fry until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the pan. Stir-fry the cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, green onions, garlic, and ginger for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
- Return the chicken to the pan along with the cooked noodles. Pour the sauce over top and toss well to coat everything evenly. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes more.
- Serve hot, garnished with extra green onions if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use fresh chow mein noodles if you can find them. They have the perfect chewy texture. Thin egg noodles or even spaghetti can work in a pinch.
- Slice the chicken thinly so it cooks quickly and evenly. You can also “velvet” the chicken first by tossing it with a little cornstarch and oil before stir-frying.
- The vegetables should still have some crunch to them, so don’t overcook. Feel free to swap in your favorites like bok choy, snow peas, mushrooms, etc.
- Serve immediately so the noodles don’t get soggy.
This version of chow mein was a hit. It was delicious & very easy to make. I left out the garlic & ginger as my partner does not like….I added water chestnuts with the cabbage, carrots & green onions.
I’m confused… one of the photos for your Chicken Chow Mein recipe appears to have the cut-up, raw chicken in a bowl covered by the sauce. But your instructions don’t include that step. Can you please clarify? Thank you.