30-Minute Chicken Chow Mein Recipe (2024)

Note: This is an updated version of my Chicken Chow Mein recipe that was first published in March 2015.

The thing I hate about ordering takeout from a restaurant is that it always takes forever for the food to arrive. Restaurants always underestimate the time it takes for the food to be ready. By the time the food gets to me, I will have eaten a mini-meal just to stave off my hunger. That’s why I prefer to make my own dinner, even when I’m exhausted and cooking seems like the last thing that I want to do.

I usually keep noodles around the house, like chow mein, so I that I can whip up a meal quickly. This chicken chow mein is one that I make often. Keep in mind, I don’t always use the exact combination of vegetables described in the recipe below. Feel free to substitute the vegetables with whatever you have.

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN CHOW MEIN

Making chow mein at home is very simple, and you can actually cook it without a recipe. Here are the general steps I usually follow:

Prepare the vegetables: For chow mein (or any stir-fried noodle dish), I typically slice my vegetables quite thinly. The vegetables are easier to cook and eat.
Prepare the chicken: I chop the chicken into small 1-inch chunks. In this recipe, I used chicken breasts, but you can use chicken thighs. Once cooked, chicken breasts can be quite dense. A trick to make them more tender (if you have the time), is to mix the raw chicken pieces with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Let the chicken sit for about 15 minutes. Then, rinse the chicken under water and pat dry with towels. The chicken is now ready for cooking. You can definitely taste the difference in the texture of the chicken breast.

Cook the noodles: Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the chow mein according to the package instructions. It usually takes around 5 minutes for fresh noodles to cook and a few more minutes for dried noodles. After they are cooked, drain the noodles and rinse under cold water.
Prepare the sauce: Mix all the sauce ingredients together. In this recipe, I used Lee Kum Kee’s oyster sauce. You can find it on Amazon, but it is significantly cheaper at an Asian supermarket. If you prefer not to use oyster sauce, you can swap it for my homemade teriyaki sauce.
Cook the chicken: I always cook the chicken by itself because it releases liquid when it cooks. If I cook the chicken together with the vegetables, there would be too much liquid inside my wok. This can lead to soggy chow mein, which nobody wants! I cook the chicken pieces for about 5 minutes. Then, I dish them up.
Cook the vegetables: My wok is quite hot when I add the vegetables, so they only need a few minutes of cooking.
Add the remaining ingredients: Once the vegetables have softened a little, I add the chicken back to the wok. Then, I add the noodles and sauce and toss everything together.

WHAT CHOW MEIN NOODLES DO I USE?

I have no brand loyalty when it comes to chow mein noodles—I grab whatever looks best at Asian supermarkets. For these photos, I am using Wyzen’s noodles, which I bought at SF Supermarket in Sacramento. Although the noodles look more authentic, the manufacturers added yellow food coloring to get that hue. If you are looking for noodles that contain more natural ingredients, you can try Fortune’s yakisoba. I made my vegetable chow mein with those noodles. My local Safeway and Raley’s sell these noodles in the refrigerated section.

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5 from 7 votes

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Servings: 4

Author: Lisa Lin

30-Minute Chicken Chow Mein

This simple chicken chow mein recipe is a delicious meal that’s ready in 30 minutes. It is much less greasy than Chinese takeout! You can also customize this recipe by substituting your favorite protein and vegetables.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Ingredients

8 ounces (225g) chow mein noodles
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
8 ounces (225g) chicken breast, chopped into 1-inch chunks
pinch of salt
1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 large red pepper, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, julienned
3 cups sliced green cabbage
2 stalks of scallions/green onion/spring onion, sliced

Sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon white pepper (optional)

Instructions

Cook the noodles:In a pot, bring about 6 cups of water to boil. Add the chow mein and cook them according to the package instructions. I cooked mine for about 5 minutes. Drain the water and rinse the noodles under cold water.
Cook the chicken:Heat a wok or large sauté pan over high heat. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of canola oil. Sauté the chicken pieces for about 5 minutes, until they are nearly cooked. Season with a tiny pinch of salt, and turn off the heat. Transfer the chicken to a dish and wipe off the wok.
Cook the vegetables: Get the wok on high heat again and add the remaining tablespoon of oil.Add the onions and cook them for a minute. Next, add the sliced pepper, carrots, and cabbage and cook them for 2 minutes.
Combine remaining ingredients:Get the chicken back to the wok and sauté with the vegetables for another minute. (See note 1) Finally, add the noodles and the sauce, and toss everything together. Taste the noodles and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Serve immediately.

Notes

The cooked chicken will release more juices as it rests. When you add the chicken back to the wok, leave out the juice.
Mama Lin typically adds a bit of five-spice powder for more flavor. You can add a 1/2 teaspoon of it to the sauce if you want to give it a go.
The original recipe used gai lan (Chinese broccoli)instead of cabbage. Because the stalks are quite thick, you need to cook the vegetables a little longer, about another minute or so.

Nutrition

Did you make this recipe?Tag @hellolisalin or leave a star rating and comment on the blog!

Cuisine: Chinese

Category: Noodles

Hello! I’m Lisa Lin

Here, you’ll find well-tested Asian recipes, pantry guides, and recipes from my sassy mother, Mama Lin. Through my recipes and cooking videos, I hope to honor the food and traditions that surrounded my Chinese American upbringing.

Reader Interactions

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Alessandra // the foodie teen says
March 13, 2015 at 3:25 am
Love those easy, quick meals. What an absolutely stunning photo that first one is! I’m definitely drooling over here – love those fantastic flavours!
Reply
- Lisa says
  March 18, 2015 at 8:47 am
  Thanks, Alessandra!
  Reply
Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living says
March 13, 2015 at 5:10 am
This looks just like the noodles my mom used to make – love it!
Reply
- Lisa says
  March 18, 2015 at 8:47 am
  Thanks, Jeanette!
  See Also
  Honey Chicken - RecipeMagik Pesto Caprese Pasta Salad Recipe Thai Chicken Bites Recipe Juicy Barbecued Chicken Thighs Recipe
  Reply
Sarah | Broma Bakery says
March 13, 2015 at 7:19 am
Boyfriend and I are huge stir fry fans. This looks so up our alley, and the whole 30 minutes thing is a deal breaker, so yeah. Want.
Reply
- Lisa says
  March 18, 2015 at 8:48 am
  How about I make you a batch of this, and you make me some of your gorgeous chocolate chip brownies??
  Reply
lindsay says
March 13, 2015 at 10:04 am
I think i need more chow mein in my life. Must go get some GF egg noodles or use zucchini noodles STAT! LOVE THIS beautiful dish
Reply
Kelly // The Pretty Bee: Cooking & Creating says
March 13, 2015 at 10:09 am
This looks so good, Lisa! You and I are on the same page today with recreating takeout food at home! 🙂
Reply
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
March 13, 2015 at 10:34 am
Yummy! I used to love chow mein as a kid!
Reply
Liz @ Floating Kitchen says
March 13, 2015 at 11:03 am
Can never go wrong with a 30 minute meal AND noodles. So comforting! I just love a big bowl of noodles. Have a great weekend, Lisa!
Reply
- Lisa says
  March 18, 2015 at 8:50 am
  Thanks, Liz! My weekend was great! Well, except when I found out that every one and their mother was going out for St. Patty’s Day bar crawl last Saturday! That totally derailed my plans to drink with my friends at a beer garden.
  Reply
Alisa @ Go Dairy Free says
March 13, 2015 at 12:14 pm
I’ll admit that before I read a couple of books about China and I had a friend from there, I had no idea how vast the country was and how there were so many different “food regions”. It’s actually a cool topic – you could definitely write a book on it! This chow mein looks amazing, definitely pinning!
Reply
- Lisa says
  March 18, 2015 at 8:51 am
  Yes, the food is so distinct depending on where you go! I could use any excuse to go back to China to eat some good food!
  Reply
Sheryl @Lady Behind The Curtain says
March 13, 2015 at 5:23 pm
Looks great! Can’t wait to try it out.
Reply
- Lisa says
  March 18, 2015 at 8:51 am
  Thanks, Sheryl!
  Reply
Alyssa @ Simply Quinoa says
March 13, 2015 at 6:56 pm
This looks so, so good! Pinning for sure!
Reply
- Lisa says
  March 18, 2015 at 8:52 am
  See Also
  7 Easy Stir Fry Sauce Recipes
  Thanks, Alyssa!
  Reply
Bam's Kitchen says
March 13, 2015 at 6:57 pm

Stunning photos Lisa!!! I love a quick noodle dish for my boys too. Living here in HK i am sure I can get that sauce as well but I hear you it is probably full of MSG so have to look for some alternatives. Sharing of course!!!
Reply
- Lisa says
  March 18, 2015 at 8:54 am
  Thanks, Bobbi! I need to go back to HK soon. I miss all the little eats they have there!
  Reply
Tina Muir says
March 14, 2015 at 1:54 am
Oh this sounds amazing!!!! I LOVE chow mien, and I miss it from when I used to have it in england. I never had a recipe before….now I do 🙂 Time to try it!
Reply
- Lisa says
  March 18, 2015 at 8:54 am
  Thanks, Tina! Let me know how it goes!
  Reply
Colorado Gal says
March 14, 2015 at 6:51 am
I love easy noodle recipes like this because they look so good and taste great but don’t require the effort. SO up my alley!
Reply
- Lisa says
  March 18, 2015 at 8:55 am
  Thanks, Heather!
  Reply
Des @ Life's Ambrosia says
March 14, 2015 at 10:02 am
Now THAT is a bowl of chow mein. Gorgeous photos!
Reply
- Lisa says
  March 18, 2015 at 8:55 am
  Thanks, Des!!
  Reply
Kelsey @ Snacking Squirrel says
March 14, 2015 at 2:03 pm
i’d kill, yes kill, for some of your chow mein right now!
Reply
- Lisa says
  March 18, 2015 at 8:55 am
  Haha, thanks, Kelsey!
  Reply
Sandra Laflamme says
March 14, 2015 at 6:23 pm
I would definitely make this in my kitchen. I would need to go for the MSG free version as MSG gives me migraines 🙁
Reply
- Lisa says
  March 18, 2015 at 8:56 am
  Absolutely! They do sell MSG-free oyster sauce, but soy sauce + sesame oil is great too!
  Reply
Jennifer @NourishedSimply says
March 14, 2015 at 8:36 pm
Can not wait to try this. Pinning!
Reply
- Lisa says
  March 18, 2015 at 8:56 am
  Thanks, Jennifer!
  Reply
Sonali- The Foodie Physician says
March 14, 2015 at 8:56 pm
Wherever it came from, your chow mein looks amazing!! And that African chow mein…lol!
Reply
- Lisa says
  March 18, 2015 at 8:57 am
  I know, right? I laughed out loud when I found out what was actually in that African chow mein.
  Reply
Maggie says
March 15, 2015 at 11:00 pm
Very interesting idea to use tianmianjiang in the chow mein and good to know that you can find it in supermarket easily! Although it’s a sauce for Peking duck, we use it as dipping sauce or cook with stir-fry too. Thanks for bringing up this ingredient. I’m gonna make some experiment with it this weekend 🙂
Reply
- Lisa says
  March 18, 2015 at 8:57 am
  Yea, I would love to see what you come up with using tianmianjiang!
  Reply
Alanna says
March 17, 2015 at 11:16 am
I could easily eat this over take-out any day! YUM. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Reply
- Lisa says
  March 18, 2015 at 9:00 am
  I totally ate this for breakfast. Strange but good!
  Reply
Jasmine says
August 24, 2020 at 2:03 pm

This recipe is a definite staple in rotation since I found this recipe a year ago it never disappoints!
Reply
Keeley says
June 2, 2021 at 11:47 pm

Was easy to find and follow. And tasted delicious! 🤤 😋 Thumbs up from me! 👍
Reply
Cloey says
July 12, 2021 at 8:14 am
What could I use instead of oyster sauce?
Reply
- Lisa Lin says
  July 21, 2021 at 10:56 am
  My teriyaki sauce is great: https://healthynibblesandbits.com/teriyaki-sauce/
  Reply
Bob says
July 7, 2023 at 9:59 am

I love Chicken Chow Mein but I have never tried to make it. Thank you for the recipe!
Reply

30-Minute Chicken Chow Mein Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the sauce in chow mein made of? ›

Combine soy sauce, light sesame oil, oyster sauce, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and chicken broth to make the signature sweet and savory sauce that makes chow mein taste authentic.

Read On ›

Do you have to boil chow mein noodles before frying? ›

Firstly, instead of boiling the noodles before frying, Chinese chefs usually steam the noodles, so that they are more 筋道（pronounced as “jīn dao”) or “al dente” in Italian (“to the teeth”).

Get More Info Here ›

What noodles are best for chow mein? ›

You will want to buy pre-steamed egg noodles, sometimes called chow mein noodles. They have instructions on the packaging on how to cook them. Usually you only need to soak them in boiling water for 1 minute.

See Details ›

What's the difference between lo mein and chow mein? ›

The biggest difference between chow mein and lo mein lies in the translations of their names: chow mein is fried, and lo mein is tossed. The experience is somewhat different between the two. Lo mein tends to be saucier and more toothsome, with a texture some describe as “slippery” because of the noodles' softness.

Why do we add vinegar to chow mein? ›

All you need is soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, oyster sauce, black pepper, and sesame oil. The flavor that is often missing in homemade chow mein is the tanginess. Black Vinegar is less harsh than regular vinegar, which gives the chow mein a subtle hint of tanginess that brings the dish together.

Get More Info ›

Why is my chow mein soggy? ›

An expert chef's tip for perfect chow mein

The ideal Cantonese style chow mein is not soggy, with aromatic crispiness here and there. Before frying them, it's best to steam the noodles rather than boil them, then dunk them in the hot water for just a minute. Remember to let the noodles cool down.