Chicken Chow Mein

by Sabrina Snyder

Last Update:

12 Comments

5 from 4 votes
4 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinate 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
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Chicken Chow Mein is a take-out noodle recipe that’s crispy and chewy. Enjoy on it’s own or as a side, ready in 45 minutes. Try it tonight!

Chow Mein is of the most classic Chinese Noodle take out side dishes and this recipe is perfect as a one-pan meal or you can serve it as a side to all your favorite Chinese dishes. Make sure to also check out Shrimp Chow Mein and Vegetable Chow Mein recipes.

chicken and noodles in pan ready to serve
Chop Sticks holding chicken and noodles
Recipe Snapshot

Why You’ll Love This Chow Mein?

  • Takeout made at home ready in just 45 minutes is quicker than delivery.
  • Easy to prep and full of flavor. Perfect as your main dish or a side.

Sabrina’s Chicken Chow Mein Recipe

My Chicken Chow Mein is the perfect dinner recipe for when you are craving takeout but don’t want to make a bunch of dishes. It’s a quick stir-fry noodle dish and a complete one pan meal made in just 45 minutes. It takes less total time to make these noodles than getting everyone to decide what to order!

Recipe Card

Dinner, then Dessert

Chicken Chow Mein Recipe

Chicken Chow Mein is a take-out noodle recipe that's crispy and chewy. Enjoy on it's own or as a side, ready in 45 minutes. Try it tonight!
Yield 4 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Chinese
Author Sabrina Snyder
PrintRate

Ingredients
 

Chicken Marinade

  • 2 chicken breasts , boneless and skinless
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil

Stir-Fry Noodles

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 carrot , julienned
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1 tablespoons sweet soy sauce , aka Kecap Manis*
  • 1 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 12 ounces chow mein noodles** , cooked a minute shy of the directions
  • 6 ounces bean sprouts

Instructions

  • Cut chicken into matchstick-sized pieces and add to a bowl with soy sauce and sesame oil for 15 minutes.
  • Heat a large pan or wok on medium-high heat with the oil.
  • Add the chicken to the pan in batches and cook for 2-3 minutes until cooked through.
  • Add the carrots and garlic, cook for an 1 minute.
  • Add the soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, oyster sauce, and water and bring to a boil for 1 minute.
  • Add in the chow mein noodles, bean sprouts and toss to coat.

Notes

*Instead of Kecap Manis, substitute 1 ½ teaspoons of soy sauce, 1 ½ teaspoons of molasses (or dark brown sugar), and a tiny pinch of ground anise.
**If you can’t find chow mein noodles, substitute Yakisoba noodles without the seasoning. Cook to package instructions.

Nutrition

Calories: 574kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1435mg | Potassium: 583mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2591IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 4mg

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Sabrina’s Tips

One part of this recipe that helps keep it authentic is that the noodles are stir-fried so they stay slightly crisp on the outside and tender and chewy on the inside. Cutting the chicken in thin matchstick strips allows you to cook it through for just a few minutes at high heat. I finish the noodles and chicken with a quick toss in the stir-fry sauce.

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About this Recipe

This recipe is made with an authentic chow mein sauce like you would find at Chinese restaurants. The key ingredients are Kecap Manis (a sweet soy sauce) and chow mein noodles. You can pick up these ingredients at an Asian grocery store or order them online. If you can’t find these ingredients, you can use my substitutes found in the recipe notes on the Recipe Card.

Can this be made ahead of time?

You can prep chow mein ahead of time by cooking the dish as usual. Then let it cool completely, and store it in an airtight container for 3-4 days. If you are going to store this, I would also store extra sauce because the noodles may dry out when reheated. This is also a great recipe to make and freeze for up to several months. Defrost the in the refrigerator. Then, reheat in a wok or skillet, adding extra sauce as needed if your noodles dried out at all.

Cooking Tips & Tricks

  • Wok stir-fries cook fast so prep everything before you start cooking. Prepping everything prevents overcooked chicken or vegetables, keeping everything crisp and tender.
  • For crispier noodles, toss them in a tablespoon sesame oil and pan-fry them for a few minutes in a separate skillet before adding to the sauce. 
  • Avoid dark soy sauce for chow mein. I like to use light or regular soy sauce because it has a better flavor with the noodles.
  • Depending on your cooking preference, you can make this recipe in a large skillet or a wok. Traditionally, this Chow Mein is made in a wok over high heat. The heat of the wok makes a big difference in the dish’s flavor!

Serving Ideas

These noodles are great for a side to your favorite takeout dinners or as a main dish all on its own. Serve with popular dishes like Orange Chicken or Mongolian Beef, or with a side of Steamed Veggies for a healthier meal. You can easily double the recipe to serve a crowd at a potluck or reheat leftovers for lunch. It can even be made ahead of time, but nothing beats stir-fry noodles fresh from the wok!

How to Store

  • Serve: This dish is best served fresh and hot. Keep at room temperature for up to 2 hours before storing.
  • Store: Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in a wok or frying pan with a little oil and soy sauce or chicken broth.
  • Freeze: This recipe can be frozen for up to 3 months in a sealed container or freezer safe bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove top in sauce for the best taste.

Frequent Questions

What is the difference between Chow Mein and Lo Mein?

Both dishes use egg noodles, but chow mein uses specific chow mein fried noodles, while lo mein uses noodles that are boiled. Lo mein also typically has more sauce in the dish than chow mein, while chow mein has more oil and is crispy in texture because the noodles are fried.

Can I make a Chow Mein low carb?

Make this chow mein lower carb by using tofu noodles, but they won’t be as crunchy as your traditional chow mein noodle. Or you can stir fry spiralized vegetables like carrots and zucchini.

Variations

  • Meat: You can use any boneless meat cut thin like pork, beef, or chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. For a filling vegetarian option use mushrooms, baked tofu or tempeh.
  • Noodles: You can use Lo Mein noodles if you like the chewier, thicker egg noodles better. Ramen and yakisoba noodles, without the seasoning packets, are a good substitute for these noodles. For Chinese-American fusion, try thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta.
  • Seasonings: Use other Asian seasonings like hoisin sauce, sesame seeds, Sriracha, red pepper flakes, and dried chiles to flavor or to add heat to the recipe.
  • Veggies: Add stir fry veggies like bok choy, snow peas, mushrooms, green cabbage, or bell peppers. Julienne the vegetables so they cook evenly. Garnish with with scallions, green onions or sesame seeds.

More Chinese Noodle Recipes

Pin image for chinese noodles and chicken

Photos used in previous version of this post

Collage of cooked chow Mein in bowl and bite with chopsticks.
Chicken Chow Mein in large bowl

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

See more posts by Sabrina

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  3. Amazing recipe! We can never order enough of this when we get take out, so I just use this recipe to make my own. Absolutely love it!

    Reply

  4. Sabrina: I have not tried this Chicken Chow Mein recipe yet, but I certainly plan too.
    So far everything I have tried from your recipes has been fantastic.

    Yesterday I made your Apple Fritters. They were as good as any bakery fritters.
    My husband is a retired professional baker – he was in charge of all of Albertson’s bakeries, when they were all scratch bakeries , for 25 years.

    I am not a professional cook. In fact my husband does most of the cooking. I cannot tell you how proud I was when my husband took a 2nd fritter-they were that good.
    Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipes with all of us.

    Reply

  5. I have never left review about anything. This deserves a great review. It was wonderful. It is somewhat labor intensive but well worth it. I assed some mushrooms and snow peas and used sweet soy sauce and my husband of 46 years said it was one of the best things I ever made. Thank you so much for the recipe

    Reply