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Easy Chicken Lo Mein

This Chicken Lo Mein is scrumptious and easy to make at home.  Use fresh egg noodles or linguine for an easy, flavorful, and healthy meal.  Ten times better than takeout. Perfect for meal prep.

Chicken Lo Mein with Napa Cabbage in wok
Chicken Lo Mein with Napa Cabbage

Easy Chicken Lo Mein

Lo mein is a favorite Chinese takeout menu item, consisting of chewy soft noodles, vegetables, and bite-size pieces of chicken, beef, or shrimp. This stir fry noodle dish is popular for its richly succulent flavors.

Count us in for occasional Chinese takeout on a Friday night, but more often you’ll find us serving up this homemade chicken lo mein. It’s a better-than-takeout meal that’s big on flavor without being greasy. Peppered with lean chicken, vegetables, and mushrooms, it’s a healthy yet scrumptious dish the entire family devours.

Bonus: lo mein reheats exceptionally well and is perfect for meal prep. Serve half of it the day you cook and save the other half in individual meal prep containers for lunch, or use a family size container for another dinner that week.

Chicken Lo Mein Noodles in wok
Linguine works just as well as long egg noodles

What kind of noodles?

Classic lo mein typically calls for fresh Chinese egg noodles, shaped similarly to spaghetti.   Fresh egg noodles for lo mein is found at Asian grocery stores. In certain cities, major grocery stores might even carry it in their refrigerated Asian section.

If you can’t find fresh egg noodles, just use regular dry spaghetti or linguine noodles.  I often use fettuccine noodles I already have in my pantry when I’m too lazy to go to the store. That said, fresh long egg noodles will give you the most authentic experience.

Whichever noodles you choose, you’ll cook the noodles to al dente according to package instructions prior to using it for stir fry.

Tips for Homemade Chicken Lo mein

  • Generally speaking, the meat and veggies are stir-fried separately, and then added back in with the cooked and seasoned noodles at the end.
  • Season the chicken and veggies and sauté until the aroma makes everyone ravenous.
  • Stir it all together with your seasoned noodles.
  • Use boneless skinless chicken thighs for best tenderness.
  • Thinly sliced vegetables like carrots, broccoli, or Napa Cabbage is deliciously sweet once cooked, which adds balance here.
Chicken lo mein with napa cabbage in wok
Baby bellas or shiitake mushrooms both work well

Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

  • We often use broccoli and carrots in chow mein with much success.
  • Feel free to go with your favorite veggie combo. Ideas include sliced bok choy, spinach, or even cole slaw mix (just the veggies.)
  • Use shiitake mushrooms, mini bella mushrooms, or button mushrooms.
  • Shiitake mushrooms are most often in dehydrated form and are easily rehydrated once soaked in water. It boasts an earthy, aromatic flavor you won’t find in other mushroom varieties.
  • Try thinly sliced beef, shrimp, or ground meat of your choice. To make it meatless, forgo the protein.
chicken lo mein with napa cabbage in wok
Chicken Lo Mein is great for meal prep, as it reheats nicely.

More to Cook and EAt:

Try this thai fried rice, too


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chicken lo mein with napa cabbage in wok

Chicken Lo Mein

5 from 13 ratings
This Chicken Lo Mein is extremely versatile, hugely flavorful, and better than any takeout! Make it meatless and add any of your favorite veggies for your perfect weeknight meal!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

  • Oil for cooking
  • 16 ounces fresh Chinese long egg noodles, shaped similarly to spaghetti OR dry Italian linguine or spaghetti noodles
  • 3 TB Asian sesame oil, brown in color, highly fragrant
  • 1 LB skinless boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
  • 3 TB oyster sauce, divided
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp ginger, freshly grated
  • 3 TB rice cooking wine, divided
  • 3 TB regular soy sauce, divided
  • table salt
  • white pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ head small napa cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup carrots, julienned or matchstick
  • Thinly sliced scallions for garnish

Instructions

  • In a large, heavy pot, bring well-salted water to a boil. Cook noodles just until al dente, according to package. Do not overcook.
  • Drain, rinse with cold water in a colander, and toss with 3 TB sesame oil. Set aside.
  • In a bowl, combine uncooked chicken, 1 TB oyster sauce, sugar, ginger, 1 TB rice cooking wine, 1 TB soy sauce, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp white pepper. Mix well.
  • In a large wok or large frying pan, add 2 TB cooking oil over medium-high heat. When oil is very hot, stir fry the marinated chicken until almost cooked through. Transfer to a bowl.
  • In same wok/pan, add 2 TB cooking oil on medium-high until hot. Add minced garlic, cabbage, and carrots. Add 1/4 cup water and 1/8 tsp salt.
  • Cover and stir occasionally about 7 minutes or until cabbage is soft and wilted. Transfer to bowl with chicken-mushroom mixture. 
  • In same wok/pan, add 2 TB cooking oil on medium-high until hot. Add cooked noodles, 2 TB cooking wine, 2 TB soy sauce, and 2 TB oyster sauce. Stir well. Add pinches of salt and white pepper to taste.
  • Add back the chicken, vegetables, and all their juices to the wok of noodles. Stir and cook on medium high until lo mein is fully heated through. Serve warm, with sliced scallions as garnish.

Notes

  • You can add 8 oz of your favorite sliced mushrooms; baby bellas, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms all work great. 
  • If you can’t find napa cabbage, regular cabbage can be used, though the flavor is slightly different. 
  • Feel free to vary the vegetables: try snow peas, broccoli florets, or thinly sliced red bell peppers. 
  • If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating ♡

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 47.4g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1.1g | Cholesterol: 17.5mg | Sodium: 376.6mg | Fiber: 2.1g | Sugar: 2.9g
Course: Dinner, Main
Cuisine: Asian American
Method: Stovetop

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Recipe Rating




30 comments

    • Chef Dennis
    • 5 stars

    what a perfect week night meal! It went together in minutes and was absolutely delicious!!

      • chewoutloud

      Yay, glad you all liked this!

    • Genevieve | Fitty Foodlicious
    • 5 stars

    Chicken Lo Mein sounds easy to make and is perfect for a date night in!

      • chewoutloud

      Thanks 🙂

    • Kushigalu
    • 5 stars

    Tried this lo mein over weekend and my family just loved it. Pinned this super easy and tasty recipe to make again.

      • chewoutloud

      So happy to hear they loved it!

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