Love Chow Mein, but trying to cut down on those takeaways? This one-pot Chicken Chow Mein recipe is super tasty and easy to put together. With succulent pieces of chicken and lots of fresh veggies tossed in a yummy umami sauce, you get to enjoy all your favourite Chow Mein flavours at a fraction of the price.
What's more, with just 25 minutes of cooking and prep time you'll be able to deliver it more quickly too. Plus it's one of those one-pot recipes that's a real lifesaver when it comes to cleaning up afterward.
On hectic days, quick noodle dishes like this truly come to the rescue. There are countless ways to customise them, so you'll never tire of the options. Next time give my Duck Chow Mein, House Special Chow Mein or Singapore Chow Mein Noodles a whirl, or keep it simple with a classic Plain Chow Mein.
The post contains additional information and helpful tips to ensure the recipe turns out great the first time. Please use the link above to jump to the recipe card at the end if you are in a hurry!
Jump to:
- 7 reasons why you'll love this recipe:
- Ingredient notes
- The Best Chow Mein Sauce:
- Substitutions and variations
- 🧑🍳 Recipe steps
- Top tips
- Do I need a wok?
- 🙋 FAQs
- 📦 Leftovers and storage instructions
- More chow mein recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- Chicken Chow Mein
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7 reasons why you'll love this recipe:
- Ready in 25 minutes
- One-pot recipe with minimal cleanup
- Better than takeaway - tastier, quicker, healthier and cheaper
- Scrumptious - packed with tasty marinated chicken, fresh veggies and tossed in a super tasty sauce.
- Versatile - switch up the protein or change the veggies. Once you've got the sauce right you're sure to have a seriously tasty bowl of noodles.
- Tasty leftovers - you're sure to crave another plate of these tasty noodles so make a large batch and enjoy an even quicker dinner the next day.
- A UK-friendly recipe with metric measurements as well as imperial.
Ingredient notes
You can cook up these tasty noodles using a handful of common, everyday ingredients.
When I created this recipe, I got some inspiration from traditional Chinese Chow Mein recipes from Made with Lau and Omnivores Cookbook. However, my goal was to sidestep any ingredients that would necessitate a visit to an Asian grocery store.
- Noodles: It's unlikely your local store will stock Chow Mein noodles, but fortunately fresh or dry egg noodles will work nicely. I often opt for fresh egg noodles because they taste better, save time and don't stick together the way dried egg noodles often do.
- Veggies: I use cabbage and mushrooms because they add more yummy umami flavour, but most stir-fry-able veggies will work well. Chow Mein is a great way to use up any veggies that are lingering in your fridge.
- Chicken: I opt for thighs over breasts because they are more succulent.
The Best Chow Mein Sauce:
A tasty sauce sets a great Chow Mein apart from a mediocre bland-flavoured one. After numerous rounds of testing, I've settled on these 6 ingredients.
- Dark soy sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Sesame oil
- Rice or apple cider vinegar. For a hint of tanginess.
- Sugar
- White pepper
Substitutions and variations
Note that the recipe has not been tested with all the substitutions and variations below, so the results cannot be guaranteed.
- Noodles: You can swap egg noodles for ramen noodles or thin spaghetti.
- Chicken thighs: You can use chicken breast instead but I recommend tenderising it using this velveting technique. Otherwise, pork or shrimp/prawns will also work well.
- Vegetarian option using tofu or adding more veggies.
- White pepper. Switch for black pepper if you don't have it.
- Dark soy sauce. I use dark instead of regular or light soy because it's richer and sweeter, but you could use light soy sauce if you need to. Just note that you might need to increase the amount of sugar to taste.
- Gluten-free: Using gluten-free noodles and soy sauce or tamari.
🧑🍳 Recipe steps
Step 1: Mix dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar and white pepper in a small jug or bowl. Stir a tablespoon of the sauce into the chicken pieces and leave to marinade while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Step 2: Place a wok or large frying pan on a medium to high heat, add oil, and cook the chicken for a few minutes until brown.
Step 3: Fry the mushrooms, shredded cabbage and whites of the spring onions/scallions for a few minutes until the cabbage begins to soften and the mushrooms start to brown. Then add the bean sprouts, green parts of the spring onion/scallions and garlic and cook for a minute or two more.
Step 4: Add the noodles in the pan until hot then pour on the sauce and quickly toss all the ingredients in the pan to incorporate. Remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately topped with more finely chopped spring onions/scallions.
Top tips
- Marinade the chicken while you chop the veggies - get the chicken extra tasty by prepping it first, adding a tablespoon of the sauce and leaving it to marinate while you chop the veggies.
- Get everything prepped before you fry - make sure the sauce is made and the veggies are chopped. Things will move very fast once you start stir-frying.
- Use fresh noodles instead of dried - to save those precious minutes and deliver faster than your local takeaway
Do I need a wok?
A wok is ideal for stir-fry dishes like Chow Mein because its high sides allow you to toss everything together quickly on a high heat, it is not essential and another large frying pan with high sides will also do the job.
🙋 FAQs
You can if you use gluten-free noodles and tamari/gluten-free soy sauce. Be sure to check ingredient labels to ensure they're gluten-free.
You can use low-sodium soy and oyster sauce if you are concerned about the high salt content of this dish.
Chow Mein can be nutritious. It depends on the ingredients you use and how it's prepared. Homemade Chow Mein that uses a small amount of oil and contains lots of veggies and lean protein can be a balanced and healthy meal. However, a greasy takeout Chow Mein will often be nowhere near as nutritious as it uses a lot more oil and is unlikely to contain as many fresh veggies.
Many people think that Chow Mein and Lo Mein are different types of noodles, however, the key difference is how they are prepared. Both Chow Mein and lo mein are Chinese egg noodles. Fresh egg noodles are used for Lo Mein whereas Chow Mein can be made from fresh or dry noodles. Both noodle types need to be softened in boiling water first but require different amounts of cooking time.
Both Chop Suey and Chow Mein are made with stir-fried meat and veggies. Chop Suey originates in Southern China and has a thick gravy-like sauce and is typically served with rice whereas Chow Mein comes from Northern China and is made with egg noodles and served with a thinner umami sauce where soy sauce is one of the key ingredients.
📦 Leftovers and storage instructions
Chow Mein leftovers taste great the next day. Just cover, leave to cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Ensure you reheat thoroughly on the stove or in the microwave before eating.
You can freeze leftover Chow Mein for up to 3 months. Just place it into an airtight container or freezer bag and place it in the freezer once cool. Defrost in the fridge and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
More chow mein recipes
You can find these alongside lots of other delicious, fast, easy-to-make, and cost-effective alternatives to takeaway like Honey Chilli Chicken, Lamb Shish and Prawn Fried Rice on the fakeaway recipes page.
Did you try this recipe? It would be really great if you could leave a comment and a star rating ⭐️. I would love to receive your feedback and know that other readers find it helpful too.
Don't forget to tag #knifeandsoulrecipes on Instagram or @knifeandsoul on Pinterest!
📖 Recipe
Chicken Chow Mein
Equipment
- 1 wok
Ingredients
Sauce ingredients:
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil (toasted)
- 2 tbsp rice or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp white pepper (Note 2)
Remaining ingredients:
- 2 tbsp neutral oil ground nut or vegetable oil
- 350 g (12 oz) chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces (Note 3)
- 150 g (5 oz) mushrooms roughly chopped
- 250 g (9 oz) cabbage finely shredded
- 4 spring onions/scallions chopped into 2cm or 1 inch pieces + extra to serve
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 300 g (10 oz) bean sprouts
- 600 g (21 oz) fresh egg noodles or x 4 portions of dry egg noodles (Note 4)
Instructions
- Mix the sauce ingredients in a small jug or bowl and set aside.
- Place the chicken in a bowl and mix with 1 tablespoon of the sauce. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Place a wok or large frying pan on a medium to high heat and add the oil. Add the chicken when the oil is hot and cook for a few minutes until it is brown on the outside.
- Add the mushrooms, cabbage and the whites of the spring onions/scallions and cook for a few minutes until the mushrooms are brown and the cabbage has softened.
- Add the garlic, bean sprouts and the green parts of the spring onions/scallions and cook for a minute or two until fragrant.
- Add the noodles and toss for a minute or so until hot.
- Pour on the sauce, toss the noodles, chicken and veggies for 30 seconds until incorporated, remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately topped with more spring onions/scallions as desired.
Notes
- Dark soy sauce: I use dark instead of regular or light soy because it's richer and sweeter, but you could use light soy sauce if you need to. Just note that you might need to increase the amount of sugar to taste.
- White pepper: Switch for black pepper if you don't have it.
- Chicken thighs: You can use chicken breast instead but I recommend tenderising it using this velveting technique.
- Noodles: You can swap egg noodles for ramen noodles or thin spaghetti.
Made this a few times now and it's fab. Left out the garlic and spring onions once as friends avoid them, and it was still ace. White pepper makes all the difference.
I'm so happy to hear that. Thanks for letting me know!