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Chicken chow mein is a one-pan noodle stir-fry with juicy chicken, crisp vegetables, and springy noodles in a savory soy-based sauce. It’s quick enough for a weeknight but has the texture and flavor you’d expect from your favorite takeout spot.
The best part? It’s homemade and ready in less time than it takes to pick up the phone.
This is a Chinese American-style chow mein, inspired by techniques from America’s Test Kitchen and NYT Cooking. It’s homemade cooking that skips the bottled stir-fry sauces in favor of a quick, from-scratch mix that’s just as easy, and way more customizable.
Here’s Why This Chow Mein Recipe Works
It’s faster than takeout: From prep to plate in under 30 minutes, with no waiting on delivery and no soggy leftovers.
Velveting makes better chicken: A quick marinade with some of the sauce gives the chicken a tender, silky finish.
Fast-fry veggies stay crisp: You’ll cook them hot and fast so they keep their texture and don’t water down the noodles.
Noodles get their moment: A quick sear gives them golden edges and stops them from turning mushy once the sauce hits.
For a cozier take on chicken and noodles, try my chicken ramen. It’s broth-y, but keeps things just as simple.
This recipe is flexible. Use whatever stir-fry vegetables you’ve got. Bell peppers, snap peas, mushrooms, broccoli, even bagged coleslaw mix all work.
It’s great with the full lineup, but still totally worth making with just cabbage if that’s what you’ve got. Want to mix up the sauce? Use my go-to stir fry sauce. It is easy to make a large batch to use all week.
Like quick stir-fries? This chicken asparagus stir fry is just as fast and easy. Or stick with a stir fried noodle recipe with my pork yakisoba.
Recipe Tips
Re-whisk the sauce before adding: Cornstarch sinks fast. If you don’t stir it again, the sauce won’t thicken evenly.
Cook the chicken in batches: Overcrowding leads to steaming, not browning.
High heat = stir-fry texture: Keep your pan hot so the veggies sear and the sauce clings instead of turning soupy.
Don’t skip the noodle sear: Pressing them into the skillet gives restaurant-style crisp bits that hold up to the sauce.
Loosen the sauce if needed: If the sauce thickens too much after adding everything back, a splash of broth brings it back to glossy.
Slice the chicken thin: Thinner slices cook faster and soak up more flavor from the marinade. Aim for bite-sized strips, not chunks.
Prep everything before you start cooking: Stir-fries move fast. Have your veggies chopped, sauce mixed, and noodles drained before the heat hits the pan.
Use the right noodles: Stir-fry egg noodles, yakisoba, or even par-cooked ramen work well.
Dry the veggies if needed: Too much surface moisture (especially on cabbage or bean sprouts) can steam the stir-fry and dilute the sauce.
Chow Mein with Chicken
Chicken chow mein doesn’t need takeout containers or bottled shortcuts to be great. With a few smart steps and high heat, you get springy noodles, crisp veggies, and saucy, golden chicken, all hot from your own skillet.
Craving more noodles? Try these spicy, slurpable dan dan noodles next.
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Chicken Chow Mein
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Ingredients
Sauce
- ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine, or mirin
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper, or black pepper
Chow mein
- 10 to 12 ounces stir fry egg noodles, or use yakisoba or ramen noodles
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, or chicken thighs, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups shredded green cabbage
- 1 carrot, julienned or shredded
- 2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces bean sprouts
- 3 green onions, sliced (green parts only)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Make the sauce: Whisk all sauce ingredients together until the cornstarch dissolves and the mixture looks smooth.
- Velvet the chicken: Add sliced chicken to a bowl and toss with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the sauce until coated. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes while you prep the noodles and vegetables.
- Cook the noodles: Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain, rinse briefly with cool water, and toss with a tiny drizzle of oil so they don’t stick.
- Cook the chicken in batches: Heat a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Add chicken in a single layer (work in batches so it browns instead of steaming). Cook until until browned and cooked through then transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Stir-fry the veggies: Add a little more oil if needed. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the cabbage, carrot, celery, and bell pepper. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until tender-crisp. Transfer the veggies to the plate with the chicken.
- Crisp the noodles: Add another drizzle of oil if the skillet looks dry. Add the noodles and spread them out so they have contact with the pan. Let them cook undisturbed for 30–60 seconds, then toss and repeat once or twice until you get a few lightly crisped spots.
- Sauce the noodles: Whisk the sauce again to distribute the cornstarch, then pour it over the noodles. Toss constantly for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the noodles.
- Combine and finish: Add the chicken and vegetables back to the pan and stir-fry just until warmed through.
- Add bean sprouts and the green onion tops and cook 30 seconds, just until the sprouts begin to wilt. Finish with a small drizzle of toasted sesame oil and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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