⏱ Prep: 15 min 🔥Cook: 15 min 👤Serves: 4 💰Cost: Under $14
Chicken lo mein recipe is the Chinese noodle dish that sits at the top of every takeout order and the one that is surprisingly easy and genuinely better when you make it at home. Thick, chewy egg noodles boiled just short of done, tossed in a wok over high heat with marinated chicken thighs, cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts and scallions in a glossy sauce of oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil and Shaoxing wine that coats every strand. One wok. Thirty minutes. The sauce is the whole recipe.
Ingredients
For the chicken marinade
- 1 lb (450g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, sliced thin against the grain into strips. Thighs stay juicy at high wok heat where breast dries out.
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch, the velveting agent that seals moisture in the chicken and creates the silky, tender texture of restaurant lo mein chicken
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine, or dry sherry. Optional in the marinade but adds depth.
For the lo mein sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, the primary flavour of lo mein sauce, thick, savory, slightly sweet
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, the ingredient that gives lo mein its characteristic deep mahogany colour. Dark soy is thicker, less salty and more intensely coloured than light soy. Foodies Terminal confirms: it is the only secret of Chinese restaurant lo mein recipes, it adds tons of flavour, depth of colour and body. Do not skip it.
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine, or dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, added to the sauce, not to the wok. Sesame oil added directly to the wok at high heat burns and loses its flavour.
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 2 tablespoons water, loosens the sauce so it coats every noodle evenly
For the noodles and stir-fry
- 12 oz (340g) fresh lo mein noodles, available refrigerated at Asian grocery stores labeled “lo mein noodles” or “stir-fry noodles”, thick, yellow, egg-based. Best option. Substitute: dried lo mein noodles, ramen noodles or spaghetti cooked al dente. Carlsbad Cravings confirms: for pre-cooked fresh noodles, run under hot tap water to separate, drain well and toss with sesame oil. For dried, boil al dente, rinse cold water, drain, toss with sesame oil.
- 2 cups (150g) green cabbage, thinly shredded
- 1 medium carrot, julienned into matchstick strips
- 1 cup (50g) bean sprouts, added at the very end, they go limp and watery if stir-fried
- 3 scallions, whites sliced thin for cooking, greens cut into 1-inch pieces for finishing
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil, divided across cooking steps
Step by step
- Marinate the chicken and prepare everything. Combine sliced chicken with light soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, oil, white pepper and Shaoxing wine. Toss to coat and set aside for 10–15 minutes. Whisk all lo mein sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Prep all vegetables and have them ready. Prep the noodles, see step 2. Have everything beside the stove before the wok heats.Lo mein moves fast once the wok is hot. Having every component prepped and within arm’s reach before you start cooking is the difference between a smooth, controlled 10-minute stir-fry and a chaotic scramble that produces overcooked chicken and clumped noodles.
- Cook the noodles, undercook by 1 minute. If using fresh pre-cooked noodles: run under hot tap water to separate the strands. Drain very well. If using dried noodles: boil in salted water for 1 minute less than the package instructions. Drain and rinse immediately under cold water to stop cooking. Drain again very thoroughly. Toss all noodles, cooked or fresh with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.Undercooking the noodles by 1 minute is critical.
- Sear the chicken. Heat a wok or wide heavy skillet over the highest heat your stove produces for 2 full minutes until smoking. Add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer, work in two batches if needed. Sear for 2–3 minutes without stirring until golden, then toss and cook 1 more minute until just cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Stir-fry the aromatics and vegetables. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the wok. Add the garlic, ginger and scallion whites. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until golden and fragrant. Add the shredded cabbage and julienned carrot. Stir-fry over high heat for 1–2 minutes until just tender but still with a bite.
- Add the noodles, chicken and sauce. Return the seared chicken to the wok. Add the noodles. Pour the lo mein sauce over everything. Toss vigorously with tongs for 1–2 minutes over high heat until the sauce coats every noodle and strand and the colour is a uniform deep mahogany brown. Add a splash of water if the noodles seem dry or sticky.Toss constantly and vigorously, noodles left against the hot wok surface without moving will burn and stick. The target is every noodle coated evenly in the dark, glossy sauce. Pull a few noodles aside and check, if any strands still look pale, toss more.
- Finish and serve immediately. Remove from heat. Add the bean sprouts and scallion greens. Toss 2–3 times, just enough to distribute. Taste and adjust with extra soy sauce or a drizzle of sesame oil if needed. Serve straight from the wok.
Lo mein vs chow mein, the actual difference
Lo mein means “tossed noodles” in Cantonese, the noodles are boiled separately then tossed with the sauce and other ingredients in the wok at the end. The noodles stay soft and chewy with a glossy sauce coating.
Chow mein means “fried noodles”, the noodles are stir-fried directly in the wok in oil until crispy before the other ingredients are added. The noodles are drier, crispier and more charred.
Same noodles, completely different technique, completely different result. Lo mein is the saucy, glossy, chewy version. Chow mein is the drier, crispier version. Both are excellent, they suit different moods.
Make it ahead
Claire’s note
Chicken lo mein is one of the best leftover noodle dishes, it reheats very well and the sauce deepens overnight. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in a hot wok or skillet with 2–3 tablespoons of water, toss over high heat for 2 minutes until hot throughout. The noodles will have absorbed some sauce overnight and tightened up, the splash of water restores the glossy consistency. Microwave reheating works but produces a less even result. Freeze for up to 2 months, thaw overnight and reheat as above. The sauce alone keeps in the fridge for 2 weeks, make a large batch and use it across multiple weeknight stir-fries.
Serve with
Chicken lo mein is a complete standalone meal protein, noodles and vegetables all in one wok. It sits naturally alongside the beef and broccoli stir-fry and the Asian crunch salad as the noodle element of a Chinese-American spread. For more from the Asian collection the Chinese recipes collection have it all.
Add chicken lo mein to your weekly meal planner, marinate the chicken Sunday, make a double batch of sauce, stir-fry fresh noodles any night of the week in 15 minutes. And for more recipes, follow us on Pinterest.
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Chicken Lo Mein
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: None
Description
A quick and easy chicken lo mein recipe that rivals takeout, featuring chewy noodles and a glossy sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 2 tablespoons water
- 12 oz (340g) fresh lo mein noodles
- 2 cups (150g) green cabbage, thinly shredded
- 1 medium carrot, julienned
- 1 cup (50g) bean sprouts
- 3 scallions, whites sliced thin
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken and prepare everything. Combine sliced chicken with light soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, oil, white pepper and Shaoxing wine. Toss to coat and set aside for 10–15 minutes. Whisk all lo mein sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Prep all vegetables and have them ready.
- Cook the noodles, undercook by 1 minute. If using fresh pre-cooked noodles: run under hot tap water to separate the strands. If using dried noodles: boil in salted water for 1 minute less than the package instructions. Toss with sesame oil. Set aside.
- Sear the chicken. Heat a wok over high heat for 2 minutes until smoking. Add 2 tablespoons of oil. Sear the marinated chicken for 2–3 minutes without stirring until golden, then toss and cook 1 more minute. Remove and set aside.
- Stir-fry the aromatics and vegetables. Add remaining oil to the wok. Stir-fry garlic, ginger, and scallion whites for 30 seconds. Add shredded cabbage and carrot; stir-fry for 1–2 minutes until just tender.
- Add the noodles, chicken, and sauce. Toss vigorously for 1–2 minutes until the sauce coats every noodle evenly. Adjust with water if needed.
- Finish and serve immediately. Remove from heat, add bean sprouts and scallion greens. Toss and serve straight from the wok.
Notes
Chicken lo mein reheats well, making it great for leftovers. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for 2 months. Adjust sauce thickness when reheating.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stir-Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 125mg
