Chicken Chow Mein
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Stir-fried noodles mingling with onions, celery, cabbage, and succulent chicken, all tossed in a delicious sauce—this takeout-style chicken chow mein recipe is a cinch to make at home!
Navigating the world of chow mein at American Chinese restaurants can be a bit confusing. “Chow mein” simply means “stir-fried noodles,” which are usually tossed with vegetables and sometimes meat or tofu. But when you order it, you’ll find two main styles.
Some places serve Hong Kong-style chow mein, which features crispy deep-fried noodles topped with veggies and proteins in a thick sauce. Then there’s the stir-fried version—like the one you find at Panda Express—where soft, stir-fried noodles are mixed with onions, celery, cabbage, and your protein of choice, all coated in a flavorful sauce (similar to Japanese yakisoba).
My chicken chow mein recipe is a nod to the Panda Express version that so many love. Sure, it’s designed to appeal to the masses, but there’s something about its simple, savory goodness that makes it irresistible.
“Made this last night for my family – it was a total hit. Next up is your fried rice!”
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Chow Mein
- Chow mein noodles: These make up the base of the dish. Go for the soft, stir-fry-style noodles—not the crunchy deep-fried kind. I use Wel-pac chow mein noodles, which cook in just a few minutes—you can find them at Target, Amazon, and many large grocery stores. In a pinch, yakisoba noodles, ramen, or even spaghetti will do the trick.
- Soy sauce: Adds salty depth and that classic savory flavor.
- Oyster sauce: Brings a rich, sweet-savory flavor that makes the sauce taste more complex.
- Sesame oil: Adds a toasty, nutty, and distinct Asian flavor. Look for toasted (Asian) sesame oil, which is dark in color and nutty in flavor, not the light, untoasted variety.
- Chicken tenderloins (or chicken breasts): The protein in the dish—tender, lean, and great at soaking up all the flavor.
- Cornstarch: Helps the chicken brown and thickens the sauce just the right amount.
- Vegetable oil: Used for stir-frying the chicken and veggies.
- Green cabbage, celery, carrots: Add crunch, color, and freshness. You can easily swap in water chestnuts, broccoli, bell pepper, or snow peas if that’s what you have on hand.
- Scallions and garlic: These aromatics bring bold flavor and a little sharpness. The scallions also add a nice pop of green to finish the dish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Boil the Noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles until very al dente—about 30 seconds less than the package directs. (For example, I cook Wel-Pac noodles for 2½ minutes instead of 3.) Undercooking the noodles slightly ensures they don’t become mushy once stir-fried with the sauce and veggies. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
Step 2: Make the chow mein sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and water. (The water prevents the sauce from being too salty and thins it just enough so it coats the noodles evenly.)
Step 3: Prep the chicken. In another bowl, toss the chicken with 1½ tablespoons of the sauce, the cornstarch, and the salt until evenly coated.
Step 4: Cook the chicken. Heat 1½ tablespoons of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook, stirring often, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Cooking the chicken first and removing it prevents overcooking and allows the pan to be used for vegetables without overcrowding.
Step 5: Cook the vegetables. Add the remaining ¼ cup oil to the skillet, then add the cabbage, celery, carrots, scallions, and garlic. Don’t be put off by the amount of oil—using a generous amount of oil helps the vegetables stir-fry rather than steam, keeping them crisp-tender with slightly caramelized edges. Cook, stirring frequently, until the veggies are softened and starting to brown, about 8 minutes.
Step 6: Toss everything together. Add the noodles, chicken, and remaining sauce. Toss everything together and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until the noodles are coated and the sauce is absorbed.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot and enjoy!
More Asian Recipes You May Like
Chicken Chow Mein
This chicken chow mein is a one-pan dinner that’s full of flavor and ready in no time—perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
For the Noodles
- 12 oz chow mein stir-fry noodles (see note)
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ cup water
For the Chicken
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins or chicken breasts, thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For Cooking
- 1½ tablespoons + ¼ cup vegetable oil, divided
- 3 cups (8 oz) thinly sliced green cabbage, from 1 small cabbage
- 2 stalks celery, very thinly sliced
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 6 scallions, dark and light green parts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- Boil the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles until very al dente. (The noodles I use call for 3 minutes of boiling; I cook them for 2½ minutes. If the timing is different on your package, reduce the time accordingly.) Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and water until well combined.
- Prep the chicken: In a medium bowl, combine the chicken with 1½ tablespoons of the sauce, the cornstarch, and salt. Stir until the chicken is evenly coated.
- Heat 1½ tablespoons of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Add the remaining ¼ cup oil to the skillet, then add the cabbage, celery, carrots, scallions, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened and starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Add the noodles, chicken, and sauce and stir-fry for about one minute, until well combined and the noodles have absorbed the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve.
- Note: When shopping for chow mein noodles, opt for "stir-fry" style noodles instead of the deep-fried crispy variety. I use Wel-pac chow mein noodles, which cook in just a few minutes—you can find them at Target, Amazon, and many large supermarkets. But if you're in a pinch or can't locate them, feel free to use yakisoba noodles, ramen, or even spaghetti.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 890
- Fat: 45 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 92 g
- Sugar: 8 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Sodium: 1287 mg
- Cholesterol: 118 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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We have a sesame allergy. What would you use in place of sesame oil? Thanks so much!
Hi Anisha, you can replace it with more vegetable oil. Hope you enjoy!
My son has a sesame allergy and I like to substitute walnut oil to get the nutty flavor!
The Wel-pak noodles come in 6 oz at my Target, so I bought 2 packs since the recipe calls for 12 oz, but it seems like too much. Wondering if that is a typo. We really enjoyed the recipe, but it seemed like not enough sauce for the noodles. Should I just be using 1 6oz package?
Hi SK, Sorry you found it didn’t have enough sauce. 12 ounces is the correct amount. If you choose to make this again, you could omit an ounce or 2 of the noodles to make it a bit saucier.
I’ve not had good results with Asian recipes……OH WOW, this was fantastic! I will be making this again. I did have trouble finding the oyster sauce and had to substitute an oyster flavored sauce. I didn’t like that but didn’t change the outcome, just my preference.
Made this for supper …. the flavor is so yummy! I doubled the sauce… and it was perfect… next time I’ll add additional veggies… we just about polished off the whole batch! Definitely a 5 star!
This was hit! Wife loved it. We’ll be adding it to our rotation. I’ll also try it with Hoisin sauce, for variation. Thanks for your dedication.
My husband loved it – the picky kids loved it too … my husband said “damn this makes me want to bring home all the bacon ” 🥴😩 which I don’t know how I feel about that but the fact that he loved it makes me want to add this to the dinner rotation ….
Simple and delicious. I love amount of veggies in this meal, too.
Chef Jenn,
Wow! Thank you!
We just had your chicken chow mein and my husband and i absolutely loved it! (i always give you credit for your delicious recipes.) I had double the veggies, noodles and chicken..so doubled the sauce. And, had two pans with equal portions. (Also, i used the Cuisinart to chop veggies.) Thank you, again! -Carrie
Wow! Absolutely making this a staple in our home. My 4 year old even at it!!
Another 5 star recipe, Jenn! Thank you!!
Incredibly easy when using store bought shredded carrots and shredded cabbage (@TJ’s). After that, all you need to slice are the celery, green onion, and chicken. The sauce couldn’t be easier – 4 very simple ingredients.
Next time, I will try full sodium soy sauce. I used low sodium, as that’s what I keep on hand. We ended up adding just a bit more soy sauce and a slight drizzle of sriracha to the plated chow mein.
All in all, it was incredibly delicious!! I can’t wait to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow!
I really thought we would love this. I made it as written and it lacked flavor. We all were able to doctor it to eat it. I probably will adjust the sauce if I make it again. This is the first recipe here that I wouldn’t rate 5 stars.