Chicken Lo Mein (Restaurant-Style)

If you love chicken noodle stir fry, like Yaki Chicken Udon, you’re going to love this easy Chicken Lo Mein recipe. This easy stir-fry noodle dish features juicy chicken, crunchy vegetables and stir-fried noodles coated in a silky and savory lo mein sauce.  

This Lo mein noodles recipe loaded with flavor and is the perfect balance of crunchy and chewy. Like Chow Mei Fun and Hunan Beef, this Chinese takeout dish, takes around 20 minutes start to finish.

Ingredients:

Here are the “must have” ingredients to make this authentic lo mein recipe. For the full list of ingredients, reference the recipe card below.

* Lo Mein Noodles (Chinese Egg Noodles)
* Chicken Thighs or Breasts (Boneless and Skinless)
* Vegetables
* Sauces (Soy sauce, dark soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and oyster sauce)
* Oils – Sesame Oil and Vegetable or Avocado Oil

If you’re into layering in even more flavor or texture, top your bowl off with crunchy chow mein noodles or even nuts.

How To Make

Just like Empress Chicken, chicken lo mein doesn’t require much time to prepare, but it is all hands-on time. Here’s the general steps you’re looking at, when making. For the full recipe, reference the detailed recipe card below. 

When making ANY stir fry dish, it’s important to prep all the ingredients, in advance. (mis en place). The key to a killer stir fry is to quickly cook it so everything isn’t soggy.

Sauce – Whisk together the sauce ingredients.

Noodles – Cook the noodles (time varies by type – see recipe card).

Chicken – Velvet and cook the chicken. This step helps the sauce cling to the chicken. 

Vegetables – Stir-fry the aromatics and vegetables (harder vegetables go in first)

Sauce it Up – Add the noodles and sauce to the wok and toss away!

Stir Fry Noodles

You have three noodle options when making: pre-cooked fresh lo mein noodles, un-cooked fresh lo mein noodles and dried lo mein noodles. Asian grocery stores carry the fresh noodles in the refrigerator section. Some brands are labeled “Hokkien Noodles”.

Fresh Lo Mein Noodles

The best noodles to utilize are fresh lo mein noodles! If you find already cooked noodles, all they require is a quick rinse in hot water to unstick the noodles.

If the fresh lo mein noodles haven’t been cooked, boil them for 2 minutes, until barely al dente. 

Uncooked Lo Mein Noodles

If using dried lo mein noodles, cook according to the instructions on the back of the box- just set your timer for 1 minutes less than the “al dente” time provided. Once cooked, quickly rinse them in warm water and drain.

Alternatives

If you can’t find lo mein noodles, great substitutions include udon, spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine noodles. Cook accordinging to the instructions on the back of the box – just set your timer for 1 minutes less than the “al dente” time provided.

You can use rice or ramen noodles, if you have those on hand, but they will more than likely break when tossing due to their thin and fragile nature.

Lo Mein Sauce Recipe

The secret to an authentic Chicken Lo Mein lies in its sauce. A well-balanced combination of soy sauce, sesame oil, and a touch of sugar, our recipe for lo mein sauce will give your dish that signature taste found in Chinese restaurants.

Chow Mein v Lo Mein

Wondering what the difference between lo mein and chow mein is? It’s all about the noodles!

Lo mein noodles are chewy, thick, and soft egg noodles. They’re boiled and often utilized in “saucy” recipes.

Chow mein noodles on the other hand, are thinner and fried instead of boiled. Chow mein noodles take on a crispy texture when stir fried vs soft and chewy.

Customize With Vegetables

The beauty of chicken stir fry with noodles lies in its adaptability. Just like you can when making Pad Woon Sen, you can easily add or swap ingredients based on your preference and what you have on hand. Just make sure to choose vegetables with a variety of textures.

Here are 10 vegetables that could go into a Chicken Lo Mein dish:

• Bell Peppers
• Snow Peas
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Baby Corn
• Mushrooms
• Bok Choy
• Bean Sprouts
• Onion
• Napa Cabbage
• Water Chestnuts

When cooking, keep in mind different vegetables take longer to cook. Hard vegetables (think carrots, bell peppers) should be added to the skillet first while soft vegetables (bok choy, bean sprouts) will follow approximately 2 minutes later.

Variations

Shrimp:

To make shrimp lo mein, use 8 oz of small raw shrimp in place of the chicken.  Honey Walnut Shrimp is another great shrimp stir fry to check out!

Beef:

To make beef lo mein, use 8 oz of thinly sliced beef in place of the chicken. 

Pork:

To make pork lo mein, use 8 oz of thinly sliced pork in place of the chicken. If you have Char Sui (BBQ Pork), this would be a great way to use it up.

Vegetarian:

To make this a vegetarian stir fry omit the protein and sub in extra vegetables. Make sure to add some crunchy vegetables in the mix.

Spicy Stir Fry

If you’re into spice, add red pepper flakes or even chili sauce to the sauce, like Hunan Shrimp.

Tips

• Do You Need A Wok? Nope. A large skillet will do just fine. If you have a skillet with high edges, use it.
• When prepping, make sure to cut the vegetables and chicken into similar sizes as to ensure even cooking. 
• Slightly undercook the noodles as they’ll continue to cook when you add them to the skillet. Plus they’ll be less likely to stick together when frying.
• The oil should be hot (slightly popping) before adding the food. 
• Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry in batches to avoid brining down the temperature of the oil.
• Chicken Lo Mein is best when enjoyed immediately. 
• Store leftovers in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.