Skip the long wait for the delivery driver and make your own classic Chicken Lo Mein in less time. This family favorite is so easy to make!
Chicken Lo Mein is the perfect way to feed the whole family a savory and amazing meal in less than 30 minutes. Loaded with lo mein noodles, chicken, vegetables, and an easy-to-make sauce, this popular Asian dish is sure to be in constant rotation!
Stay in for this takeout
Weeknights can be busy and sometimes hectic, so 30-minute meals are a must-have. Chicken Lo Mein is full of fresh veggies, comforting noodles, and seasoned chicken everyone gets plenty of their favorite items. It seems like we can make this dish in less time than it takes to order it and wait for it to be delivered, and to be honest, it’s so good that we don’t need takeout! This dish also makes a lot, so it’s easy to pack up a day or two of lunch for work, which makes this Lo Mein a superstar in my book!
Making a dish like Lo Mein is even more fun when you can make a night of it and start with an appetizer like Pot Stickers, followed by a light but warm bowl of Wonton Soup!
Other Recipes to Serve with Chicken Lo Mein
- If there’s one appetizer that everyone is seriously addicted to, it’s Bang Bang Shrimp! Make this for the family once, and you’ll see how fast it disappears!
- Wow, the crowd with Asian Ramen Broccoli Slaw– it’s an explosion of amazing flavors and is perfect as a side or for serving at a potluck.
Ingredients
Noodles: You will need Lo Mein noodles, but if you can’t find them, then spaghetti noodles may also be used.
Chicken: Pick up a pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast for this dish.
Veggies: Bring bright freshness to the dish with carrots, a red bell pepper, snow peas, and shiitake mushrooms, and to garnish the dish, you’ll want green onions. You will also need ginger paste and garlic paste, which is most often found in the produce section of grocery stores.
Oils: Both olive oil and sesame oil will be used in this recipe.
Seasoning: Salt and pepper are needed for seasoning the chicken.
To make the sauce: You will need a few items to make the sauce, such as soy sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, chicken broth, light brown sugar, cornstarch, and sesame oil. Many of these items will last a while, so the next handful of times you make this lo mein will be easier and less expensive.
How to Make Chicken Lo Mein
STEP ONE: Cook the lo mein noodles according to the directions on the package and then set them aside. Stir the chicken with salt, pepper, and sesame oil in a bowl. Using a deep skillet on medium-high heat, cook the chicken until done, and then add the ginger and garlic paste, cooking for one more minute.
STEP TWO: Take the chicken out of the pan and toss the olive oil, carrots, and peppers in the pan to cook for a few minutes. Add the mushrooms and snow peas and cook for a few minutes more. In a medium bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the sauce and then set that aside for a moment.
STEP THREE: Add the chicken and noodles to the pan with the veggies. Drizzle the sauce over everything and mix well, cooking everything for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Sprinkle the sliced green onions over the dish and serve.
Tips for Success
- Lo Mein noodles can be found in the Asian foods section of the grocery store or at any Asian grocery store. If you can’t find them, then spaghetti noodles can be used instead.
- Chinese cabbage or spinach can also be added to this dish, toss it in when the peas and mushrooms are added since the cabbage or spinach only needs to be wilted.
- If you enjoy sweeter Lo Mein, feel free to add one to two more tablespoons of brown sugar to the sauce.
- To make this dish vegetarian simply keep the chicken and oyster sauce out and replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
- Chicken Lo Mein is great for leftovers, so keep it in an airtight container for up to three days and reheat it in the microwave or a skillet.
What is the difference between Lo Mein and Chow Mein noodles?
When shopping for any noodle, it can be a little daunting to pick the right one when there are so many to choose from! When it comes to lo mein and chow mein noodles, the difference mainly comes down to how the noodles are cooked. Both of these noodles are egg noodles, which gives them that great comforting and filling quality but when using lo mein, they must first be boiled until cooked and then added to a dish. Chow mein, on the other hand, is softened in warm water and then stir-fried in a hot pan with the rest of the dish, which gives the noodles those fried edges they’re so popular for.
What is lo mein made of?
Because lo mein is a dish that can vary widely, this is a great question! The base recipe for lo mein is noodles, protein, vegetables, and sauce. That’s it.
You can choose what protein to put in your lo mein, such as chicken, beef, pork, mock duck, tofu, or no protein. When it comes to vegetables, there are almost too many to choose from! Cabbage, carrots, snow peas, mushrooms (and then what kind of mushroom!?), broccoli, baby corn, and so on. Whew, that’s a lot to decide.
What it comes down to is what you like and what you have on hand. Do you have a lot of veggies in the fridge that need to be used ASAP? Lo mein is a great answer. Does your family like chicken and shrimp? Perfect, throw them both in the pan! Lo mein is a wonderfully versatile dish.
More crave-able Asian inspired meals
- Ramen Noodle Stir Fry
- Shrimp Fried Rice
- One Pot Pad Thai
- Mongolian Chicken
- Slow Cooker Pineapple Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 ounces lo mein noodles
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cut into thin strips
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste (see note)
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste (see note)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ cup carrots peeled and sliced very thin
- 1 red bell pepper sliced very thin
- 6 ounce snow peas
- 3.5 ounces shiitake mushrooms sliced
- Green onions thinly sliced, for garnish
Sauce
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespons light brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Cook lo mein noodles according to package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta is cooking, toss the chicken pieces with the salt, pepper, and sesame oil in a large bowl.
- Place a deep skillet over medium-high heat and add the prepared chicken to the pan once hot. Cook until the chicken is done, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger in and cook for 1 additional minute, stirring constantly so the garlic and ginger don't burn. Remove the cooked chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Add the olive oil and carrots and bell peppers to the pan and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the peas and mushrooms and cook for 2 additional minutes, stirring frequently.
- While the veggies are cooking, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Add the cooked chicken and lo mein to the skillet with the vegetables. Add in the sauce and toss to coat. Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly and everything is heated through.
- Portion into bowls and garnish with green onions if desired.
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