Chicken Chow Mein
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Stir-fried noodles mingling with onions, celery, cabbage, and succulent chicken, all tossed in a delicious sauce—takeout-style chicken chow mein 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 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.
Table of Contents
“Made this last night for my family – it was a total hit. Both my kids have had and enjoyed the Panda Express version and said this one was even better!”
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Chow Mein
- Chow mein noodles: These noodles form the base of the dish. 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 grocery stores. But if you’re in a pinch or can’t locate them, feel free to use yakisoba noodles, ramen, or even spaghetti.
- Soy sauce: Adds salty depth and the quintessential umami flavor.
- Oyster sauce: Contributes a rich, slightly sweet and savory flavor.
- Asian sesame oil: Imparts a nutty aroma and taste, lending distinct Asian flavor.
- Chicken tenderloins or chicken breasts: The main protein, offering lean texture and flavor that absorbs the sauce.
- Cornstarch: Aids in browning and thickening the sauce.
- Vegetable oil: Used for stir-frying.
- Green cabbage, celery, carrots: Add crunch, color, and nutritional value, contributing to the varied texture and freshness of the dish.
- Scallions and garlic: These aromatics enhance the flavor profile with their sharp, savory notes. The green onions also add a burst of color.
- 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. (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.
Step 2: Make the Chow Mein Sauce
In a medium bowl, whisk the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and water until well combined.
Step 3: 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.
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.
Stir-fry for about one minute, until well combined and the noodles have absorbed the sauce.
Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve.
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Chicken Chow Mein
Stir-fried noodles mingling with onions, celery, cabbage, and succulent chicken, all tossed in a delicious sauce—takeout-style chicken chow mein is a cinch to make at home!
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 Asian 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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Very tasty & easy, perfect for a week night. Our family really enjoyed it & will definitely make again.
This was so good and so easy to make. Family loved it and I was thrilled as I’ve been looking for a receipe for a long time. I might make more sauce next time as it was really good and I wanted more sauce but with the recipe as written, it was great!
Thanks!!
Can this be made gluten free and if so what type of noodles?
Hi Susan, It won’t be quite the same but you can use rice noodles; just be sure all of the sauces are gluten-free.
This was delicious and so easy to make! I know it’s a hit when my husband says “Do NOT lose this recipe!” I halved the ingredients (except the sauce) since it’s just the two of us and am glad I did. It still made 4 servings. I did not use the full amount of sauce so next time I will adjust to 1.5 the amount. Also looking forward to tossing in different veggie combinations. I found the Wel Pac noodles at Target as Jenn suggested. Enjoy!
hello
Thank you for this recipe for chicken chow mein. I have tried many recipes over the years for chow mein and this was exactly what I was looking for-simple, readily available ingredients and delicious! This is the closest chow mein to any I’ve had in Chinese restaurants. I will definitely be making this often-so healthy and tasty. Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipe with us all.Have a great day
My family loved this – even my husband who doesn’t like “Chinese” style food! It’s a lot of prep work but not a lot of time. Next time I would double the sauce, add mushrooms (because I like them) and chopped water chestnuts. Otherwise, a winner and I’ll be making it again as soon as I buy more oyster sauce.
If you enjoy chicken chow mein, this one’s for you! Easy to make, simple ingredients, & packed with flavor! Another outstanding recipe, Jenn!
I agree that this was a little bland & that is with doubling the sauce as we like things a little saucier. We added more low sodium soy sauce when we served it & that helped. It also makes a lot, must be 4 people with really big appetites! Not that I am complaining, love the leftovers. We topped it with toasted slivered almonds & both of us enjoyed it & will make it again.
Hi Kathy, glad to hear you enjoyed it but sorry you found it a little bland. I suspect that using the low sodium soy sauce would have caused that as the salt in the soy sauce definitely contributes to the flavor.
This was soooooo good. I omitted the celery as I’m not much of a fan. Everything was absolutely delicious and even better the next day!
I followed the recipe exactly. I felt like it was very bland so I made more sauce. I felt like it was still missing something. What oyster sauce did you use? The sauce I used was “oyster flavored”, was that the reason? Also, next time I would add more chicken. This is the first recipe from your site that didn’t work for me. Thank you for your support in advance!
Sonia, Sorry to hear you found it to be a little bland! I use Lee Kim Lee oyster sauce. I’m not familiar with oyster flavored sauce and not sure if it’s different than typical oyster sauce. If it is, that may have contributed.