Chicken Lo Mein Recipe (Easy Weeknight Meal)

Name: Chicken Lo Mein Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons of soy sauce; 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce; 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs (or breasts, cut into small cubes or strips); 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (minced); 3 cloves of garlic (minced); 6 oz. egg noodles (chow-mein, lo-mein, or any other Asian style noodles); 1 large head of broccoli (approximately 2 cups - broken into pieces); 2 tablespoons vegetable (sesame, olive, or canola oil); 1 medium sized onion (sliced thinly); 1 bell pepper (cut into small pieces); 1 ½ cups cabbage (sliced thinly); ¼ cup scallions (chopped); 1 tablespoon sesame seeds; 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (chopped (optional)); sliced lime (optional)

We all have our go-to favorite Chinese takeout recipes. This Chicken Lo Mein recipe packed with vegetables and creamy Asian-style noodles is mine. Packed with veggies and quick and easy-to-make lo mein noodle sauce, it comes together in about 30 minutes in one skillet.

And if you are a fan of weeknight Asian dinner recipes, be sure to also check out my Sesame Chicken Salad, Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry recipe as well.

Chicken Lo Mein Recipe photographed in a large pot from the top

Table of Contents show

Ingredients:

This homemade lo mein noodle recipe has 3 sets of ingredients:

Quick Lo Mein Sauce: Made by mixing soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and honey.
Chicken Marinade: Made by marinating pieces of chicken thighs in a sauce made by mixing soy sauce, fresh garlic and fresh chicken.
Chinese Style Egg Noodles: While the authentic recipe is made with chow mein or lo mein noodles, you can use any noodles you have on hand. We will cover this in detail more below.
Vegetables: Shredded cabbage and broccoli

Two bowls of Homemade Chicken Lo Mein photographed from the top

The Noodles: What Kind of Noodles Should I Use?

Truth be told, if you are not a stickler for the authentic chicken lo mein recipe, you can use any noodles you have on hand (including spaghetti and linguini). However, if you want to make the “real” thing, then go with Asian-style egg noodles like lo mein, chow mein, and ramen noodles.

You can find different kinds of egg noodles in the Asian section of your supermarket. They come in various thickness levels. I find that the best noodles for lo mein are the super-thin egg noodles (almost like Angel hair pasta) as they cook quicker than most other ones.

If you want you can order the noodles that I used here (affiliate link).

If you can get your hands on it, you can use fresh egg noodles as well.

With all this being said, as I mentioned earlier, any noodles you can get your hands on would work for this Chinese chicken noodles recipe.

Substitutions:

Chicken: I used thighs as I find them more flavorful. However, you can also use chicken breast in this recipe.
Toppings: I topped my lo mein with scallions, sesame seeds, and fresh cilantro. However, you can also use snow peas, snap peas, and red peppers. I also like to serve it with lightly sauteed baby bok choy if I have some on hand.
Cabbage: I used green cabbage but Napa cabbage can also be used
Soy Sauce: Light soy sauce can also be used

Sauce Ingredients are photographed from the top view

How To Make It Like Chinese Restaurants

This Chinese lo mein recipe has 4 folds.

Make the magical sauce
Marinate the Chicken
Cook the Vegetables and Noodles
Assemble it all together

I know it sounds like too many steps, but once you have the ingredients out, it comes together in no time. Let’s look into every step one by one:

How To Make The Sauce

If you ask me, the best part of this easy chicken lo mein recipe is the sauce. It has all the characteristics of Chinese flavors and comes together in 2 minutes.

Lo Mein Noodle Sauce Ingredients:

If you are someone who cooks Asian meals regularly, you probably already have all the ingredients already in your fridge. If not, you can easily find them in the Asian section of your supermarket.

To make the lo mein sauce, simply mix all the ingredients below in a mason jar or a bowl.

Soy sauce
Honey (or brown sugar)
Hoisin sauce
Sesame Oil

Give it a good shake and set it aside. You’ll use it at the very end.

Ingredients are laid out and photographed from the top

Marinate The Chicken

In terms of the chicken, I used boneless and skinless chicken thighs. Simply cut them into small cubes and mix them with some fresh ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. I usually do this at first so that it will have a chance to marinate for a few minutes as I am working on the rest of the ingredients.

A bowl of restaurant style homemade Chines chicken noodle bowl

If you are wondering how to cook noodles for this stir fry dish, I am going to have to refer you to the package instructions as it depends on the kind you are using. The one I used cooked in less than 5 minutes.

To cook the chicken lo mein, heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or large wok over medium-high heat. Add in onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes. Add in the chicken and cook until it starts to brown for 4-5 minutes.

Stir in the green cabbage, cooked noodles, and broccoli, and stir in the prepared sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes while gently tossing everything around using tongs.

Easy Chinese Chicken Lo mein dish garnished with lime and cilantro photographed from the front view.

Vegetables and The Assembly

The best part of this easy chicken recipe is that it is so versatile, especially when it comes to vegetables. In terms of vegetables, I used cabbage, broccoli, onion, and bell peppers. However, you can use whatever vegetable you have on hand. Other veggies like carrots, bean sprouts, and even mushrooms would also work.

As you can see in the recipe card video below, I precooked the broccoli for a few minutes with the noodles so that they will be soft when mixed in with the rest of the vegetables. If you are using a similar vegetable, feel free to use the same method.

The rest of the recipe is pretty straightforward. If you need a visual of how I made it be sure to watch the quick how-to video I made in the recipe card.

What to do with leftovers?

Storage: I doubt that you will have leftovers, but if you do they make the best lunch on the next day. Simply place your chicken and broccoli lo mein in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Freezing: I tried freezing some of this dish and it ended up being okay. However, I can’t say the same thing about the way it looked after it was thawed. It looked mushy. Unless you have to, I do not recommend freezing this dish.

A Few Helpful Tips:

Having been cooking this dish for years, I have wanted to provide you with a few tips for the best Chicken Lo Mein recipe:

The Toppings: I topped my noodles with green onions, sesame seeds, and some chopped cilantro. You could certainly serve this dish without the toppings, but if you are like me, live for the toppings, go for it.
To make this even quicker make the sauce in advance and store it in the fridge upto 3 days.
Most chicken lo mein recipes use corn starch to thicken the sauce but the lo mein sauce I made here is thick enough so you do not need to use cornstarch.

There you have it. If you were wondering how to make lo mein like Chinese restaurants, now you know. Next time you crave Chinese food, give this recipe a try. Making this hearty one-pot meal at home is much healthier than its restaurant version, and with this recipe, it is now easier too.

FAQs

What is Chicken Lo Mein?

Lo mein stands for the Chinese dish made with egg noodles. It is usually served with some sort of meat (like shrimp, chicken, beef, or pork) and vegetables. It can also be served with only vegetables.
Some people also refer to it as Chinese noodles with chicken and vegetables. Simply put, chicken is marinated in a ginger-garlic sauce and then mixed with cooked noodles and a quick lo mein sauce made by mixing classic Chinese ingredients like sesame oil, hoisin, and soy sauce. Some recipes also use oyster sauce, but my version of the Chicken Lo Mein recipe is made without oyster sauce.

What is the difference between lo mein and chow mein?

According to this site, essentially they are both egg noodles made from wheat. Which one you use is actually a personal preference as lo mein egg noodles uses soft noodles while chow mein uses crispy fried noodles. I made this recipe with both types of noodles and it was good both times.

How Many Calories in Chicken Lo Mein?

While calorie count depends on the noodles and vegetables you use, this dish serves four people and each serving is 462 calories.

Do I really need a wok to make this dish?

No, you do not. But whichever pan you use, the trick is to make sure that the pan is not overcrowded and all the meat and veggies have enough space to cook thoroughly.

What can I substitute for lo mein noodles?

If you can’t get your hands on lo mein noodles, you can use linguine or spaghetti noodles as they can hold up better to the lo mein sauce. If you go with rice noodles I recommend using a thicker variety rather than the thin ones.

You Might Also Like:

Similar Weeknight Dinners You Might Like:

Thai Lemongrass Chicken Recipe
Spicy Orange Ginger Chicken
Vegetarian Ramen Bowl
Or check out all of my easy chicken recipes and pick one for dinner tonight.

Like Cabbage? Here Are A Few More Recipes Made with Cabbage:

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Chicken Lo Mein (30-Minute Recipe)

Ingredients: