The 30-Minute Ultimate Chicken Lo Mein Recipe (With Pictures) (2024)

If you love Chinese chicken lo mein, but you only have a little time, this chicken lo mein recipe is for you. This quick, mouthwatering dish comes together in under 30 minutes. Try it soon.


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We used to have a lot of Chinese takeouts since it was more convenient, but this recipe of chicken lo mein totally changed my dinner plans.

If you are a fan of P.F.Chang's chicken lo mein or any other Chinese takeout lo mein, then please try this chicken lo mein recipe, trust me you won't regret it!


This authentic chicken lo mein recipe is customizable, plus leftovers are great for lunch boxes.


Here I have used a method of velveting chicken / tenderizing the chicken by marinating it with a little bit ofsoy sauceandcornstarch. That makes the chicken when stir-fried very soft and juicy.

Most Chinese cooking techniques use baking soda to be used for velveting chicken.

The 30-Minute Ultimate Chicken Lo Mein Recipe (With Pictures) (1)

This chicken lo mein copycat recipe is closest to the lo mein served in most Asian restaurants, where the noodles are boiled and then tossed along with chicken or any otherproteinof your choice, further adding invegetablesand finally sauce.

What is the difference between Lo Mein and Chow mein?

I have found two differences between thesedishes. Whenever I ordered and ate either Lo Mein or Chow mein, chow mein is mostly cooked with thin and fried noodles; in Lo Mein, the noodles are slightly thick and chewy.

Another difference is that in Lo Mein the noodles are cooked/boiled in water and then tossed along withvegetables, proteins, and sauce, whereas in Chow mein the noodles are stir-fried, along withveggiesand proteins in the sauce, with noodles being slightly crunchy.

But in both dishes, there areEgg Noodles. So that is the similarity.

I have usedEgg Noodleshere too but the noodles that I found in the store close by were thin and not round or thick. But the noodles didn't matter as the sauce was spot on!

Best Noodles For Authentic Lo Mein:

The noodles that work for any lo mein recipe are egg noodles. These noodles are easily available in any Asian store near you.

These egg noodles are available in stores as either cooked or uncooked. Cooked noodles are easy to handle, as you can wash them with hot water and cook them.

With uncooked noodles, first, you will have to cook noodles and rinse them well with cold water. Drain the noodles thoroughly.


Chicken Lo Mein Sauce:

The sauce that goes in to make this best chicken lo mein recipe is made withSesame Oil,Ginger,Garlic,Oyster Sauce(if you do not like this then instead useHoisin Sauce, I love Hoisin too), Sriracha for the heat, Light and DarkSoy Sauces.

The 30-Minute Ultimate Chicken Lo Mein Recipe (With Pictures) (2)

Chicken Lo Mein Ingredients

Lo MeinEgg Noodles:Use the round, chewy thickEgg Noodlesyou will find in Asian stores for this recipe. Even if you can't get it, do not worry - even Ramen Noodles go well as the sauce is the important part.

Chicken: I have usedtenderChicken Breastmeat in the recipe. That contains less fat but tends to get dry too fast but you can also use thigh meat also. That is juicier.

Sauce Mix: The sauce mix is an important part of this recipe. I have made the sauce a little spicier to adjust to mytastebut you can go ahead and make it spicier or less by increasing or decreasing the Sriracha quantity in the sauce mix.

Vegetablesof Choice: I have used Cabbage, Carrot, and Bell peppersalong with Scallions but you can try adding morevegetablesof your choice to make it healthier.

How to make Chicken Lo Mein?

Step 1:Cook noodles as per package instructions and keep them aside.the Chicken pieces withsoy sauce, salt, andcornstarch. Keep this aside for a few minutes.

Step 2: Next in a large pan/large skillet/wok, addsesame oiland add the chicken pieces. There should be not much of any marinade left but if there is Do NOT use that as that will make thisdishmessy.

Just use a fork or pair of tongs and drop the chicken pieces in thepanand immediately stir-fry the chicken.

Once done keep the chicken pieces aside.

Step 3: In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients for the sauce mix. Stir well and keep aside.

The 30-Minute Ultimate Chicken Lo Mein Recipe (With Pictures) (3)

Step 4: In the samepanadd more oil, add ginger, andgarlic, and stir-fryit till fragrant.

Step 5: Add sliced/shredded cabbage, carrot, and red and greenbell pepper, and stir-fryfurther tilltender. You can also addbroccoli,zucchini, orbok choyif you havetastefor it.

Toss everything further till soft, and add somesalttotaste.

The 30-Minute Ultimate Chicken Lo Mein Recipe (With Pictures) (4)

Keep theveggiesand chicken that's cooked aside.

Step 6: In that samepan, add noodles and sauce mix, and toss well so that the noodles get coated well with the sauce mix.

Step 7: Next add all the cookedveggiesand chicken, toss well to mix, and adjust the salt.

Serve hot immediately.

The 30-Minute Ultimate Chicken Lo Mein Recipe (With Pictures) (5)

The 30-Minute Ultimate Chicken Lo Mein Recipe (With Pictures) (6)

What variations of this chicken lo mein copycat recipe are possible?

Shrimp Lo Mein: Cook cleanedShrimpby marinating it withsaltandpepperpowder. Finally, toss everything together to make this amazingdish.

Try adding scrambledeggsto this along withshrimptoo.

VegetableLo Mein: Addvegetablesof your choice tossed insalt, and pepperpowder in this sauce mix along withegg noodles.

What are the bestvegetablesto go in a restaurant-style authenticchicken lo mein recipe?

You can add the followingvegetables:

Red and Green Bell Peppers

Broccoli

Snow Peas

Sliced Onions

Sliced Carrots

Sliced Cabbage

Zucchini

Scallion / Spring Onion

The 30-Minute Ultimate Chicken Lo Mein Recipe (With Pictures) (7)

Tips for Spicy Chicken Lo Mein

  • When adding the chicken to thewokto fry, do not add the marinade to thepan, Use tongs or a fork to pick chicken pieces and fry them. If the marinade is added then the wholedishwill get messy.
  • To get the smoky restaurantflavorfor thedishuse toss noodles on medium to high heat which gives a niceflavorto the finaldish.
  • Do not overcook theveggiesor make them very soft, keep them crunchy to get the combination of chicken andvegetablestogether in thedish.
  • Serve thedishimmediately after preparing, reheating works well too but a freshdishgives the best flavor.
  • If you like more spice in lo mein then increase the sriracha quantity too.
  • Uselow-sodium soy sauce.
  • Addbeans,bean sprouts,zucchini,bell peppers,bok choy,snow peas,green onions, or evenmushroomsas per your choice.
  • You can useskinless chicken thighsinstead ofchicken breastmeat.
  • The 30-Minute Ultimate Chicken Lo Mein Recipe (With Pictures) (8)

The 30-Minute Ultimate Chicken Lo Mein Recipe (With Pictures) (9)

More Chinese Recipes for you:

You can try some of my easy Chinese food recipes :

  • Sesame Chicken
  • Sweet Fire Chicken Breast
  • Black Pepper Chicken
  • Kung Pao Chicken
  • Hot and Sour soup
  • Cashew Chicken
  • Chicken Chow Mein
  • Vegetable Lo Mein

If you liked my recipe then please save this Pin↷

The 30-Minute Ultimate Chicken Lo Mein Recipe (With Pictures) (10)

The 30-Minute Ultimate Chicken Lo Mein Recipe (With Pictures) (2024)

FAQs

What is lo mein sauce made of? ›

Most commonly, lo mein involves chicken, beef, pork, turkey, shrimp or tofu. Sauce components: Lo mein sauce is mainly composed of sesame oil, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, garlic, ginger, oyster sauce and a dash of sugar. If you like your noodles to have a little heat, you can sprinkle in some red pepper flakes.

How to make bland lo mein taste better? ›

If you find your lo mein noodles to be bland and want to add more flavor, here are some ways to spice them up: I bring a quart of unsalted chicken stock to a boil, I add soy sauce , a dash of fish sauce and just a bit of sambal bajec.

Can you use regular spaghetti noodles for lo mein? ›

15 Minute Lo Mein! Made with just soy sauce, sesame oil, a pinch of sugar, ramen noodles or spaghetti noodles, and any veggies or protein you like. SO YUMMY!

What is the difference between chicken chow mein and chicken lo mein? ›

Lo mein usually uses the fat, chewy noodles, while chow mein uses the thin type of noodles that sometimes contain egg.” Lo mein uses fresh noodles that are boiled for a few minutes, while chow mein uses dried noodles that are parboiled for five to six minutes. Then there's the difference in cooking method.

What makes lo mein taste so good? ›

The sauce is what makes this dish so addictive. It's a simple umami filled mix of light and dark soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sugar, and a hint of ginger. It's super easy to make a batch of lo mein sauce and keep it in the fridge so you can easily make lo mein whenever the craving hits.

What is the brown sauce in Chinese food called? ›

There are many Chinese sauces that are brown just a few most common, soy sause, oyster sauce, sweet bean, Hoisin

What do they put in Chinese food to make it taste better? ›

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer that has been widely used for roughly 100 years ( 1 ). In addition to being naturally present in certain foods, it's a common food additive in Chinese recipes, canned vegetables and soups, and other processed goods.

How do you thicken lo mein sauce? ›

Cornstarch! In his book How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, Mark Bittman recommends mixing 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with the same amount of water, and tossing this into the stir fry just when it's almost done. It thickens in seconds, picking up the flavors of everything already in the dish and coating evenly.

Why does lo mein hurt my stomach? ›

Chinese food and soups contain monosodium glutamate (MSG) as the main addictive ingredient. A sensitive individual may suffer from headache, giddiness, sweating, abdominal pain, and urticaria within a few hours of consumption of MSG.

What is hoisin sauce used for? ›

Hoisin sauce is a thick, fragrant sauce commonly used in Cantonese cuisine as a glaze for meat, an addition to stir fry, or as dipping sauce. It is dark-coloured, sweet and salty. Although regional variants exist, hoisin sauce usually includes soybeans, fennel, red chili peppers, and garlic.

What are the thick noodles used in lo mein? ›

Lo Mein noodles are fresh yellow noodles (usually labelled "egg noodles") that are about 3mm / 1/8" thick, sold in the fridge section of grocery stores. Dried noodles - use 200g/8oz uncooked ramen noodles or other dried noodles.

Are stir fry rice noodles the same as lo mein noodles? ›

Rice Noodles vs Lo Mein

Lo mein noodles are made of wheat flour, water, and egg. Rice noodles are made with rice flour and water. If you're looking for a slippery noodle to absorb the flavor of your sauce or broth, then rice noodles are the right choice for you.

What does lo mein mean in English? ›

The term lo mein comes from the Cantonese lou1 min6 (撈麵), meaning "stirred noodles".

What is a good substitute for lo mein noodles? ›

Some options include:
  • Spiralized vegetables: You can use a spiralizer to turn vegetables like zucchini, carrots, or sweet potatoes into noodles. ...
  • Cabbage: Thinly sliced cabbage makes a good substitute for lo mein noodles and adds a crunchy texture to your dish.
Jan 1, 2023

Is chicken lo mein healthy for you? ›

Worst: Lo Mein

The noodles are made from white flour, which raises your blood sugar faster than fiber-rich whole grains. Plus, they're cooked with oil and soy sauce, so you get extra fat and sodium. Can't pass it up? Order the vegetable version, and only have half the order.

What is the Chinese brown sauce made of? ›

Chicken Broth Version: Combine 1 cup chicken broth (or chicken stock), 1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or potato starch) in a saucepan. Mix evenly and make sure there are no lumps. Bring to a boil and keep stirring during cooking.

What is Chinese chow mein sauce made of? ›

Combine soy sauce, light sesame oil, oyster sauce, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and chicken broth to make the signature sweet and savory sauce that makes chow mein taste authentic.

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