Restaurant-Style Chicken Chow Mein
Chicken chow mein with tender sliced chicken, crisp cabbage, and chewy noodles tossed in a savory soy-oyster sauce. A one-pan dinner ready in 30 minutes.
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Chicken Chow Mein is the dinner I make when we’re craving takeout but I don’t want to spend $40 on delivery for a Tuesday. Thin strips of chicken, shredded cabbage and carrots, and chewy noodles all get tossed together in one hot pan with a glossy soy-based sauce.
The part that actually makes this taste like the restaurant version is cooking everything fast over high heat instead of letting it simmer. Chow mein noodles just need a quick boil to loosen up, then a hot skillet sears the chicken and vegetables in minutes so the cabbage stays crisp instead of turning limp and watery.
I keep a bag of coleslaw mix in the fridge for nights like this, since it’s already shredded cabbage and carrots in one bag and skips ten minutes of knife work. Between that shortcut and noodles that cook in under 5 minutes, this genuinely comes together faster than waiting on delivery.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Better than delivery. A glossy soy-oyster sauce coats every noodle without the $40 price tag.
- Ready in 30 minutes. Faster than waiting on a delivery driver most nights.
- One pan, real vegetables. Cabbage and carrots cook right alongside the chicken and noodles.
- Great for using up extras. Toss in whatever vegetables are close to going bad in the crisper drawer.
Chicken Chow Mein Ingredients
Real chow mein noodles (thin wheat noodles, sometimes labeled lo mein noodles) hold up better to a hot pan than spaghetti does, but if that’s what’s in the pantry, spaghetti works in a pinch since the sauce is doing most of the flavor work anyway.
- 8 oz chow mein noodles (or spaghetti)
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce, for the chicken
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided, plus a drizzle for the noodles
- 4 cups shredded cabbage (or coleslaw mix)
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 3 tbsp soy sauce, for the sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
Recipe Variations
- Swap in bell peppers, snap peas, or bean sprouts for some or all of the cabbage and carrots.
- Use thinly sliced beef or shrimp instead of chicken; just adjust the cook time to match.
- No oyster sauce on hand? An extra tablespoon of soy sauce with a pinch of sugar gets you close.
How to Make Chicken Chow Mein
- Marinate the chicken: Toss the sliced chicken with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and the cornstarch. Let it sit for 10 minutes while you prep the vegetables.
- Cook the noodles: Cook the chow mein noodles according to the package directions until just tender. Drain and toss with a drizzle of oil so they don’t stick together.
- Make the sauce: Whisk together the 3 tablespoons soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Sear the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear for 3-4 minutes, until golden and cooked through, 165°F internal. Transfer to a plate.
- Stir-fry the vegetables: Add the remaining oil to the pan. Add the cabbage, carrots, garlic, and ginger, and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until the cabbage is just wilted but still has some crunch.
- Combine: Return the chicken to the pan along with the noodles. Pour in the sauce and toss everything together for 1-2 minutes, until the noodles are evenly coated and heated through.
- Finish and serve: Stir in most of the green onions, reserving some for topping, and serve hot.
Recipe FAQs
Can I Use Spaghetti Instead of Chow Mein Noodles?
Yes, it’s a fine stand-in if that’s what you have. It won’t have quite the same chew, but the sauce carries the flavor either way.
My Noodles Turned out Clumpy. What Happened?
They probably sat too long after draining without oil. Toss them with a little oil right after draining so they stay separated until they hit the sauce.
Can I Use a Different Vegetable Mix?
Absolutely. Bell peppers, snap peas, and bean sprouts all work well; just keep the total volume about the same so the sauce-to-vegetable ratio stays balanced.
Is Oyster Sauce Necessary, or Can I Skip It?
It adds a deep, savory backbone that’s hard to replace, but in a pinch, an extra tablespoon of soy sauce with a pinch of sugar gets you close.
Can I Double This, and What Goes Well with It?
Yes, just cook the chicken and noodles in batches so the pan stays hot enough to sear instead of steam. It’s a full meal on its own, though egg rolls or a simple cucumber salad round it out.
Cooking Tips
- Slice the chicken thin and against the grain. It cooks faster and stays more tender in a quick stir-fry.
- Keep the heat high once the chicken and vegetables go in. A crowded, cool pan steams the cabbage instead of giving it any char.
- Have the sauce mixed and the noodles cooked before you start stir-frying. This dish moves fast once the pan heats up.
Storage and Freezing
To store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To freeze: Freezing isn’t recommended, the noodles and cabbage both turn mushy once thawed.
To reheat: Warm in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or soy sauce to loosen the sauce, or microwave in 1-minute bursts.
How to Serve Chicken Chow Mein
Chicken Chow Mein really doesn’t need much alongside it since the protein, vegetables, and noodles are all in the bowl, though egg rolls or a simple cucumber salad round out the meal.
Loved This Recipe?
Chicken Chow Mein is the kind of dinner that makes takeout night feel unnecessary.
Leave a star rating in the comments below, it helps other people find this recipe. Made it? Tag @allwellfed on Instagram, I love seeing this one in other people’s kitchens.
Chicken Chow Mein
Ingredients
- 8 oz chow mein noodles or spaghetti
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce for the chicken
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil divided, plus a drizzle for the noodles
- 4 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
- 3 green onions sliced
- 3 tbsp soy sauce for the sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: Toss the sliced chicken with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and the cornstarch. Let it sit for 10 minutes while you prep the vegetables.
- Cook the noodles: Cook the chow mein noodles according to the package directions until just tender. Drain and toss with a drizzle of oil so they don’t stick together.
- Make the sauce: Whisk together the 3 tablespoons soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Sear the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear for 3-4 minutes, until golden and cooked through, 165°F internal. Transfer to a plate.
- Stir-fry the vegetables: Add the remaining oil to the pan. Add the cabbage, carrots, garlic, and ginger, and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until the cabbage is just wilted but still has some crunch.
- Combine: Return the chicken to the pan along with the noodles. Pour in the sauce and toss everything together for 1-2 minutes, until the noodles are evenly coated and heated through.
- Finish and serve: Stir in most of the green onions, reserving some for topping, and serve hot.
