Chicken Chow Mein with Best Chow Mein Sauce! (2024)

Chicken chow mein is probably already one of your favorite Chinese takeout dishes. This one-pan dinner is so satisfying with chicken, vegetables, classic chow mein noodles, and the best homemade chow mein sauce. Also, it’s way healthier than ordering takeout.

Chicken Chow Mein with Best Chow Mein Sauce! (1)

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Hi there! My name is Natalya and I run the blog Momsdish. If you already follow me, you know I can’t get enough of easy meals that require simple ingredients and minimal clean-up. I can’t wait to share this recipe for chicken chow mein with you because it hits all the marks!

Chicken Chow Mein

Chow mein is a traditional Chinese dish made with egg noodles and stir-fried veggies. We love adding a protein and our favorite is chicken, but you can try different meat or tofu. This dish is pan-fried so the noodles get a nice crisp to them and then tossed in a yummy sauce. Chow mein is perfect for those nights when you don’t want to dirty too many pans or make a big mess of the kitchen.

Chow mein gets its signature flavor from the thick, dark homemade sauce the noodles are tossed with. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and salty and makes putting down your chopsticks absolutely impossible.

Chicken Chow Mein with Best Chow Mein Sauce! (2)

Ingredients for Chow Mein:

  • Chow Mein Noodles: Chow mein noodles are made with wheat and egg. They are very similar to Italian pasta noodles and have a wonderful bite to them. Most grocery stores carry dry chow mein noodles in the Asian aisle. But, if you are lucky, you will find pre-cooked chow mein noodles in the refrigerated section that can be thrown straight into your pan.
  • Vegetables: Carrots, cabbage, green onions, and bean sprouts are the perfect combination of veggies to use for chow mein. However, they can easily be replaced with other veggies like bok choy, celery, broccoli, spinach, kale or baby corn. Feel free to get creative and use what you like or whatever you have hanging around in your fridge!
  • Meats: Great quality chicken breasts are your best bet for slicing into chow mein-ready strips. If you like, feel free to swap chicken out for beef, shrimp or pork.
    • Hot tip: Hosting vegetarians also? Use vegetable broth and set some of your noodles aside to toss them with cubes of baked tofu.

Chicken Chow Mein with Best Chow Mein Sauce! (3)

The BEST Chow Mein Sauce:

The homemade chow mein sauce is amazing in this recipe! 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.

Chicken Chow Mein with Best Chow Mein Sauce! (4)

How to Make Chow Mein:

  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine ingredients for chow mein sauce: oyster sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, chicken broth, and cornstarch. Set aside.
  2. Cook noodles according to package instructions, set aside.
  3. Heat a large wok or pan. Add a bit of oil to the pan and cook chicken until it’s golden brown. Remove chicken and set aside.
  4. Add carrots, cabbage and pressed garlic and saute for a few minutes until veggies are slightly softened.
  5. Add chicken back to the pan, followed by cooked noodles and pour the sauce right on top. Cook for about 2 minutes, distributing all that saucy goodness around evenly.
  6. Add chopped green onions and remove from the heat. Serve hot!

Chicken Chow Mein with Best Chow Mein Sauce! (5)

We love recreating popular takeout recipes. Noodles are king in Chinese cooking! This Homemade Chow Mein Recipe is simple to make and oh-so-satisfying, these stir-fried noodles are sure to become a part of your weeknight dinner rotation.

Chicken Chow Mein with Best Chow Mein Sauce! (6)

More Quick Asian Recipes

  • Chicken Stir Fry with Rice Noodles– Make this amazing dinner in just 30 minutes!
  • Chicken Stir Fry– so much better than takeout.
  • Beef Stir Fry Recipe with 3 Ingredient Sauce– So Easy- perfect weeknight dinner.
  • Korean Stir-Fried Glass Noodlesa.k.aJapchae– You will be going for seconds!
  • Yakisoba Noodles Recipe– A Classic Yakisoba, made in one pan

Chicken Chow Mein with the Best Chow Mein Sauce

4.97 from 1074 votes

Author: Natalya Drozhzhin

Chicken Chow Mein with Best Chow Mein Sauce! (7)

Chicken chow mein is so much better than takeout! It is filled with chicken, veggies, classic chow mein noodles and the best homemade chow mein sauce. You will love this one pan dinner!

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Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 35 minutes mins

Ingredients

Servings: 8 servings

  • 1 lb chicken breast, boneless, skinless
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 12 oz chow mein noodles, (uncooked noodles)
  • 2 cups cabbage
  • 1 large carrot, julienned
  • 1/2 batch green onions
  • 2 garlic cloves

Chow Mein Sauce

  • 6 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp light sesame oil, (not toasted)
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar

Instructions

  • In a small mixing bowl, use a whisk to combine oyster sauce, granulated sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, chicken broth and cornstarch. Set aside.

  • Cook your noodles according to package instructions then drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.

  • Heat a large wok or pan with olive oil over medium-heat. Cut your chicken breasts into bite-sized strips and cook them in the oil until golden brown. Remove strips and set aside.

  • Add carrots, cabbage and pressed garlic and saute for a few minutes until veggies are slightly softened and the cabbage is a bit translucent.

  • Add chicken and noodles back into the pan. Pour sauce over the top and continue cooking all the ingredients together for another 2 minutes.

  • Garnish your chow mein with chopped green onions and serve the noodles straight from the pan and piping hot!

Notes

Note: When using cooked Chow Mein Noodles, it should measure to about 1lb.

Nutrition Per Serving

340kcal Calories36g Carbs19g Protein13g Fat1g Saturated Fat36mg Cholesterol914mg Sodium295mg Potassium3g Fiber3g Sugar1315IU Vitamin A8mg Vitamin C18mg Calcium2mg Iron

  • Full Nutrition Label
  • Nutrition Disclosure

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Chow Mein with the Best Chow Mein Sauce

Amount per Serving

Calories

340

% Daily Value*

Fat

13

g

20

%

Saturated Fat

1

g

6

%

Cholesterol

36

mg

12

%

Sodium

914

mg

40

%

Potassium

8

%

Carbohydrates

36

g

12

%

Fiber

3

g

13

%

Sugar

3

g

3

%

Protein

19

g

38

%

Vitamin A

1315

IU

26

%

Vitamin C

8

mg

10

%

Calcium

18

mg

2

%

Iron

2

mg

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Keyword: chicken chow mein, chow mein

Skill Level: Easy/Medium

Cost to Make: $$

Calories: 340

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

Natalya Drozhzhin

Chicken Chow Mein with Best Chow Mein Sauce! (9)

Natalya is a food blogger who founded Momsdish.com to make cooking easier. Growing up on a farm in Ukraine, Natalya was inspired by the amazing dishes that were prepared using simple ingredients. Natalya is most notably known for making cooking approachable for any person.

Read more posts by Natalya

Chicken Chow Mein with Best Chow Mein Sauce! (2024)

FAQs

What is chow mein sauce made of? ›

The BEST Chow Mein Sauce:

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.

Is chow mein sauce the same as lo mein sauce? ›

The sauce: Chow mein is more of a dry noodle dish with an extremely light and delicate sauce — if any sauce at all. Lo mein is a saucy noodle dish that depends on a rich sauce for much of its flavor. The texture: Chow mein noodles tend to be crunchier than lo mein noodles due to the way they are cooked.

Can you buy Chow Mein Sauce? ›

Tesco Chow Mein Stir Fry Sauce 165g - Tesco Groceries.

What makes chow mein taste like chow mein? ›

The sauce is what gives chow mein all of its seasoning and addictive flavors. It's a mix of oyster sauce, sweet soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and freshly ground black pepper. It's full of sweet and savory umami and seriously SO good.

What is the brown sauce in Chinese food called? ›

There is no specific 'brown sauce' in Chinese cooking. There are many sauces used… some have a brown color. Oyster sauce is brown, as Sha Cha sauce (Chinese style Satay Sauce), and Hoisin Sauce, to name a couple of famous types.

What can I use instead of oyster sauce in chow mein? ›

  • Fish sauce. Although it's not a perfect substitute, you can use fish sauce in place of oyster sauce in some recipes. ...
  • Soy sauce. Soy sauce is an easy substitute for oyster sauce since it's a common pantry staple. ...
  • Hoisin sauce. ...
  • Worcestershire sauce with soy sauce. ...
  • Teriyaki sauce. ...
  • Vegan mushroom sauce.
Jul 12, 2021

What makes lo mein taste like lo mein? ›

Lo mein sauce

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 are the different types of chow mein? ›

In the American market, two types of chow mein include crispy chow mein and steamed chow mein. The steamed chow mein has a softer texture, while the former is crisper and drier. Crispy chow mein uses fried, flat noodles, while soft chow mein uses long, rounded noodles.

Is hoisin sauce the same as oyster sauce chow mein? ›

What's the difference between hoisin sauce and oyster sauce? Hoisin sauce has a sweet and savory flavor, while oyster sauce is saltier and richer. Both sauces are used mainly in Asian cuisines. In traditional Asian recipes, oyster sauce is by far the preferred sauce.

What are the ingredients in Aldi chow mein sauce? ›

Water, Sugar, Dark 𝐒𝐨𝐲 Sauce (6%) [Water, Salt, Sugar, 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐭 Extract, Defatted 𝐒𝐨𝐲𝐚 Bean Flakes, Colour: Plain Caramel; Yeast Extract, Spirit Vinegar, 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭], Spring Onions (4.5%), Ginger Purée (4.5%), Modified Maize Starch, Garlic Purée (3.5%), Onion Purée (3.5%), Red Chilli Paste (1%) (Red Chilli Pepper, Salt, ...

How do you thicken chow mein sauce? ›

Use one tablespoon cornstarch mixed with one tablespoon cold water (aka a cornstarch slurry) for each cup of medium-thick sauce. Thoroughly mix the cornstarch and water together, then pour into your sauce. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.

What tastes better, chow mein or lo mein? ›

Largely this is a matter of personal taste since both dishes can be made to your preference. If you prefer lightly sauced noodles with some crunch and vegetables with some snap, chow mein might be the way to go. If you like a more comforting noodle with richly flavored sauce, lo mein may be the better option.

What is authentic chow mein? ›

What is Chow Mein? Chow mein is a stir-fry noodle dish that is made in many different variations, but typically made with noodles, cabbage, celery, green onions, and garlic. Traditional chow mein is made with fried noodles but often it is prepared with boiled lo mein, chow mein, or yaki-soba noodles.

What is the crunchy stuff in chow mein? ›

At my local Chinese, they call this Crispy Chow Mein Noodles. It's a Hong Kong / Cantonese style dish, and there are a lot of variations but the core of it is a bed of deep fried crunchy noodles topped with a saucy stir fry.

What the heck is chow mein? ›

In American Chinese cuisine, it is a stir-fried dish consisting of noodles, meat (chicken being most common but pork, beef, shrimp or tofu sometimes being substituted), onions and celery. It is often served as a specific dish at westernized Chinese restaurants. Vegetarian or vegan chow mein is also common.

What is plain chow mein made of? ›

Plain chow mein is a perfect combination of soft egg noodles, crisp vegetables and savoury umami chow mein sauce. A humble noodle dish that every Asian household love to have at least once a week.

Is oyster sauce the same as fish sauce? ›

Fish sauce is liquid, while oyster sauce is thicker. Fish sauce is fermented, while oyster sauce is caramelized. MasterClass says that when it comes down to taste, fish sauce is much saltier and deeply pungent and doesn't have the sweetness and subtleness that oyster sauce has.

What is the difference between Chinese noodles and chow mein? ›

Noodles are simply strands or ribbons of a flour/water dough, sometimes with other things like eggs or milk added. Chow mein is a dish that is prepared with particular types of noodles, stir-fried with various ingredients. It's a main dish that includes protein and vegetables, not just carbohydrates.

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