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 1068 votes

Author: Natalya Drozhzhin

Chicken Chow Mein with Best Chow Mein Sauce! (8)

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

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

%

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 the sauce in chow mein 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.

What makes chow mein taste like chow mein? ›

Simple sauce: While chow mein sauce is unbelievably easy to make, it still brings a complexity of flavors to the dish. The careful combination of ingredients like soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce and sugar results in a chow mein sauce that has hints of both savory and sweet notes.

Can you buy Chow Mein Sauce? ›

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

What does chicken chow mein contain? ›

Hong Kong Style Chicken Chow Mein Noodles is a classic Chinese dish consisting of crispy, pan-fried noodles and a rich gravy filled with fresh vegetables and chicken! The ultra crispy noodles is crispy around the edges and soft from the gravy in the middle – when mixed up it's a perfect contrast of textures!

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 is authentic Chinese 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 lo mein sauce made of? ›

Lo mein sauce

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 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 are the two 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.

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.

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 can I substitute for Chinese sauce? ›

The Best Soy Sauce Substitutes
  • Tamari. The easiest swap by far is tamari, which is basically soy sauce's gluten-free twin. ...
  • Liquid Aminos or Coconut Aminos. Maybe you have liquid aminos or coconut aminos from that time you went on a paleo kick? ...
  • Ponzu Sauce. ...
  • Teriyaki Sauce. ...
  • Worcestershire Sauce. ...
  • Fish Sauce. ...
  • Mushroom Broth.
Mar 16, 2023

Why is chicken chow mein so good? ›

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.

Is chow mein a junk food? ›

The noodles used for making chowmein are made of refined flour/maida, which is difficult for the intestine to digest and can cause severe stomach aches. Chowmein is usually stir-fried or deep fried, the amount of oil used in making this dish is usually more than the recommended intake.

What is in Panda Express chow mein? ›

Ingredients: cabbage, wheat flour, celery, carrots, water, mung bean vermicelli, green onions, modified corn starch, contains less than 2% of: ginger & garlic oil, sesame oil, salt, sugar, dehydrated soy sauce, onion powder, natural stir-fry flavor, spices, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, soybean oil, sodium ...

What is the brown sauce in Chinese food called? ›

Oyster sauce is commonly used in Chinese food and adds a savory, salty, umami flavor. Both can be found in most grocery stores. If you like, you can add grated or minced ginger or garlic. Serve your homemade brown sauce with a beef, chicken, or pork stir-fry or chow mein dish.

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 inside oyster sauce? ›

Traditionally, oysters are slowly simmered in water until the liquid caramelizes into a viscous, dark black-brown sauce. But to speed up the process, some commercialized versions are instead made with oyster extracts, plus salt, sugar, corn starch and caramel coloring.

What the heck is chow mein? ›

Chow mein is a dish of stir-fried Chinese-style noodles that can be served with proteins, vegetables or gravy. Chow mein is the English derivative of the word chau meing and comes from the Taishan dialect of Chinese. Chau means stir-fried and meing means noodles.

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