Panda Express Chow Mein (COPYCAT) in 30 Min! (VIDEO)

Ingredients for Panda Express Chow Mein at Home!

Making copycat Panda Express Chow Mein is so easy to do at home – most of the ingredients are items you probably already have in your pantry!

• 1 lb Chow Mein or Pancit noodle 
  • You can use fresh chow mein noodles, which are made of wheat flour, egg, and water. I find them in the refrigerated section of my local Chinese grocery (99 Ranch). These will be uncooked and thus need to be cooked before adding them into the wok.
  • You can also use Pancit noodles, which is what I have pictured in the images and video. These do NOT need to be pre-blanched before cooking; they’re coated with oil and can be cooked directly in the wok.
  • If you can’t find these, you can use other noodles – it won’t be 100% the same but it will be close enough. Some substitutes are:
    • Yakisoba noodles
    • Lo Mein noodles (these will be thicker and won’t have the slightly crispy nature of chow mein when fried)
    • Ramen noodles (not the instant kind)
    • Fresh noodles made of egg (yellow in color)
  • If you want to make this dish as close to the Panda Express version, look for noodles that look like them; if you don’t care as much, use noodles you have or prefer.
• 4 stalks celery – these will be sliced at an angle diagonally into 1/2″ pieces, just like how Panda Express does them
• 1 white onion sliced
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp ginger minced
• 2 cups cabbage sliced into ribbons

Sauce

• 3 tbsp light soy sauce – this is your “light” or “all-purpose” soy sauce; do not use dark soy sauce, as it’ll be too thick and sweet for this dish. (If you want a dish that uses dark soy sauce, you can try making Chicken Lo Mein, Shrimp Lo Mein, or Beef Lo Mein) low sodium
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp shaoxing wine – This is one of my favorite Chinese pantry staples. It adds a depth of flavor and complexity to the sauce and truly one of my “secret ingredients” for making restaurant quality Chinese food. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with mirin, sherry, or even chicken broth.
• 1/4 tsp white pepper – I love white pepper and it’s used very commonly in Chinese cooking (another “secret ingredient” for cooking restaurant quality Chinese food at home). It has an earthier, less spicy flavor than black pepper. I recommend having some in your pantry but if you can’t find it, you can always substitute with black pepper.
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp msg – I like to use MSG in my cooking but this is always optional.
• 1/2 tbsp cornstarch – This will help thicken the sauce so your Panda Express Chow Mein is lightly coated (versus swimming in sauce).
• 1/4 cup chicken broth

Cooking With a Wok (Alternatives)

By now, you know that I LOVE cooking with my carbon steel wok! It is my #1 most recommended kitchen tool, as I believe it is perfect for high-heat cooking and results in restaurant quality Chinese food!

If it is your first time cooking with a wok, make sure to read my “How To Season a Wok” post. There is a video included that shows exactly how to season your brand new wok and how to maintain it so it lasts for years.

If you cannot or do not want to use a wok, you can use a large pan, cast iron, or even a Dutch oven. My KEY TIP would be to avoid crowding your pan – crowding can lead to your PPanda Express Chow Mein not cooking thoroughly and becoming mushy. If you think your dish will be crowded, use a larger pan, cast iron, or Dutch oven, OR cook in batches.

If you tried this Panda Express Chow Mein or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!