Chicken Lo Mein (Video)

Chicken lo mein plated on a rectangular tray next to chopsticks.

4.98 from 169 votes

This Chicken Lo Mein is so much better than takeout! It's a delicious noodle dish that can feed a ton of people with only a few, simple ingredients!

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Author: Chris Joe

Ingredients

Chicken

1/2 lb chicken breast sliced into 1/4" strips, against the grain
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 tbsp shaoxing wine
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tbsp avocado oil

Vegetables

1 medium carrot sliced
3 cups cabbage sliced
1/4 white onion sliced
5 scallions chopped, greens and whites separated
1 tbsp ginger minced
5 cloves garlic minced

Sauce

2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp shaoxing wine
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp water
1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp msg optional

Noodles

16 oz lo mein noodles fresh; if using dried noodles, use 12 ounces

Oils

1/2 tsp sesame oil
3 tbsp neutral oil I used avocado oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Slice your chicken breast into 1/4" strips against the grain and place in a bowl. Marinate with salt, white pepper, light soy sauce, shaoxing wine, corn starch and avocado oil. Let marinate for 15-20 minutes while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.
Prepare the vegetables, garlic, and ginger and set aside, separating your scallion whites and greens.
Premix the stir fry sauce by combining soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, shaoxing wine, sesame oil, white pepper, sugar, water, cornstarch and msg if using.
Cook the lo mein noodles about 2 minutes less than package directions, drain, then rinse with cold water and drain dry. Coat with sesame oil to prevent sticking.
Over high heat, sear your chicken in 3 tbsp of avocado oil for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through and set aside.
In the remaining oil, sauté your garlic and ginger for 15 seconds, followed by the scallion whites and vegetables (carrots, onions, and cabbage). Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly wilted and charred. Add the lo mein noodles, chicken, and sauce and mix thoroughly for 1-2 minutes. Continue cooking until sauce has thickened and is evenly coated. Add scallion greens, mix, and enjoy!

Notes

I recommend buying Lo Mein Noodles due to the bounciness and chewy texture of the noodles. Twin Marquis is my favorite brand, and they also sell a "cooked noodle" version in the fresh noodle section of your grocery store. I do not recommend buying the cooked noodle - stick to the Lo Mein Noodle for best results. (See image in the recipe post for the exact packaging of the Twin Marquis noodles I recommend.)

Instead of making a cornstarch slurry, I added the cornstarch to the sauce to avoid having to make it in another bowl - this saves you both time AND an extra step! Just be sure to mix the sauce again right before adding it to the noodles.

I always recommend cutting your vegetables into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly - this little step makes a huge difference!

Undercook the noodles - don't forget that the lo mein noodles will finish cooking in the pan! I always cook my lo mein noodles 1-2 min less than the package instructions call for. This way, they come to my preferred doneness by the time the noodles have absorbed all the sauce the heat continues to cook the noodles when they are stir fried.

After boiling, rinse the noodles immediately with cold water to stop the cooking. Shake them dry and then toss in a tablespoon of sesame oil to prevent the noodles from sticking while you prepare & cook the other ingredients.

Avoid crowding your pan - crowding can lead to your Chicken Lo 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.

Nutrition