Tender cubes of chicken breast, slices of red bell pepper, mushrooms, snow peas and carrots mingle with warm lo mein noodles in this classic Chicken Lo Mein recipe. It’s an easy takeout-style dinner that’s healthy and delicious!
An Easy Takeout-Inspired Dinner
Back in my college days, I ordered a lot of takeout from a little Chinese restaurant nearby. They made a mean red curry, excellent Moo Goo Gai Pan, and plenty of other delicious dishes. But, nothing really spoke to my hungry college belly like a heaping helping of their chicken lo mein.
These days, it’s still one of my very favorite foods, but instead of ordering takeout, I usually make it at home. That way, I can watch the ingredients, and of course save some cash, as well!
This recipe is a super simple version of chicken lo mein that tastes delicious and is full of healthy veggies. The sauce is gently flavored with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and a smidgen of peanut butter. 😋
Lo Mein vs Chow Mein
Did you know that crispy chow mein noodles and tender lo mein noodles are actually the same type of noodle? It’s true! They get their texture from the way they’re dried and cooked.
Chow mein noodles are often stir-fried like the other ingredients in a stir-fry dish, or else made into a crispy noodle omelette. Lo mein noodles are cooked until soft and used in a saucy dish like this one.
What You’ll Need
To make this dish, you’ll need some lo mein noodles, chicken breast, veggies, and a few pantry staples for the sauce. Easy!
For the Chicken Lo Mein
- Noodles: This recipe uses 16 ounces of dry lo mein noodles or rice sticks.
- Chicken: Cube or slice one pound of chicken breast.
- Bell Pepper: You’ll need 1 red bell pepper, sliced. Feel free to substitute green, yellow or orange peppers!
- Snow Peas: Wash and drain one cup of fresh snow peas.
- Carrots: Prepare one cup of fresh carrot shreds. Matchsticks also work.
- Mushrooms: For this recipe, I like to use sliced baby bella mushrooms, but you can use any fresh mushrooms that you like.
- Oil: You’ll need a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, for cooking.
- Sea Salt & Pepper: To taste.
- Garnishes: Green onion, cilantro and crushed peanuts make great optional garnishes.
For the Sauce
- Oil: I use olive oil in my sauce, but you could also use other oils like coconut or peanut.
- Soy Sauce: If you’d like, you can use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
- Vinegar: Just a tablespoon of rice wine vinegar adds balance to this savory sauce.
- Garlic: You’ll need three cloves of fresh garlic, minced or pressed.
- Sugar: You can use brown sugar, or try subbing maple syrup or honey instead.
- Ginger: I like to use a whole tablespoon of ground ginger.
- Peanut Butter: Creamy peanut butter blends best into the sauce, but crunchy will also work.
- Red Pepper Flakes: For a hint of heat.
How To Make Chicken Chow Mein
Aside from the noodles, this dish is cooked all in one pan or wok. First the chicken, then the veggies, and then everything all together. So simple!
- Cook Noodles: Boil your noodles according to the package directions, then set aside.
- Cook Chicken: Drizzle extra virgin olive oil in the bottom of a medium-sized frying pan or wok. Add your cubed chicken breasts to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Sauté on medium-high heat until the chicken pieces are cooked through, then remove to a separate plate and set aside.
- Cook Veggies: In the same pan, cook the sliced red peppers, mushrooms and carrot shreds. Drizzle a little bit more olive oil on top of the vegetables as needed, and sauté for roughly 5 minutes on medium heat. Next, add in the snow peas and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Make Sauce: In a separate bowl, prepare the sauce by mixing together the olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, ground ginger, brown sugar, peanut butter and red pepper flakes. Mix until well combined. If the sauce seems too thick, you may add a little more olive oil.
- Assemble: Turn the stove down to low. Add the prepared noodles and cooked chicken to the vegetables. Pour the sauce evenly on top, and gently toss to combine. Continue to cook on low for 2-3 minutes, until everything is nicely warmed.
Tips for Success
Here are a few easy tips and tricks for making your lo mein absolutely delicious! Read on, and happy cooking!
- High Heat: Genuine restaurant stir-fries are usually made in a huge, carbon-steel wok over really high heat. That’s one of the secrets to getting a crisp-tender, juicy result. To mimic that, make sure to use a large skillet or wok and high heat. Just be careful to avoid hot oil spatters!
- Be Prepared: As with all stir-fries, it’s important to have all your ingredients chopped, sliced and measured BEFORE you begin. Stir-frying is a quick cooking method, and there’s no down time for cutting up more veggies or finding the soy sauce.
- Don’t Overcook: From the noodles to the chicken to the veggies, make sure you cook everything just until done, but no further. Overdone chicken, soggy noodles, and mushy veggies can really ruin the dish!
Serving Suggestions
This dish is a complete meal! But if you’d like to add more sides, here are some tasty ones to serve up with your oodles of delicious lo mein noodles.
- Shrimp: A tasty side or appetizer, crispy fried Shrimp Tempura are always a hit!
- Soup: A steaming bowl of classic Egg Drop Soup goes really well with any Asian-style entree.
- Rangoons: Crispy, creamy Crab Rangoon Wontons are a family favorite, perfect for a festive takeout night.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Store your leftovers in an airtight container. Place it in the fridge and enjoy within 3 days.
- To reheat, place the leftovers in a covered skillet over low heat. Cook until just heated through.
Can I Freeze Chicken Chow Mein?
- Yes, you can! Both the noodles and the chicken freeze just fine, and while the veggies may be a little soft when reheated, they’ll still be tasty!
- Pack the chicken lo mein into freezer bags, pressing out as much air as possible before sealing. Freeze for up to one month.
- Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Chicken Lo Mein
Equipment
- Stove
Ingredients
For the Chicken Lo Mein
- 16 ounces lo mein noodles or rice sticks
- 1 pound boneless chicken breasts, sliced or cubed
- 1 small red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 cup snow peas
- 1 cup carrot shreds
- 1 cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
- Sea salt and pepper, to taste
- Green onion, cilantro, and/or crushed peanuts, optional, for garnish
For the Sauce
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 ½ tablespoons peanut butter
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Boil your noodles according to the packaged directions, then set aside.
- Add a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to the bottom of a medium sized frying pan or wok. Add your cubed chicken breasts to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Saute on medium-high heat until the chicken pieces are cooked through. Remove chicken and place on a separate plate.
- In the same pan, add your sliced red peppers, mushrooms, and carrot shreds. Drizzle a little bit more olive oil on top of the vegetables and saute for roughly 5 minutes on medium heat. Next, add in your snow peas and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, prepare the sauce by mixing together the olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, ground ginger, brown sugar, peanut butter and red pepper flakes. Mix until well combined. If the sauce seems too thick, you may add a little more olive oil.
- Turn the stove down to the low setting. Add the prepared noodles and cooked chicken to the frying pan with the vegetables. Pour the sauce evenly on top the lo mein and gently toss to combine. Heat on low for 2-3 minutes, until everything is nicely warmed.
Nutrition
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
Want more tasty takeout alternatives to make for your family? These flavorful dishes won’t disappoint.
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