Our best chicken lo mein recipe that's ready in 15 minutes! Made with fresh Chinese egg noodles, tender chicken & tossed in a savory lo mein sauce! Easy & delicious!
This easy chicken lo mein is made with fresh Chinese egg noodles, healthy colorful vegetables, and lean chicken breast as protein. Then it's all tossed together in a delicious savory sauce made of soy sauce and oyster sauce.
It's ready in 15 minutes, start to finish and it's a great way to use any vegetables and protein you prefer. Faster than takeout, healthy, and it's easy!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It's fast and easy to make! It's ready in less time than it takes to get takeout and it's even better than the restaurant version! It makes a perfect weeknight meal.
- The fresh egg noodles add a wonderful chewy texture to this dish. If you can't find it, you can absolutely use spaghetti noodles or fettuccine. Just be sure to cook them al dente for the right texture.
- This dish is super versatile - swap out the vegetables and protein for what you have on hand. It's a great way to use up extra ingredients in your fridge.
- The lo mein sauce is amazing! It's a deep, rich color from the dark soy sauce with a subtle hint of sweetness from the brown sugar. The oyster sauce gives it a savory, umami flavor while the sesame oil adds a toasty, nutty flavor that brings it all together.
Ingredients you’ll need
For the stir fry:
- Fresh egg noodles - The ones pictured are Chinese egg noodles that are sold in the refrigerated section in Asian grocery stores. They're a beautiful yellow color, made of wheat flour and eggs, and have a chewy, al dente texture. The ones I used are pre-cooked so they don't require boiling. Just rinse them under hot water to separate the strands. Be sure to check the label for cooking instructions if they are still raw. For substitutions: use spaghetti or fettuccine noodles. They work great in this recipe! Cook them one minute shy of their package instructions for al dente noodles.
- Chicken breast - I used boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into small bite size pieces.
- Vegetables - I used shiitake mushrooms, red bell pepper, snow peas, carrots, and onion. Mix and match whatever vegetables you have on hand. It should total 2 to 3 cups of vegetables.
- Garnish - chopped scallions and sesame seeds
For the sauce:
- Dark soy sauce - a thicker, slightly sweeter version of regular soy sauce that adds a rich, dark color to the sauce.
- Oyster sauce - adds umami and a subtle sweetness to the sauce.
- Chicken stock - use low sodium if possible to control the saltiness
- Cornstarch - slightly thickens the sauce
Step by step instructions
- Mix the ingredients for the sauce in a medium size bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Add a tablespoon of the sauce to the chicken to act as a marinade. Prepare the vegetables while the chicken marinates.
- Cut the vegetables and boil water to cook the noodles (if using raw or dried noodles).
- If you're using fresh uncooked egg noodles: boil it for 2 minutes or until al dente. Drain and rinse the noodles under running water then drizzle on a small amount of oil to prevent them from sticking together.
- If you're using dried noodles: like dried lo mein, spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine, boil the noodles until they're al dente. An easy way is to do this is to boil it one minute less than the package instructions state. Rinse the noodles and drizzle a small amount of oil to prevent sticking.
- Heat a wok or pan over medium high heat and add the marinated chicken breast. Cook it fully and then remove it from the pan and set it aside.
- Next add the julienned vegetables and stir fry them for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the egg noodles and the sauce and toss them to combine. The sauce should thicken up and turn glossy and shiny. It should coat the noodles nicely. This takes about 1 minute.
- Add the cooked chicken and scallions and toss one more time to combine.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and serve.
Storing & reheating leftovers
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Store leftovers in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to one month.
Reheat: Warm up in the microwave on medium high setting one minute at a time until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lo mein noodles are thicker, softer, and chewier than chow mein noodles. Lo mein noodles are used in dishes that have thicker sauces and are boiled ahead of time. The literal meaning is 'tossed noodles' as they are 'tossed' with sauce and vegetables.
Chow mein noodles are thinner and fried instead of boiled. The literal meaning is "stir fried noodles" as they are stir fried until they become crispy on the bottom.
Try my chicken chow mein recipe to taste the difference!
These are egg wheat noodles and come either fresh (pre-cooked or un-cooked) and dried.
They can be found in most Asian grocery stores either in the dried noodle section or the refrigerated section (if you're looking for fresh noodles).
You can tell if the fresh noodles are cooked or un-cooked by the presence of flour. Uncooked fresh noodles are dusted with flour while pre-cooked fresh noodles come vacuum packed, lightly coated with oil.
If you can't find lo mein noodles, you can use spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine noodles instead. I would recommend using a wheat based noodle as they can hold up better to the sauce. Thin rice noodles may break apart too easily but thicker varieties can be used.
Ingredient substitutions & variations
- Sauce substitutions: if you don't have oyster sauce, you can use hoisin. Tamari and coconut aminos can be used instead of soy sauce.
- Vegetables: broccoli, zucchini, green beans, edamame, spinach
- Protein: shrimp, beef, pork, fried tofu
- Make it spicy: add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes or chili sauce to the sauce
More noodle recipes:
- Yaki Udon - Stir Fried Udon Noodles
- Easy Japchae - Korean Glass Noodle Stir Fry
- Spicy Szechuan Noodles with Garlic Chili Oil
- Chicken Chow Mein with Vegetables – Better than Takeout!
- 15 Minute Asian Chicken Noodle Soup
- 15 Minute Thai Vegan Peanut Noodles
- Pad See Ew Noodles
More stir fry recipes:
- Stir Fried Shanghai Rice Cakes
- Thai Basil Tofu Stir Fry
- Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken
- Panda Express String Bean Chicken
- Chinese Style Dry Fried Green Beans
- Panda Express Mushroom Chicken
Recipe
The Best Chicken Lo Mein
☑ Ingredients
- 16 oz fresh Chinese egg noodles - substitute with dried lo mein noodles, spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine
- 1 lb chicken breast or thigh - cut to bite-size pieces
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 ½ cups stir fry vegetables - sliced ¼ inch thick; See Note 2
- 1 stalk scallion - chopped
- 2 teaspoons toasted white sesame seeds - for garnish
Lo Mein sauce:
- ½ cup chicken stock - substitute with vegetable stock or water
- 2 Tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 ½ Tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1 ½ Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ginger - grated
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
Make it spicy (choose one to add to the sauce):
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce - use sparingly, it's salty
- 1 teaspoon Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp - use sparingly, it's salty
- 1 teaspoon Thai chili pepper flakes
Instructions
- Lo mein sauce: Add the ingredients for the lo mein sauce in a medium-sized bowl and stir together until the sugar dissolves.½ cup chicken stock, 2 Tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 ½ Tablespoons dark soy sauce, 1 ½ Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ginger, 3 cloves garlic
- Marinate chicken: Marinate the chicken with one tablespoon of the prepared sauce while prepping the vegetables.1 lb chicken breast or thigh
- Boil noodles: Boil the noodles until they are al dente, 1 or 2 minutes shy of the package instructions. Rinse under cold water and drizzle on a tiny amount of oil to prevent them from sticking.Note: The yellow egg noodles I used in the photo came pre-cooked. Simply rinse them under hot water to separate the strands.16 oz fresh Chinese egg noodles
- Stir fry chicken and vegetables: Heat a wok or pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Cook the chicken until fully cooked and then remove it from the pan and set it aside. Next, add the vegetables and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender but crisp.2 ½ cups stir fry vegetables, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Add noodles and sauce: Add the noodles and sauce to the pan and toss to combine for 1 to 2 minutes. The sauce should become shiny, glossy, and thick. Add the chicken back in and combine together. Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy!1 stalk scallion, 2 teaspoons toasted white sesame seeds
✎ Recipe Notes
- Fresh noodles: You can tell if fresh noodles are cooked or raw by the presence of flour. Uncooked fresh noodles are dusted with flour while pre-cooked fresh noodles come vacuum packed, lightly coated with oil.
- Vegetables for stir fry: I used carrots, red bell pepper, onions, shiitake mushrooms, and snow peas. Use any you have on hand.
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to one month.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools.
Olivia
This was delicious and easy!! My picky kids give it a 10/10.
I used chicken thighs.
I didn’t have ginger so that was omitted and for the brown sugar, I used regular sugar and instead of cornstarch, I used flour.
I do wish it were thicker but that’s probably because I didn’t have the cornstarch.
I also doubled the sauce recipe.
Will make again!
Jamie
Thank you Olivia! That's awesome that your kids loved it!
Maria
Just want to say this is the best Lo mein recipe in the entire internet! I probably made this more than 20 times in less than 3 months lol
Jamie
Thank you so much Maria! That makes me so happy to hear! 🙂
Paula Volpiansky
Great recipe. I cook a lot of Asian food and this one is tasty. Added a spoon of Toban Djan! Yum
Catherine P Marchetta
Fantastic base recipe!!! Made it vegetarian first, then with both silkened chicken breast and with shrimp another night and got rave reviews. Thanks very much for sharing this recipe and making me look like a chef 👳😍
Jamie
You're so welcome Catherine! Yes it's a great recipe to adapt from. I'm so happy you had success with the vegetarian and shrimp version. 🙂
Rochelle
This really is the best chicken lo mein - my new go-to. Thanks for the recipe! Love that it's designed to work with what you have on hand. Question if you know - we can't use oyster sauce. I generally replace with a combination of hoisin and/or vegan worcestershire. Any other thoughts/suggestions?
Jamie
Thanks Rochelle! I'm so happy you love this recipe. If you can't use oyster sauce, there's a great substitute called vegetarian oyster sauce or vegetarian mushroom sauce. It's really delicious and a great substitute. Let me know if you try it out!
Ramona
This looks super delicious. Recipe saved. I must make this ASAP.
Janice
Tasted great. My daughter said it was as good as Chinese take out.
Jamie
Yay I'm so glad your daughter enjoyed it! Thanks for trying the recipe! 🙂
William
Great recipe! Was easy to make, and leftovers reheated well. Will be part of the regular rotation for sure!
Jamie
Thanks William! I'm so glad to hear that!
Erin
This is the best recipe I have found.
Abbie
I made this for dinner last night and it turned out so good! I used chicken thighs and broccoli and carrots. My kids loved it!
Jamie
Thanks for sharing Abbie! That's wonderful to hear your kids enjoyed it too!
Christina
This was SO good! Can't wait to make again! I used cabbage and carrots and added sriracha at the end for heat. A keeper!
Amy
My daughter was in the mood for noodle and found your recipe. It was delicious and was super easy to make! The lo mein sauce was dynamite. I reckon I could use that on so many stir fry type dishes. Great for re-heating the next day as she wanted to take leftovers to school for lunch too.
Jamie
Thanks Amy! I love the lo mein sauce too! Glad you and your daughter enjoyed this! 🙂
Felice Hope
Love the recipe. Is it possible to marinate the chicken overnight and make it the next day?
Jamie
That would absolutely work!
Kim
Incredible recipe and very easy to make too! This is the first time I made this and won't be the last. The lo mein sauce is so tasty.
Ramona
I love how easy and delicious this lo mein dish was - definitely a keeper and will be making it again tomorrow. It was an order from my kids which I better comply with and deliver. Delicious, I do agree with them too.
Jamie
Thanks Ramona! It's a great meal for the whole family, kids especially! So happy your family loved it! 🙂
Genevieve | Fitty Foodlicious
This chicken lo mein sounds delicious and perfect for datenight meals!
Amber
The recipe title is absolutely true - The BEST! I love to make a big batch, and then have the leftovers for lunch the next day. It makes a work day go SO much faster. Delicious 🙂
Alex
This dish was one of my favourite takeout options, but I have been trying to cut down on that lately, so I decided to try and make it myself.
Well, I will never get take away again - this lo mein was SO much better. Delicious, with fresh vegetables and a real hit with the whole family!
LINDSEY
I love your tip regarding the use of fresh egg noodles. I picked some up the other day in the asian store and it definitely makes a difference with the lo mein!
Michelle
I ALWAYS order lo mein at Chinese restaurants but after trying this recipe, I'll be making this at home from now on! It was soo good and the lo mein sauce was incredible! So delicious.
Haley
Love how easy this chicken lo mein is! The step by step photos are so helpful. I had a bunch of veggies in the refrigerator to throw in and it came out fantastic!
Patty
This is absolutely the best lo mein recipe and I will definitely be making this over and over! The lo mein sauce was fantastic!