Easy Chicken Lo Mein With Spaghetti Noodles
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!
Jump to:
- Why you'll love this recipe
- Ingredients you'll need
- Step by step instructions
- Storing & reheating leftovers
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Ingredient substitutions & variations
- Recipe
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
What's the difference between lo mein and chow mein?
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!
What kind of noodles are in lo mein?
These are egg wheat noodles and come either fresh (pre-cooked or un-cooked) and dried.
Where do I buy lo mein noodles?
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.
What can I substitute for lo mein noodles?
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
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!
Pin Print
Course dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Asian, Chinese
- 16 oz fresh Chinese egg noodles - - substitute with dried lo mein noodles, spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast - - cut into bite size pieces
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 large carrot - - julienned, about ¾ cup
- ½ large red bell pepper - - sliced ¼ inch thick
- ¼ large onion - - sliced ¼ inch thick
- ½ cup shiitake mushrooms - - sliced ¼ inch thick
- ½ cup snow peas
- 1 stalk scallion - - chopped
- 2 teaspoons toasted white sesame seeds - - for garnish
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Start by boiling water in a large pot if you're using raw or dried noodles. Next, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a medium size bowl and stir together until the sugar dissolves.
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Add one tablespoon of the sauce to the chicken to use as a marinade. Let the chicken marinate while prepping the vegetables.
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If using raw egg noodles, boil for 2 minutes or until al dente. If using dried noodles, boil them one minute less than the package instructions state. The noodles should be al dente and not overcooked.
Drain and rinse the noodles under running water and then drizzle a tiny amount of oil on them to prevent them from sticking together.
Note: the yellow egg noodles I used in the photo came pre-cooked. Simple rinse them under hot water to separate the strands.
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Heat a wok or pan to medium high heat and add the oil. Cook the chicken until fully cooked and then remove it from the pan and set it aside.
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Add the vegetables to your pan and stir fry together for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender but still crisp.
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Add the noodles and sauce to the pan and toss everything together for 1 minute. The sauce should become shiny, glossy, and thick. Make sure the sauce coats all the noodles.
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Add the cooked chicken and chopped scallions to the pan and toss it once more to combine.
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Garnish with sesame seeds and serve.
- If using fresh noodles: You can tell if 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.
- 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.
Calories: 561 kcal | Carbohydrates: 72 g | Protein: 39 g | Fat: 12 g | Saturated Fat: 2 g | Cholesterol: 145 mg | Sodium: 656 mg | Potassium: 903 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 6 g | Vitamin A: 3869 IU | Vitamin C: 37 mg | Calcium: 54 mg | Iron: 3 mg
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*Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools.
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