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Make the best tasting chicken chow mein that is even better than Chinese restaurant takeout using fresh ingredients and a rich sauce! This one-pan dinner is loaded with tender juicy chicken, crunch colorful veggies, and springy noodles and brought together with an extra fragrant brown sauce.

Chicken Chow Mein (鸡肉炒面)

By Maggie Zhu
4.93 from 14 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
This chicken chow mein is my 25 minute weeknight version with springy chow mein noodles, marinated chicken, shredded cabbage and carrot, and a glossy brown sauce built on oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, and soy sauce. It is a Chinese takeout favorite I cook at home on the nights I want one pan, dinner on the table, and cero leftovers wasted.

Ingredients

Marinating

  • 6 oz boneless chicken breast or thighs , thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Sauce

Stir fry

  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 4 cups shredded cabbage (*Footnote 2)
  • 2 cloves garlic , finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon ginger , minced
  • 10 oz fresh chow mein noodles , or 6 oz (170 g) dried chow mein noodles
  • 2 small carrots , julienned (yields 1 cup) (*Footnote 2)
  • 1 anaheim pepper or other hot pepper of your choice , sliced (Optional)
  • 4 green onions , cut into 2” (5 cm) pieces, white part halved lengthwise
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Add the chicken along with the marinating ingredients into a medium-sized bowl. Mix well with your hands so the chicken is evenly coated.
  • Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir to mix well.
  • Boil the noodles according to the package instructions until al dente. Rinse with tap water, drain, and set aside. Cook the noodles 1 minute less than the package recommends. If you use fresh chow mein noodles, you will only need to briefly dip the noodles in boiling water, 1 minute or so. Once done, drain the noodles thoroughly and set aside.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Spread the chicken in the pan with minimal overlap. Cook until the bottom turns slightly golden, 30 to 45 seconds. Flip to cook the other side until the chicken just turns white, 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
  • Pour in the remaining 1 tablespoons of oil and the ginger, and garlic. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.
  • Add the carrot and cabbage. Cook and stir until the veggies just start to turn soft, 1 minute or so. Add the noodles. Toss a few times with a pair of tongs. Add the cooked chicken. Pour the sauce over the ingredients. Toss with a pair of tongs to mix everything together.
  • Add the pepper and the green onion. Toss well until the sauce is absorbed. Transfer everything to serving plates and serve hot as a main dish.

Notes

  1. Add 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce for a dark brown color. You can skip it and it won’t affect the taste of the dish.
  2. Use 5 cups of pre-cut coleslaw mix to replace the cabbage and carrot and save prep time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 254kcal, Carbohydrates: 29.1g, Protein: 13.3g, Fat: 10.2g, Saturated Fat: 1.6g, Cholesterol: 40mg, Sodium: 623mg, Potassium: 473mg, Fiber: 3.7g, Sugar: 9.3g, Calcium: 58mg, Iron: 2mg