Have you ever found yourself dreaming of a delicious bowl of saucy, satisfying noodles from your local Chinese restaurant? That specific, comforting taste that always seems to hit the mark? We’re here to let you in on a little secret: you can capture that very same magic right in your own kitchen, and it takes less time than browsing a delivery menu. We’re thrilled to share our tried-and-tested, wonderfully straightforward Easy Chicken Lo Mein Recipe. It’s the ultimate solution for those busy weeknight evenings, demonstrating that a spectacular meal doesn’t require a long list of ingredients or hours of effort.

This recipe is designed to bring vibrant, punchy flavours to your dinner table with minimal fuss. We’ll walk you through each step, from creating a rich and glossy sauce to stir-frying tender chicken and crisp vegetables, and finally tossing everything together with perfectly cooked noodles. Get ready to wave goodbye to mediocre takeaways and welcome your new favourite Easy Asian dinner.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Quicker Than a Delivery: From gathering your ingredients to serving, you can have this fantastic dish ready in under 30 minutes. It’s genuinely faster than waiting for your order to arrive!
• Endlessly Adaptable: No carrots in the fridge? Try bell peppers instead. Fancy prawns over chicken? Make the swap! This recipe serves as an excellent foundation for whatever vegetables and protein you need to use up.
• Fresher and Healthier: Making it at home puts you in complete control. You can load it with fresh vegetables, opt for low-sodium soy sauce, and skip the excess oil sometimes found in restaurant versions, creating a genuinely Healthy Chicken Lo Mein.
• Packed with Flavour: Our simple, homemade sauce is the real hero here. It strikes a beautiful balance of savoury, salty, and subtly sweet notes that coat every single noodle and ingredient.
• Ideal for Meal Prep: Leftovers taste just as wonderful the following day—some might even say they’re better! This makes it a superb choice for your work or school lunches.

Ingredients

• 250g dried egg noodles or lo mein noodles
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 350g), thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 2 tbsp vegetable or sesame oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 large carrot, julienned or thinly sliced
• 150g mangetout or sugar snap peas
• 100g shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 3 spring onions, sliced into 2-inch pieces, whites and greens separated
• For the Lo Mein Sauce:
• 60ml low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce (for colour and depth)
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce (optional, for extra umami)
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp brown sugar or honey
• A pinch of white pepper

Understanding the Heart of the Dish: What is Lo Mein?

Before we start cooking, let’s explore what makes this Chinese noodle dish so beloved. The term “Lo Mein” (捞面) translates to “stirred noodles,” which perfectly describes the cooking method. The noodles are boiled separately, then added to a wok with a savoury sauce, protein, and vegetables at the very end. This process of tossing, or stirring, ensures the sauce clings to every strand without making the noodles mushy.

Lo mein is often mistaken for chow mein, but the two are distinct. In chow mein, the noodles are usually fried to a crispier texture. In contrast, lo mein noodles remain soft, tender, and chewy. To delve deeper into the differences between these popular dishes, resources like Serious Eats offer great insights. Our recipe celebrates that classic, soft-noodle finish that makes Homemade lo mein such a deeply comforting meal.

How to Make Our Easy Chicken Lo Mein Recipe

The key to a seamless stir-fry is preparation. As the cooking process is very fast, we strongly advise having all your ingredients chopped, measured, and within easy reach before you turn on the heat. This culinary practice, known as ‘mise en place’, will transform your cooking experience into a smooth and enjoyable one.

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken and Sauce

To begin, let’s get our main components organised. In a bowl, toss the sliced chicken with the cornflour and a little salt and pepper. This coating helps to create a wonderfully soft texture on the chicken and encourages browning. Set this aside. Next, in a small bowl or jug, whisk together all the sauce ingredients: low-sodium soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, and white pepper. Mix it well and set this aside, too.

Step 2: Cook the Noodles

Bring a large pan of water to a vigorous boil. Add the egg noodles and cook them as directed on the packet. You are aiming for ‘al dente’, meaning they should be cooked through but retain a slight firmness. They will soften a little more in the wok, so it’s crucial not to overcook them now. As soon as they’re ready, drain the noodles and rinse them with cold water to halt the cooking and stop them from clumping together. Tossing them with a touch of sesame oil is another great tip to prevent sticking.

Step 3: Stir-Fry the Aromatics, Chicken, and Veg

Now for the exciting part. Heat a large wok or a sturdy frying pan over a high flame. Add one tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully add the chicken in a single layer. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and set it aside.

Pour the remaining tablespoon of oil into the wok. Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, and the white parts of the spring onions. Stir-fry for around 30 seconds until their aroma fills the kitchen, but take care not to let them burn. Next, add your prepared vegetables—the carrots, mangetout, and mushrooms. Continue to stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until they are tender yet still have a pleasant crunch.

Step 4: Combine and Serve Your Stir-fried noodles with chicken

Return the cooked chicken to the wok along with the vegetables. Add the drained noodles, then pour over your beautifully prepared sauce. Using a pair of tongs, toss everything together for 1-2 minutes, making sure that every noodle and piece of chicken is generously coated. To finish, stir through the green parts of the spring onions. Serve hot in bowls, perhaps with a garnish of sesame seeds or extra spring onions.

Tips for Noodle Perfection

If you’d like to elevate your lo mein, here are a few handy tips we’ve picked up:

• Don’t overcrowd the wok: If you are doubling the recipe, it’s best to cook in two separate batches. An overcrowded pan will cause the ingredients to steam rather than fry, losing that desirable crisp texture.
• High heat is your friend: A high temperature is essential for a successful stir-fry. It cooks everything quickly, keeping the vegetables crisp and giving the chicken a lovely sear.
• Use up your veg: This recipe is a fantastic way to use up any vegetables you have on hand. Bell peppers, broccoli, baby corn, or bean sprouts are all excellent additions.
• Switch up the protein: If you’re not in the mood for chicken, this dish works wonderfully with thinly sliced beef, pork, prawns, or even firm tofu.

If you enjoy making vibrant, Asian-inspired dishes, we think you’ll also adore our Crunchy Asian Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing, which presents a fresh and equally tasty way to enjoy similar flavours.

FAQ

Your New Favourite Weeknight Winner

And there you have it—a wonderfully simple, satisfying, and flavourful Easy Chicken Lo Mein Recipe that’s better than any takeaway. It’s a meal that brings a great deal of joy, both in the making and the eating. The process is fast and engaging, filling your home with incredible aromas. As a versatile dish, you can easily tailor it to your family’s preferences and the ingredients you have available, making it a dependable recipe you’ll want to make time and time again. For more fresh and simple meal inspiration, take a look at our Vietnamese Inspired Spring Roll Salad with Peanut Sauce.

We would be delighted to see how yours turns out! If you give this recipe a go, please drop a comment and a rating below to share your experience. Happy cooking!

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Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 250g dried egg noodles or lo mein noodles
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 350g), thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 2 tbsp vegetable or sesame oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 large carrot, julienned or thinly sliced
• 150g mangetout or sugar snap peas
• 100g shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 3 spring onions, sliced, whites and greens separated
• For the Lo Mein Sauce:
• 60ml low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce (optional)
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp brown sugar or honey
• A pinch of white pepper

Instructions

1. In a bowl, toss the sliced chicken with cornflour. In a separate small bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients: low-sodium soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, and white pepper.
2. Cook the egg noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process, and set aside.
3. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large wok or pan over high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden and cooked through. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
4. Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil to the wok. Stir-fry the garlic, ginger, and white parts of the spring onions for about 30 seconds. Add the carrots, mangetout, and mushrooms, and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until tender-crisp.
5. Return the cooked chicken to the wok. Add the drained noodles and pour the sauce over everything. Use tongs to toss everything together for 1-2 minutes until well-coated. Stir in the green parts of the spring onions and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving):
Calories: 495,
Carbs: 54 g,
Protein: 36 g,
Fat: 10 g.
(Nutritional information is an estimate.)