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Who’s sick of takeout? Me! I love this chicken lo mein because it is almost as fast as ordering takeout, just as tasty, and much healthier. A complex, savory, slightly spicy sauce coats luscious noodles, thinly sliced chicken, crunchy cabbage, and meaty mushrooms, resulting in a delicious dish that will have your taste buds dancing with delight.
When I came across this lo mein recipe in Comfort Food Makeovers by America’s Test Kitchen, I had to try it. It really hit the nail on the head when it comes to turning an often unhealthy Chinese takeout dish into something that you actually want in your body (past the point of your taste buds, that is).
Thinly sliced chicken (the original recipe calls for pork, but I decided on chicken), crunchy napa cabbage, meaty shitake mushrooms, and deliciously slurpable noodles play together beautifully in a delightfully flavorful, velvety smooth sauce that is sure to please.
A little bit of heat from the sriracha and hoisin sauce is complemented beautifully by the umami of the oyster sauce and the nuttiness of the sesame oil. Cut some of the unwanted additives, sugars, and calories out of your diet by making this gem of a recipe instead of dialing takeout!
(If you’re looking for more easy Asian takeout dishes that you can make at home, try this chicken katsu, this three cup chicken, or this orange chicken!)
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Lo Mein Recipe
I mean… what’s not to love?? There is so much good about this deliciously flavorful, better-than-takeout chicken lo mein. Here are some of my favorite things about it:
- The sauce is SO flavorful. The sauce that pulls this dish together is complex and packed with flavor, featuring umami notes from the oyster sauce, heat from the siracha and hoisin, nuttiness from the sesame oil, and more. Every bite will delight your senses!
- Healthier than takeout. We all know how tempting it can be to dial our favorite Chinese restaurant on a busy night. The problem is that our bodies usually don’t thank us for it. This recipe is just as tasty and cuts out a ton of the excess sugar, unhealthy additives, and calories found in most takeout versions.
- Versatile. It’s easy to make this recipe your own. You can adjust the spice levels, add extra veggies, or swap out the chicken for something more appealing to you such as beef or tofu. You can even use different noodles. Check out the section below titled “Easy Variations” for more info.
Recipe Ingredients
Grab your shopping carts and saddle up, because this lo mein takes quite a few ingredients. I have provided a list here, but make sure to scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements, etc.
- Low-Sodium Soy Sauce – If your body doesn’t tolerate soy, feel free to use coconut aminos instead.
- Oyster Sauce – Boost the umami flavor in your lo mein with this sweet and salty sauce.
- Hoisin Sauce – Hoisin sauce adds sweetness as well, but it also has a touch of spice to it.
- Sesame Oil – Adds an earthy, nuttiness to your dish.
- Five Spice Powder – For complex, savory flavor and warmth.
- Chicken Breasts – This recipe calls for boneless skinless chicken breasts, but chicken thighs will work too.
- Low-Sodium Chicken Broth – Regular chicken broth is fine too if you’d rather use that.
- Cornstarch – To thicken up the sauce a little.
- Spaghetti – Feel free to use lo mein noodles instead if you can find them. Udon, soba, and ramen noodles also do a great job.
- Canola Oil – Or your favorite neutral cooking oil (vegetable oil, etc.).
- Chinese Rice Wine – Or dry sherry, if you prefer.
- Vegetables – I like to use shiitake mushrooms, napa cabbage, and scallions, but you can definitely switch things up.
- Ginger – Freshly grated ginger provides the best flavor!
- Garlic – Store-bought minced garlic works just fine, but fresh is also best here.
- Sriracha Sauce – Not a spice person? You can leave this out if you like!
How to Make Chicken Lo Mein
Here are the basic steps that go into making chicken lo mein. Scroll to the recipe below for more detailed instructions.
- Make the sauce. Whisk together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and five-spice powder. Use some to marinate the chicken and whisk the rest together with the chicken broth and cornstarch.
- Cook the pasta. Follow the ingredients on the package, drain, and set aside.
- Brown the chicken. Add some canola oil to a wok and brown the chicken in batches over medium-high heat. After each batch is browned, pour a bit of rice wine over the chicken and cook until it has evaporated before removing the pieces and repeating the process with the next batch.
- Cook the mushrooms. Wipe the wok clean, add a bit more canola oil, and turn the heat to high. Sauté the mushrooms for a few minutes.
- Sauté the veggies and other goodies. Add the cabbage, scallions, ginger, and garlic and cook until everything starts to smell good.
- Put it all together. Add the sauce and the browned chicken and simmer until the sauce has thickened and the chicken has cooked through. Add the cooked pasta and Sriracha and toss everything to coat.
Tips for Success
Of course I have tips and tricks for you! This chicken lo mein recipe is pretty straightforward, but here are a few things that will help you achieve a truly spectacular meal.
- Aim for al dente. Because the noodles continue to cook a bit when you add them to the sauce, cooking them past al dente will end you with a soggy dish.
- Be prepared. Once you start putting things in the wok, everything will move very quickly. So make sure you have everything ready to go and within arms reach. Make your sauce, slice your chicken and veggies, and cook your noodles before you even heat the wok.
- Stir…constantly. It is important to keep things moving here. You will be working with high heat and ingredients that have a tendency to stick to the pan. Stir, stir, stir and you shouldn’t have a problem.
Common Questions
The main difference is the noodle – while they often use the same kind, they differ most in the way the noodle is prepared. Chow mein features a crispier, fried noodle that takes center stage when compared to the veggies and added protein, whereas lo mein features a saucier, softer noodle that serves as a canvas for the rest of the ingredients.
Practically any kind you like! As mentioned above, you can use spaghetti, soba, udon, ramen, or egg noodles.
Easy Variations
Looking to put a little spin on your chicken lo mein? This recipe is quite versatile and easy to play with. Here are some fun ideas to keep things interesting.
- Make it spicier (or less spicy). I get it, some of you really want that kick of heat. This recipe is a little spicy due to the addition of siracha and hoisin sauce. If you want to kick it up a notch, add more sriracha or sauté a hot pepper with the rest of the veggies. Low spice tolerance? Feel free to leave out the sriracha.
- Add more veggies. Looking to get your veggies in? Go ahead and thinly slice your favorites (I like bell peppers, carrots, and snow peas) and toss them in with the napa cabbage.
- Use a different protein. Beef, pork, or even tofu for the vegetarians out there are all awesome options.
- Try a different noodle. There are actually noodles specifically for lo mein out there. You can find them in most Asian markets. I used spaghetti because I had it on hand, but any long noodle will do.
What Goes With Chicken Lo Mein?
This Chinese classic is a pretty complete meal in and of itself, but you won’t be sad if you serve it with one of these flavorful goodies.
- Steamed buns. Chinese steamed buns only need 5 ingredients, and they’re so easy to make!
- Veggies. Chinese cabbage stir fry and cold garlic and soy green beans both pair so well with chicken lo mein.
- Salad. This spicy Chinese cucumber salad is a light, refreshing side dish that goes with so many meals.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
As with most Chinese takeout classics, this lo mein recipe makes for great leftovers.
- To store. Allow the dish to cool completely before sealing it in an airtight container and storing it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- To reheat. When you are ready to enjoy it again, toss some canola oil in a wok on medium-high heat and add the desired portion. Sauté until heated through.
Can I Freeze Chicken Lo Mein?
Yes! You can freeze chicken lo mein in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Remember to thaw it in the fridge before reheating!
More Easy Chinese Takeout Recipes
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, recreating Chinese takeout in your own kitchen is such a healthy way to go, and is often even faster than ordering from your favorite restaurant. This chicken lo mein is to die for, but try these other takeout-fake-out recipes as well:
- Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Beijing Beef Panda Express Copycat
- Eggplant Tofu (Panda Express Copycat)
- Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
- Easy Kung Pao Chicken
Chicken Lo Mein
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 ½ tablespoons (4 ½ tablespoon) low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons (3 tablespoon) oyster sauce
- 3 tablespoons (3 tablespoon) hoisin sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons (1 ½ tablespoon) sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon five spice powder
- 2 large chicken breasts, sliced thinly
- ¾ cup (177 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ teaspoons (1 ½ teaspoon) cornstarch
- 12 ounces (340 g) lo mein noodles
- 4 ½ teaspoons (4 teaspoon) canola oil
- 6 tablespoons (6 tablespoon) Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- 12 ounces (340 g) shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and halved if small or quartered if large
- ½ head napa cabbage, cored and sliced into 1/2-inch thick pieces (about 6 cups)
- 8 scallions, white parts sliced thin, green parts cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
Instructions
- Whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and five-spice powder together in a bowl. Measure 1/4 cup of the sauce mixture and place it into a separate bowl and stir in the sliced chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Whisk chicken broth and cornstarch into the remaining sauce mixture.
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Drain pasta and set aside.
- In a large wok or dutch oven over high heat, add 1 1/2 tsp. of canola oil. Add half of the chicken and cook until slightly browned but not fully cooked through, about 2 minutes. Stir in 3 tbsp. of rice wine and cook until liquid is nearly evaporated, about 1 minute. Transfer to a clean bowl. Repeat with the other half of the chicken and 1 1/2 tsp. canola oil and remaining 3 tbsp. rice wine.
- Wipe the wok/pot clean and add remaining 1 1/2 tsp. canola oil to the wok/pot over high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until slightly browned, 4-6 minutes. Then stir in cabbage, scallions, ginger, and garlic. Cook until fragrant and cabbage has wilted.
- Whisk in the remainder of the sauce you set aside earlier. Stir in the cooked chicken (and add the accumulated juices) and simmer until sauce has thickened slightly and chicken is completely cooked through and heated. Stir in cooked pasta and Sriracha.
- Serve hot.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Notes
- To store. Allow the dish to cool completely before sealing it in an airtight container and storing it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- To reheat. When you are ready to enjoy it again, toss some canola oil in a wok on medium-high heat and add the desired portion. Sauté until heated through.
- To freeze. You can freeze chicken lo mein in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Remember to thaw it in the fridge before reheating!
The chicken lo mein was excellent! The directions were easy and the dish came together quickly.
awesome to hear, Michael – thanks for the feedback!
Is there a place on your site that mentions the nutritional values? I may just be missing it.
Hi Melanie, yes – please read the FAQ’s section.
Julie, what is Sriracha sauce? I can find all the other ingredients here in Holland, but never heard of this sauce?
Thank you! Love your mails!
Hi Monique, sriracha sauce is a type of hot chili sauce. Almost all grocery stores will have it in their Asian foods section! Here’s a photo: http://www.huyfong.com/no_frames/sriracha.htm
I had to force a friend to read Gone Girl so I could discuss with someoneโฆso many feelings!! Likeโฆwhat?! I’m curious to see how the movie ends up. And I can’t wait to make this!! Love all your fake out recipes!