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Chicken Chow Mein

Stir-fried noodles with chicken

22min
594kcal
32.1gprotein
Chicken Chow Mein — Chinese recipe, finished and plated
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Ingredients

Servings 3
  • 250 g Chinese egg noodles
  • 250 g Chicken breast
  • 1 Carrot
  • ¼ head Cabbage
  • 3 Scallions
  • 2 tbsp Light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Oyster sauce
  • 3 tbsp Neutral oil
  • 1 tsp Toasted sesame oil (optional)

Method

  1. Slice the chicken breast thinly across the grain.
  2. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the egg noodles until just tender, then drain well.
  3. While the noodles boil, julienne the carrot and shred the cabbage.
  4. While the noodles boil, whisk the light soy, dark soy, oyster sauce, and sesame oil together in a small bowl.
  5. Heat the neutral oil in a wok over high heat. Stir-fry the chicken until cooked through, then add the carrot and cabbage and toss until just wilted.
  6. Add the drained noodles and the sauce. Toss over high heat until everything is glossy and well coated.
  7. Scatter the sliced scallions over the top and serve immediately.

Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.

About Chicken Chow Mein

Chicken chow mein is a stir-fry built around springy egg noodles that have been cooked until tender, then tossed quickly over high heat with pre-cooked chicken and fast-cooking vegetables. The speed is essential: a hot wok and high heat seal the chicken and keep the cabbage and carrots from turning into mush. Slicing the chicken breast thin across the grain (perpendicular to the fibers) means it cooks through in seconds and stays tender. The sauce — a balance of light and dark soy, oyster sauce, and toasted sesame oil — coats everything evenly without making the noodles soggy because everything hits the pan dry and the whole process takes minutes.

What makes this version work is the two-soy system: light soy provides saltiness and umami, dark soy adds color and a hint of caramel-like depth, and oyster sauce rounds it all out with brackish savory notes. Toasted sesame oil goes in the sauce and doesn't cook, so its nutty aroma stays bright. The noodles should be drained well before tossing — excess water dilutes the sauce and makes for limp noodles. A handful of scallions scattered at the end adds a fresh onion bite that cuts through the richness. This is weeknight dinner that tastes like takeout but costs half as much and takes twenty minutes start to finish.

Chicken Chow Mein: frequently asked questions

What's the difference between chicken chow mein and chicken lo mein?

The core difference is how the noodles are treated: "chow mein" means "stir-fried noodles," so the noodles are tossed in a hot wok (and in some versions crisped or pan-fried), while "lo mein" means "tossed noodles," where boiled soft noodles are gently mixed with the sauce and ingredients off the direct high heat. As a result, lo mein is typically saucier with softer, chewier noodles and more sauce clinging to them, whereas chow mein tends to be drier with more browning and, in some regional styles, a crispier texture. Both commonly use fresh wheat egg noodles with chicken and vegetables, so the dishes share most ingredients and differ mainly in cooking technique and final texture.

How many calories are in Chicken Chow Mein?

A serving has about 594 calories — 32.1g protein, 68.8g carbs, 21.7g fat, 5.9g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.

Is it high in protein?

Each serving has about 32.1g of protein, roughly 22% of its calories.

Is Chicken Chow Mein gluten-free?

As written, no — it contains Chinese egg noodles, Light soy sauce, Dark soy sauce and other gluten sources. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for those ingredients to make it gluten-free.

How long does Chicken Chow Mein take to make?

About 22 minutes start to finish, but only around 14 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.

Do I need every ingredient to make Chicken Chow Mein?

The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out toasted sesame oil — it's optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.

How many servings does Chicken Chow Mein make?

This recipe makes 3 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.