Chicken Chow Mein with Homemade Sauce is tender chicken, crisp cabbage and carrots and chewy noodles tossed in a glossy, savory-sweet sauce of oyster sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil. It tastes like your favorite takeout and comes together in about 35 minutes on a weeknight.
How to make chicken chow mein: Whisk the sauce, cook the noodles until al dente, then stir-fry the chicken with garlic until it reaches 165°F. Stir-fry the cabbage and carrot, add the chicken and noodles back with the sauce and toss for 2 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- Better than takeout: a rich homemade sauce and plenty of vegetables.
- Quick: ready in about 35 minutes from start to finish.
- One wok or skillet: after boiling the noodles, everything cooks in one pan.
- Serves 4: a generous dinner with a pound of chicken.
Ingredient Notes
Oyster sauce: Six tablespoons are the backbone of the sauce, giving it a deep, savory, slightly sweet flavor and a glossy finish.
Low-sodium soy sauce: It adds saltiness and color without making the dish too salty alongside the oyster sauce.
Light sesame oil: Use light (not toasted) sesame oil in the sauce. Toasted sesame oil is much stronger and can overpower the dish in this amount.
Cornstarch and broth: They turn the sauce silky so it clings to every noodle. Whisk the cornstarch in completely before cooking.
Chow mein noodles: Twelve ounces, boiled just to al dente and rinsed with cold water. I rinse them well, because it stops the cooking and keeps them from clumping.
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Ingredients
Chow mein
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tbsp oil (vegetable or olive oil)
- 12 oz chow mein noodles, uncooked
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 large carrot, julienned
- 1/2 bunch green onions, chopped, for garnish
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Chow mein sauce
- 6 tbsp oyster sauce
- 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tbsp light sesame oil (not toasted)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
How to Make Chicken Chow Mein
1. Make the sauce. Whisk the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, chicken broth, cornstarch and sugar until smooth. Set aside.
2. Cook the noodles. Cook the chow mein noodles according to the package until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
3. Cook the chicken. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the chicken and half the garlic and cook for 5-7 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove it from the pan.
4. Stir-fry the vegetables. In the same pan, stir-fry the carrot, cabbage and remaining garlic for 3-4 minutes, until tender but still slightly crunchy.
5. Toss it all together. Add the chicken and noodles back to the pan, pour the sauce over everything and toss to coat. Cook for 2 more minutes.
6. Serve. Garnish with the green onions and serve hot.
The Secret to Great Chow Mein Flavor
High heat and a good sauce. A very hot wok or skillet sears the chicken and vegetables quickly, so they brown and stay crisp instead of steaming. Keep the pan hot and do not crowd it; cook the chicken in two batches if your pan is small.
The sauce does the rest. Oyster sauce brings savory depth, soy adds salt, sesame oil adds a nutty aroma, and a little sugar balances it all. The cornstarch turns it glossy so it coats instead of pooling in the bottom of the pan.
Have everything chopped and ready before you turn on the heat. I line up the sauce, noodles, chicken and vegetables next to the stove, because stir-frying moves too fast to chop as you go.
Tips for Success
Why are my noodles mushy?
They were overcooked. Boil them just to al dente and rinse them in cold water; they soften a little more in the pan.
Why is the sauce too thick?
The cornstarch sauce tightens quickly. Add a splash of broth or water while tossing until it loosens.
Why are the vegetables soggy?
The pan was not hot enough or was crowded. Stir-fry over high heat and only until tender-crisp.
Variations
- Beef or shrimp: swap the chicken for thin-sliced beef or peeled shrimp.
- More vegetables: add bean sprouts, snow peas or bell pepper strips with the cabbage.
- Sesame finish: sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the top.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and use them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a hot skillet with a splash of water or in the microwave until it reaches 165°F.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with egg rolls, dumplings or a crunchy salad like Asian chicken cranberry salad. For more takeout-style dinners, try garlic chicken stir fry, chicken and bacon fried rice or teriyaki chicken skewers. For a slow cooker version, there is slow cooker ground beef chow mein, and 15-minute Mongolian ground beef noodles are even faster.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which sauce is best for chow mein?
A mix of oyster sauce and soy sauce, balanced with sesame oil, a little sugar and broth, and thickened with cornstarch. That is the homemade sauce in this recipe.
What does chow mein sauce taste like?
Savory and salty, with a gentle sweetness and a nutty sesame aroma. The oyster sauce gives it a rich, deep flavor.
What is chow mein?
Chow mein means “stir-fried noodles.” Cooked noodles are tossed in a hot wok with meat, vegetables and a savory sauce, so they soak up the flavor and pick up a little crispness.
What are common mistakes in chow mein?
Overcooked, mushy noodles, a pan that is not hot enough, and too much sauce. Cook the noodles al dente, keep the heat high and toss just until everything is coated.
Final Notes
Get everything ready before the pan heats up and keep the heat high. If you have a question or make it, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Chicken Chow Mein with Homemade Sauce
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Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tbsp oil vegetable or olive oil
- 12 oz chow mein noodles uncooked
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 large carrot julienned
- 1/2 bunch green onions chopped for garnish
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 6 tbsp oyster sauce
- 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tbsp light sesame oil not toasted
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, chicken broth, cornstarch, and granulated sugar. Stir until smooth and set aside.
- Cook the chow mein noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the chicken pieces and half the minced garlic. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the julienned carrots, shredded cabbage, and remaining garlic. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still slightly crunchy.
- Add the cooked chicken and noodles to the skillet with the vegetables. Pour the prepared sauce over everything and toss to coat evenly. Cook for 2 more minutes to blend the flavors.
- Garnish with chopped green onions and serve immediately while hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
