Craving something savory, saucy, and better than takeout? This hearty chicken lo mein is one of my go-to Asian-inspired dinners.
It’s loaded with thick noodles, juicy marinated chicken, crisp veggies, and tossed in a rich, garlicky stir-fry sauce that coats every bite.
The best part? It’s all done in under 30 minutes—perfect for busy weeknights or make-ahead lunches. Just reheat and enjoy!
Chicken Lo Mein Recipe
I’m obsessed with Asian cuisine, and if you are too, don’t miss my Kung Pao chicken, Chow Mein, or sticky Chinese chicken wings—they’re all reader favorites.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Yummy Bowl.
Lo Mein Video
The Difference Between Chow Mein and Lo Mein
For many folks, Chinese takeout is all about Chow Mein. But what about its underrated and equally delicious relative, Lo Mein? These two dishes, while similar, have their unique quirks.
Lo Mein is a mix of soft egg noodles, protein, and veggies all coated in a thick, delicious sauce.
On the flip side, Chow Mein kicks off with the same gang, but it takes a bit of extra fry time to get those egg noodles slightly crispy.
This homemade version is my adaptation and simplified version of the popular recipe.
Ingredients
Chicken Lo Mein is not a complicated dish and you can customize it with other veggies or change up the protein to beef, pork, or tofu.
- Chicken - Use either boneless skinless chicken breast, ground chicken, or leftover cooked chicken. If using cooked, add it to the skillet only at the end.
- Noodles - You can use thinner spaghetti or look for Lo Mein or Chow Mein noodles in the international foods aisle. For these photos, I used gluten-free fettuccine but more often I use thicker rice noodles (so much faster to cook).
- Soy sauce - If you’re watching your salt intake, feel free to use only low-sodium soy sauce. Alternatively, coconut aminos are a great gluten-free alternative, although its sweetness may vary slightly between brands.
- Oyster sauce - Typically contains wheat flour as a thickener but for GF make sure there's an appropriate label. I like Kikkoman Gluten Free Oyster sauce. Fish sauce is also an option.
- Sesame oil - This ingredient imparts fantastic flavor, giving your dish that authentic Chinese takeout taste you love! If you can find toasted sesame oil the sauce will be more aromatic.
How To Make Chicken Lo Mein
- Noodles. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Be careful not to overcook them, as they will continue to cook later in the sauce.
- Make The Sauce. In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Chicken Marinade. In another medium-sized bowl, place the chicken breasts. Pour 2 tablespoons of the sauce over the chicken, cover with plastic wrap, and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Tip: If you're short on time, you can prepare the marinade the night before and marinate the chicken overnight.
Even a shorter marination time will add flavor and tenderness to the chicken.
- Cooking the Chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet (a wok pan is optional) over high heat.
- Cook the marinated chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side until it turns slightly golden brown. Remove the chicken from the heat and set it aside.
- Vegetable Stir-Fry. In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes over medium heat.
- Then, add the remaining vegetables except green onions (add bell peppers, carrots, garlic) and cook until the bell peppers and carrot become tender but not overly soft (about 1-2 minutes).
- Bringing It All Together. Reduce the heat to low. Pour the prepared sauce into the skillet, add green onions, and simmer until the mixture starts to thicken.
- Return the cooked chicken and add noodles to the pan. Toss everything together until the noodles are thoroughly coated and slightly browned with the sauce.
- Garnish and Serve. Garnish the dish with more green onions and sesame seeds. Serve the meal while it's still warm. Enjoy!
🍗 Make Next: Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
📋 FLAVOR & TEXTURE: Crispy vegetables, tender chicken, and noodles coated in savory, slightly sweet, umami-rich sauce.
Tips
- Noodles. For Lo Mein noodles I like to leave the noodles a little bit undercooked (al dente) before adding them to the sauce.
- Looking to manage your salt intake? I prefer low-sodium versions of soy sauce and chicken broth. The flavor is great if not better than the restaurant!
- Marinade. For better and extra tender chicken, marinate the chicken overnight but if you’re in a rush then at least 30 minutes.
What To Serve With Lo Mein Noodles?
I think that Chicken Lo Mein is a pretty satisfying meal on its own.
- For a dinner party consider making tasty appetizers like crab puffs, bao buns, low-carb lettuce wraps, spring rolls, or dumplings.
- And don’t forget additional hot sauces and toppings for the dinner table. We also love to serve it with pickled vegetables like: pickled daikon radish or onions.
- Salads: Oriental slaw, quick asian cucumber salad or this spicy Korean cucumber salad.
- Sauces: peanut sauce, chili oil or Sriracha.
Storing Instructions
- To Store. This stir-fry is best enjoyed right away but it should last in the fridge for 2-3 days. In the freezer for 1-2 months.
- To Make Ahead. Prep the sauce and marinate the chicken a day before.
- Best Way To Reheat Lo Mein. To reheat, stir-fry it in a pan with a touch of oil over medium heat or microwave it in short intervals. The stovetop will work best to preserve Lo Mein's texture and flavor. If needed, you can add a drizzle of broth or soy sauce when reheating.
Variations
Try to mix things up every time you make this quick Lo Mein:
- Protein: chicken strips or ground chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, tofu.
- Have leftover chicken? This dish will come together even quicker if you use rotisserie chicken.
- Veggies: bell peppers, snow peas, broccoli, mushrooms, ginger, bean sprouts, bo choy, green onions, cabbage, corn. Frozen mixed vegetables are always a great busy dinner hack!
Are Lo Mein Noodles Gluten Free?
Traditional Lo Mein noodles are generally crafted from wheat flour, which contains gluten, making them unsuitable for a gluten-free diet.
However, you can substitute regular, thinner gluten-free spaghetti or pure rice noodles in this dish, as the authentic Lo Mein flavor primarily arises from the vegetables and the rich, dark sauce.
Choosing Gluten Free Noodles for Lo Mein
Several Asian noodle varieties are, in fact, gluten-free.
For this Chicken Lo Mein recipe, you can use any of the following: (+ you can use gluten-free spaghetti, fettuccine, and linguine, too).
- Rice Noodles - popular thin rice noodles (vermicelli) or thicker kinds called sticks or ribbons.
- Soba - Japanese noodles made from buckwheat flour. However be careful, as some brands do contain wheat flour (especially ones that are cooked and sold in tightly sealed bags), so be sure to check the labels. Here's gluten free soba noodles you can try.
- Tapioca noodles - made from tapioca starch. These are mostly found in Asian speciality stores or online.
- Soy bean noodles - made from pressed tofu.
- Mung bean starch noodles
- Sweet potato noodles
- Shirataki noodles - also called konjac noodles, are made from glucomannan, a type of fiber extracted from the root of the konjac plant.
Did You Like This Recipe?
Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Recipe Card
Chicken Lo Mein Recipe (Ready in 30 Minutes!)
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Yummy Bowl.
INGREDIENTS
Chicken & Vegetables Stir Fry
- 8 oz uncooked noodles, spaghetti/fettuccine, linguine or soba, thicker rice noodles, gluten free if needed
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small bite-size cubes or strips
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 cup carrots, julienned
- 1 ½ cup red and yellow bell pepper mix, cut into strips
- 2 cups mushrooms, champignon, shiitake or your favorite choice, sliced
- ½ cup green onion plus more for garnish
- 1-2 tablespoon of toasted optional sesame seeds, white or black and white mix
Lo Mein Sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoon of dark soy sauce gluten-free, or coconut aminos
- 1 ½ tablespoon low sodium soy sauce gluten-free, or coconut aminos
- 1 ½ teaspoon tapioca flour, or cornstarch
- ½ cup chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce, or fish sauce, opt for gf if needed or leave it out
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil, I prefer using toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon honey , or coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 2 teaspoon chili flakes, optional
- salt & pepper to taste
- 5 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
INSTRUCTIONS
- Noodles. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Be careful not to overcook them, as they will continue to cook later in the sauce.
- Make The Sauce. In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Chicken Marinade. In another medium-sized bowl, place the chicken breasts. Pour 2 tablespoons of the sauce over the chicken, cover with plastic wrap, and let it marinate for at least 1 hour. If you're short on time, you can prepare the marinade the night before and marinate the chicken overnight. Even a shorter marination time will add flavor and tenderness to the chicken.
- Cooking the Chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet (a wok pan is optional) over high heat. Cook the marinated chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side until it turns slightly golden brown. Remove the chicken from the heat and set it aside.
- Vegetable Stir-Fry. In the same skillet, add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Then, add the remaining vegetables except green onions (bell peppers, carrots, garlic) and cook until the bell peppers and carrot become tender but not overly soft (about 1-2 minutes).
- Bringing It All Together. Reduce the heat to low. Pour the prepared sauce into the skillet, green onions, and simmer until the mixture starts to thicken. Return the cooked chicken and add noodles to the pan. Toss everything together until the noodles are thoroughly coated and slightly browned with the sauce.
- Garnish and Serve. Garnish the dish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve the meal while it's still warm. Enjoy!
VIDEO
NOTES
- Noodles. For chicken Lo Mein it’s best to leave your noodles a little bit undercooked (al dente) before adding to the sauce. When noodles are cooked, always add a drizzle of vegetable oil to prevent them from sticking to each other.
- Chicken Marinade. For better results, marinate the chicken overnight but if you’re in a rush then at least 30 minutes.
- Store. 2-3 days refrigerated in an airtight container. In the freezer 1-2 months.
- Oyster sauce - Oyster sauce commonly contains wheat flour as a thickener so please choose the ones that have a ‘’gluten-free’’ label on them.
- Soy sauce - soy sauce has also wheat in it but thankfully, like oyster sauce, there are companies that make ‘’gluten-free’’ soy sauce. Another substitute for this will be coconut aminos.
- Serving - 4 or 6 portions.
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Lo Mein: Frequently Asked Questions
Lo mein should not be left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
This is the general safety guideline for perishable food, according to the USDA. After 2 hours, bacteria can grow rapidly, and the food can become unsafe to eat.
If the room temperature is above 90°F (32°C), the safe time limit decreases to just 1 hour.
Lo mein tastes good because of its savory sauce made from soy sauce, garlic, and other tasty ingredients.
The noodles also absorb the sauce and mix well with veggies and meat, making it flavorful.
Your lo mein noodles are mushy because they were overcooked or boiled too long. Also, too much sauce or liquid can make the noodles soft and soggy.
Lo mein noodles are usually thick and soft. They have a chewy texture that holds up well to sauce.
Suzan
additional quick tip...add the cornstarch when you marinate the chicken. That's the secret to Asian meats being so tender and it thickens the sauce at the same time!
Sue S
This recipe was excellent. Easy, fast and delicious. I will definitely make this on a fairly routine basis.
Julia
thank you so much Sue!
MarkusTee
Interesting take on Chicken Lo Mein, though I'm not sure about the lo mein sauce you detailed, Julia. Traditionally, wouldn't it have a bit more soy sauce and possibly some oyster sauce for that umami depth? I think it could really elevate the dish and give it that authentic flair. Anyone else tried tweaking the sauce recipe?
Liz Green
Hey Julia, love the idea of making Chicken Lo Mein in just 30 minutes! Quick question: can I substitute the veggies in the recipe with whatever I have in the fridge? Sometimes it feels like a race against time before they go bad. Thanks!
Julia
Hi Liz, any veggies are perfect for these types of stir fries! Just make sure to cut them thin or into small cubes.
Holly L Kunkel-sandeen
I would double the sauce and noodles. We added watechesnuts, sprouts, and baby corn! Very good recipe!
Julia
These additions sound delicious! I will try it again this week too. Thank you for commenting Holly!
Chichi
Am I permitted to eat off my screen? This looks sooo good! Can’t wait to make it. Yummy!
Julia
thank you, haha! Hope you'll like it.
Karen
I am allergic to oysters. Is there a recommended replacement for the oyster sauce in this recipe? Thanks
Julia
without oyster sauce the noodles will lack the umami flavor BUT fish sauce or even teriyaki is an option. But if you leave it out, not a big deal, it will still taste yummy.
Anjali
Yum!! This lo mein recipe turned out amazingly well -- thanks to your delicious and flavor-packed sauce recipe! My whole family loved it!
Julia
thank you Anjali, glad you liked it!
Beth Sachs
Such a flavourful sauce. The kids loved this chow mein recipe.
Julia
Thank you so much!
Julia
thank you so much, glad you loved it!
Adrianne
I seriously love noodle recipes and this looks sensational. Also like that you have given a gluten free option for the noodles. The sauciness, veggies and chicken combo is a winner and I can't wait to try it, cheers!
Julia
Thank you Adrienne, and thankfully there are still GF options for us noodles addicts :))
Julia
thankfully there are GF options for us noodles addicts haha 🙂 thank you, Adrianne
Justin
I've been teaching myself to make gf variations of recipes I love and this made my day. I'm trying it with beef today to shake it up and I hope it comes out as good as it usually does. thank you for the recipe
Julia
thank you so much Justin, your comment made my day!