Quick 30-minute Chicken Chow Mein recipe with chicken, veggies, and a delicious sauce, better than takeout.
- Chicken Prep: Cut chicken, toss with baking soda, refrigerate 15 mins, rinse, dry.
- Veggie Prep: Shred cabbage, julienne carrots, slice celery and green onions, mince ginger and garlic.
- Sauce: Mix cornstarch, soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken stock, brown sugar, sesame oil, pepper.
- Noodles: Cook, rinse, set aside.
- Cooking: Sauté onion whites, garlic, ginger, add chicken, then veggies, and noodles.
- Final Step: Add sauce, toss until evenly coated and heated.
Tips For Success
- Healthier Noodles: Substitute regular noodles with spiralized zucchini in you chicken chow mein.
- Ultra-Tender Chicken: Cut into small pieces, toss with baking soda, rinse, and dry. This method ensures tender chicken.
- Even Veggie Chopping: Chop vegetables in uniform sizes as specified for even cooking. Thin celery slices, julienned carrots, and shredded cabbage are ideal.
More Delicious Chicken Dinners
Chicken Chow Mein
Quick 30-minute Chicken Chow Mein recipe with chicken, veggies, and a delicious sauce, better than takeout.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into small bite-sized pieces
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 cups green cabbage cut in small shreds
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced (~1-inch piece)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons garlic cloves minced (~2 large cloves)
- 3/4 cup julienned carrots (~1 large carrot)
- 3/4 cup thinly sliced celery (~2 stalks)
- 1/4 cup green onions (~3 onions)
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 package (6 ounces) chow mein noodles (I use WEL-pak)
- 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons lite soy sauce
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1/3 cup chicken stock or chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar (lightly measured, do not pack!)
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted (or plain) sesame oil toasted (or plain)
- Freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
- CHICKEN PREP: Cut the chicken into small bite-sized pieces. Place in a small bowl and toss with baking soda. Place in the fridge, covered, for 15 minutes. This will make the chicken super tender! After 15 minutes, place chicken in a fine mesh sieve and rinse thoroughly. Pat dry with paper towels and use in this recipe. (This step--called velveting-- is optional; you can simply chop the chicken and use like that.)
- VEGGIE PREP: Have all the ingredients ready before beginning, because the cooking goes fast! Finely shred the cabbage, coarsely mince the ginger and garlic (don't want too fine of a mince or they burn; don't use jarred/tube ginger or garlic). Peel the carrot and then julienne into very small/thin pieces. (I cut into rounds and then cut into matchsticks) Very thinly slice the celery (I slice on the diagonal). Thinly slice the green onions to separate the white root from the green. You should get about 1/4 cup thinly sliced white roots. Reserve the thinly sliced green part for later.
- SAUCE PREP: In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and soy sauce with a fork until completely smooth. Stir in the oyster sauce, chicken stock, brown sugar, and sesame oil. Add pepper to taste (I add about 1/2 teaspoon). Whisk until smooth. Reserve for later.
- NOODLES: Follow package directions to prepare the chow mein noodles. Rinse in cold water and set aside.
- COOK: Heat vegetable oil over high heat in a large skillet. Add the white roots of the onion for a minute or two and then and in the garlic and ginger. Be very careful to make sure neither burn -- only cook for about 20 seconds. Add chicken and stir constantly for about 1 minute or until both sides are lightly browned (still not cooked through).
- COOK CONT.: Add in all the prepped veggies: the shredded cabbage, julienned carrot and thinly sliced celery. Stir near constantly until veggies are crisp-tender and cabbage is wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the cooked noodles and the sauce mixture. Toss with tongs for 1 minute, until the sauce thickens. Add in the thinly sliced tops of the green onions.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutritional information includes chow mein noodles, but using a different type will affect the calculations.
Nutrition
Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 1812mg | Potassium: 955mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 8450IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is an outstanding recipe! I even had to sub fish sauce for oyster since they were out at the store, and it turned out just great. Prep work does take time, but it’s totally worth it and evens out with the fast cooking time. Also that baking soda tip blew my mind! Always cool to pick up new cooking techniques from new recipes. Will definitely be adding this to the rotation – thank you!
I am so happy to hear all of this! So glad you loved this Chicken Chow Mein! Thanks so much Rachel! 🙂
Luv the recipes
Thank you! 🙂
This was fantastic I thought I was at China King eating mmmmm
Glad you enjoyed Debora! 🙂
This truly is the best recipe chow mien recipe. ????
I like to double the chicken and veggies so this makes enough for my husband and I for 2 big dinners, so 4 generous servings. Making this for the 3rd time for dinner tonight so will have the leftovers on Saturday night … love having a night off from cooking!
The baking soda/velveting step for the chicken is an absolute must.
Thanks. ????
I am so happy to hear you guys love this so much! Thanks so much for taking the time to write this comment Lori! 🙂
I am an experienced cook, prep time unrealistic, needed more sauce as well. I did toss the chopped chicken with baking soda as directed and not sure what the point was? But tasted good and filling.
Tenderizes the chicken 🙂 Sauce can certainly be doubled; I also find sometimes a really good pinch of salt takes it to the finish 🙂 Thanks for the comment Chris!
WOW! Delicious, it was a huge it for my four boys lol. ? thank you
*hit
Yay!! I am soo glad you guys all loved this! Thanks for your comment!!