Quick 30-minute Chicken Chow Mein Recipe with chicken, veggies, and a delicious sauce, better than takeout.

Chicken chow mein in a skillet with tongs, filled with fresh vegetables, perfectly cooked and seasoned.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Chow Mein

  • Family favorite: Even picky eaters clear their plates (just like my quick Spaghetti Bolognese).
  • Veggie-packed: Shredded cabbage, carrots, and celery sneak in color and nutrition without feeling “healthy.”
  • Weeknight-easy: One skillet, everyday pantry items, and no long marinating time.
Freshly chopped vegetables ready to be added to the chicken chow mein, including cilantro, carrots, green onions, and cabbage.

Ingredients

IngredientQuick Swap / Tip
Chicken (tossed with baking soda)Boneless thighs stay juicier than breasts. Short on time? Skip the baking soda soak; simply cook a little less.
Chow Mein NoodlesFresh yakisoba, dried ramen, or thin spaghetti work. Gluten-free? Use rice noodles and rinse well.
Oyster SauceMix 1 Tbsp hoisin with 1 tsp soy sauce for a fast stand-in.
Soy SauceCoconut aminos lower sodium; add a pinch of salt if needed.
Brown SugarHoney or maple syrup in the same amount.
CornstarchArrowroot or potato starch thickens just as well.
CabbageBagged coleslaw mix saves slicing.
Fresh Ginger & GarlicUse 1 tsp jarred paste of each when fresh isn’t handy.
    Cooked pasta ready to be added to the chicken chow mein recipe, perfectly cooked and ready to absorb flavors.

    How To Make Chicken Chow Mein

    1. Chicken Prep: Cut chicken, toss with baking soda, refrigerate 15 mins, rinse, dry.
    2. Veggie Prep: Shred cabbage, julienne carrots, slice celery and green onions, mince ginger and garlic.
    3. Sauce: Mix cornstarch, soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken stock, brown sugar, sesame oil, pepper.
    4. Noodles: Cook, rinse, set aside.
    5. Cooking: Sauté onion whites, garlic, ginger, add chicken, then veggies, and noodles.
    6. Final Step: Add sauce, toss until evenly coated and heated.
    A flavorful sauce being poured over the meal, enhancing the dish with rich and savory flavors.

    Pro Tips For Success

    • Ultra-tender chicken: Keep pieces small (½-inch) so they cook fast and stay juicy.
    • Even veggies: Uniform cuts mean quick, even stir-frying—no mushy bits in this chicken chow mein recipe.
    • High heat: A hot pan gives the noodles that classic, lightly charred “wok hei” flavor.

      Bowl of the warm meal ready to be enjoyed, with perfectly seared vegetables and rich, flavorful sauce.

      More Delicious Chicken Dinners:

      4.82 from 11 votes

      Chicken Chow Mein

      With chicken, veggies, and a delicious sauce, this simple Chicken Chow Mein is better than takeout.
      Prep Time: 20 minutes
      Cook Time: 10 minutes
      Total Time: 30 minutes
      Servings: 2 servings

      Equipment

      Ingredients

      • 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
      • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
      • 3 cups shredded green cabbage
      • 1-1/2 teaspoons minced ginger
      • 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
      • 3/4 cup julienned carrots
      • 3/4 cup thinly sliced celery
      • 1/4 cup green onions
      • 1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
      • 1 (6-ounce) package crispy chow mein noodles
      • 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
      • 1-1/2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
      • 1-1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
      • 1/3 cup chicken stock or chicken broth
      • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar lightly packed
      • 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil or plain
      • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

      Instructions 

      • Cut the chicken into small bite-size 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. This step is optional; you can simply chop the chicken and use it like that.
      • Have all the ingredients ready before beginning—cooking goes fast! Finely shred the cabbage, coarsely mince the ginger and garlic. Peel the carrot and then julienne into very small and thin pieces. I cut it into rounds and then matchsticks. Very thinly slice the celery. Thinly slice the green onions and 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.
      • 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, sesame oil, and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Reserve for later.
      • Follow package directions to prepare the chow mein noodles. Rinse in cold water and set aside.
      • Heat vegetable oil over high heat in a large pan. Add the white roots of the onion for a minute or two and then the garlic and ginger. Only cook for about 20 seconds and be very careful to make sure they don’t burn. Add chicken and stir constantly for about 1 minute or until both sides are lightly browned.
      • Add shredded cabbage, julienned carrots, and thinly sliced celery to the pan. Stir continuously for about 1–2 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp on the outside and tender inside, with the cabbage wilted. Then, stir in the cooked noodles and sauce mixture, tossing with tongs for 1 minute until the sauce thickens. Finally, add the thinly sliced tops of the green onions.

      Video

      Recipe Notes

      Nutrition Note: The nutritional information includes chow mein noodles, but using a different type will affect the calculations.
      Storage: Let the chow mein cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3–4 days.

      Nutrition

      Serving: 1serving | 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.

      Meet Chelsea


      Hello, and welcome to Chelsea’s Messy Apron! I’m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. I’m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

      Thanks for stopping by—I hope you find something delicious to make!

      More Recipes You'll Love

      4.82 from 11 votes (1 rating without comment)

      Leave a comment

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      27 Comments

      1. Erin says:

        5 stars
        Such an easy dinner and so good. It is a great way to us up whatever veggies I have in my fridge and avoid take out!

      2. Katerina says:

        mmm..this sounds incredibly delicious!! A must make!!

      3. Courtney says:

        5 stars
        This chow mein is just like takeout but so much better! Cant believe how easy it was.

        1. chelseamessyapron says:

          Thanks sooo much!! 🙂

      4. Taylor says:

        5 stars
        Love the idea of making this at home! Healthier and just as delicious!

        1. chelseamessyapron says:

          That’s what I love about it too!! Thanks Taylor!! 🙂

      5. Aimee says:

        5 stars
        This turned out fantastic. Can’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch today.,

      6. Lallie says:

        5 stars
        Beautiful n delicious recipes
        Especially the noodles.

      7. Brenda says:

        Why can’t you use bottled chopped garlic in oil. It’s a time saver.

        1. chelseamessyapron says:

          It will burn at the high heat and give the whole dish an “off” (burned) taste.

      8. Lallie says:

        Thank you for sharing these amazing recipes.
        I love chow me In
        With some crunch in vegetables

        1. chelseamessyapron says:

          Hope you love it! 🙂

      9. Malinda says:

        This looks like an awesome way to sneak in some extra veggies!!

      10. Cindy Ward says:

        HI Chelsea,

        I was turned on to your website by a co-worker and absolutely love your recipes! I’m a Type II diabetic so I can use a lot of the recipes however is there anyway you can start adding nutrition value? I shouldn’t have anything high in carbs and can’t tell just how high some of the recipes are.

        Thanks!