Chicken Chow Mein with Best Chow Mein Sauce!
Chicken chow mein is probably already one of your favorite Chinese takeout dishes. This one-pan dinner is so satisfying with chicken, vegetables, classic chow mein noodles, and the best homemade chow mein sauce. Also, it’s way healthier than ordering takeout.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Hi there! My name is Natalya and I run the blog Momsdish. If you already follow me, you know I can’t get enough of easy meals that require simple ingredients and minimal clean-up. I can’t wait to share this recipe for chicken chow mein with you because it hits all the marks!
Chicken Chow Mein
Chow mein is a traditional Chinese dish made with egg noodles and stir-fried veggies. We love adding a protein and our favorite is chicken, but you can try different meat or tofu. This dish is pan-fried so the noodles get a nice crisp to them and then tossed in a yummy sauce. Chow mein is perfect for those nights when you don’t want to dirty too many pans or make a big mess of the kitchen.
Chow mein gets its signature flavor from the thick, dark homemade sauce the noodles are tossed with. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and salty and makes putting down your chopsticks absolutely impossible.
Ingredients for Chow Mein:
- Chow Mein Noodles: Chow mein noodles are made with wheat and egg. They are very similar to Italian pasta noodles and have a wonderful bite to them. Most grocery stores carry dry chow mein noodles in the Asian aisle. But, if you are lucky, you will find pre-cooked chow mein noodles in the refrigerated section that can be thrown straight into your pan.
- Vegetables: Carrots, cabbage, green onions, and bean sprouts are the perfect combination of veggies to use for chow mein. However, they can easily be replaced with other veggies like bok choy, celery, broccoli, spinach, kale or baby corn. Feel free to get creative and use what you like or whatever you have hanging around in your fridge!
- Meats: Great quality chicken breasts are your best bet for slicing into chow mein-ready strips. If you like, feel free to swap chicken out for beef, shrimp or pork.
- Hot tip: Hosting vegetarians also? Use vegetable broth and set some of your noodles aside to toss them with cubes of baked tofu.
The BEST Chow Mein Sauce:
The homemade chow mein sauce is amazing in this recipe! Combine soy sauce, light sesame oil, oyster sauce, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and chicken broth to make the signature sweet and savory sauce that makes chow mein taste authentic.
How to Make Chow Mein:
- In a small mixing bowl, combine ingredients for chow mein sauce: oyster sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, chicken broth, and cornstarch. Set aside.
- Cook noodles according to package instructions, set aside.
- Heat a large wok or pan. Add a bit of oil to the pan and cook chicken until it’s golden brown. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Add carrots, cabbage and pressed garlic and saute for a few minutes until veggies are slightly softened.
- Add chicken back to the pan, followed by cooked noodles and pour the sauce right on top. Cook for about 2 minutes, distributing all that saucy goodness around evenly.
- Add chopped green onions and remove from the heat. Serve hot!
We love recreating popular takeout recipes. Noodles are king in Chinese cooking! This Homemade Chow Mein Recipe is simple to make and oh-so-satisfying, these stir-fried noodles are sure to become a part of your weeknight dinner rotation.
More Quick Asian Recipes
- Chicken Stir Fry with Rice Noodles – Make this amazing dinner in just 30 minutes!
- Chicken Stir Fry– so much better than takeout.
- Beef Stir Fry Recipe with 3 Ingredient Sauce– So Easy- perfect weeknight dinner.
- Korean Stir-Fried Glass Noodles a.k.a Japchae– You will be going for seconds!
- Yakisoba Noodles Recipe– A Classic Yakisoba, made in one pan
Chicken Chow Mein with the Best Chow Mein Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast, boneless, skinless
- 3 tbsp oil
- 12 oz chow mein noodles, (uncooked noodles)
- 2 cups cabbage
- 1 large carrot, julienned
- 1/2 batch green onions
- 2 garlic cloves
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
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, use a whisk to combine oyster sauce, granulated sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, chicken broth and cornstarch. Set aside.
- Cook your noodles according to package instructions then drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
- Heat a large wok or pan with olive oil over medium-heat. Cut your chicken breasts into bite-sized strips and cook them in the oil until golden brown. Remove strips and set aside.
- Add carrots, cabbage and pressed garlic and saute for a few minutes until veggies are slightly softened and the cabbage is a bit translucent.
- Add chicken and noodles back into the pan. Pour sauce over the top and continue cooking all the ingredients together for another 2 minutes.
- Garnish your chow mein with chopped green onions and serve the noodles straight from the pan and piping hot!
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Natalya Drozhzhin
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Another great recipe from Natasha! I followed it pretty closely. Just added in some julienne cut red bell pepper with the carrot and some fresh bean sprouts at the very end. Kept the sauce the same as written. I used boneless skinless chicken thighs because they were on sale. And this recipe just came out great!! My family loved it and some were vying for the leftovers to take for lunch tomorrow! I was able to find cooked chow mein noodles in a refrigerated section of our grocery store. And they worked great. Although we have an extensive Asian section in our grocery store (in California) but the packets of dried chow mein noodles looked too thin, like top ramen noodles) so I bought the cooked noodles and the were the perfect thickness and texture! I served this with some potstickers from Trader Joe’s and some fresh pineapple. And offered Asian Chile paste and sriracha at the table for anyone who wanted more kick. I wish I could post a picture here of how good it looked! (I’m not on social media anymore so those aren’t options) but the recipe gets an A+ from this chef!! Thank you for sharing it!
Hi Paulette, thanks so much for sharing your experience trying out our recipe. I’m so glad that you loved it! Feel free to share some photos of your cooking creation on our Facebook page or group so others can see them too and become inspired!
What are chow mein noodles? What do they look like. Sorry. It’s been some time since I cooked or shopped so I’m not sure if I can get them where I live.
Hi! Please refer to the images above in the blog post. You can see what mine looked like. You can find them in Asian markets or the Asian food aisle at the grocery store if you have this available.
Made your Chow Mein recipe twice. It is a great one except the sugar i had to reduce. Way too sweet with a tablespoon of sugar. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Janet! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for the feedback.
I have made this recipe few times. The whole family loves it
Great to hear that, Gisele. Thanks a lot for sharing and for this review.
Lovely recipe, only thing I would change is not add all the sauce over it as it slightly over powers every.
Thanks for shearing, Rose! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe.
This Chow Mein recipe is delicious. I made it for dinner last night and my entire family loved it. I will definitely share this recipe with friends and will be making it again soon.
Hi Stacey! That’s wonderful to hear. Thank you for trying my recipe.
Hello, do you have any alternatives to oyster sauce?
My family is not a fan of the taste and I really want to try this recipe.
Hi Allan, the oyster sauce will give you the most authentic flavor, but most people would substitute oyster sauce with soy sauce (to taste) if the oyster sauce is left out. You can also mix equal parts of soy sauce and hoisin sauce to get that sweet and salty flavor you are looking for here. I hope this helps!
Thank you for questioning and responding. I have a shellfish allergy so I cannot use oyster sauce. But knowing what I can substitute it with is very helpful. Looks like a great recipe. Going to try it this evening!
I hope you love the recipe, Lorna!
Pretty awesome. I’ve always assumed that cooking with oyster sauce would make it taste fishy. It doesn’t! Family loved it. Thanks!
Hi Nate! I’m glad you love this recipe. Thank you for the feedback.
The sauce tasted great! I’m very happy with recipe. I made a well in center of pan and let the sauce cook a few minutes to cook the cornstarch in it and then I tossed everything together.
Thank you for sharing your experience with the recipe, Gege!
Hello! This tastes wonderful! I’d like to add bean sprouts next time…do you suggest adding them with the garnish, or should I cook them along with the cabbage/carrots? I also added oyster mushrooms, red onion and red pepper. So good. A new staple for our family!
Hi Heather! You can add them towards the end. You don’t want to cook too long or they’ll get soggy.
Hi!
My husband and I love this recipe and we like it even better with shrimp than chicken!
I am making it for this upcoming weekend at the cottage and I wanted to make the sauce ahead of time at home to bring with me. Can I make it ahead of time? If so, how many days will it last?
Thanks for all your recipes!
Kristy 🙂
Hi Kristy! I haven’t tested it myself but I think you could since this dish reheats well. I’m glad you’re loving the recipes.
Just made this tonight for supper. It was very easy to prepare but I found that the sauce was a little sweet. Next time I made it, I will leave out the sugar.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Kathie!
Hi Natasha, do you have this recipe for the instant pot? I think it would be so much quicker. Just inquiring cuz you’re my go to place first for new recipes. Thank you!
Hi Lisa! I’m so glad you’re loving the recipe. I have not tested this recipe in an instant pot.
I added the a tablespoon of garlic Chili sauce to add a bit of kick to it and it was awesome my husband loves this recipe says it’s better than the restaurant
That’s awesome, Brenda! I’m so glad to hear that. Thank you for the feedback.
lovely recipe.. i make this one regular. better than any take away.. and so easy. Thank you
Thank you, we appreciate it!
I wish you would make a video of this and how to make the chicken broth.
Thank you for the suggestion!
I wanted to try making this but I haven’t been able to find light sesame oil. Do you think it’s ok if I use regular? Also is there any brand you recommend?
I always recommend using light sesame oil but as long as it’s not toasted. The sesame oil adds a nice authentic flavor profile, so you may miss that in the recipe with out it, but sesame seeds will be a nice addition.
Flavour was great but unfortunately mine turned out quite mushy def want to try it again but may not make a large batch
Absolutely Amazing!!!!! I loved it and went exactly by your insructions!
That’s great, Susan! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Natasha for a wonderful recipe. This is a favorite in my house! Just wondering what can be done to flavor the chicken a bit. Should I put the cooked chicken in the sauce while the cabbage and carrots are cooking? Make another batch of the sauce to marinate the chicken beforehand? I don’t want to lose the balance of salty/sweet sauce or overpower the dish.
Hi Lori! I’m glad you love the recipe. You can add more seasoning to your preference if that helps but to flavor the chicken specifically, you may try marinating it beforehand.
I make your chicken chowmein often. I usually have to double it as it’s a favorite at our house. Thanks for your help we love your recipes
You;re welcome, Loren. I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you wil try from us.
I hunted around online for a chow mein recipe, i am so glad i chose this recipe, it was fantastic. Bookmarked now for repeated use. I only had toasted sesame oil,i will stick with that for now.
Hi Tony! I’m glad you love the recipe!
Toasted sesame oil has a much lower smoke point than standard sesame oil so it’s not recommended for frying or cooking with, but rather it’s used to drizzle on the finished food product. I hope that helps.
I’ve made this many, many times and it is delicious! Sometime I substitute spaghetti for the Chinese noodles.
Hi Susan! I’m so glad you love the recipe. Thank you for the feedback.
So yummy and easy! I added siracha, some minced ginger and salt and pepper to make it a bit spicier 🙂
That sounds great, Megan! So glad you loved the recipe.
Has anyone tried adding egg? A lot of the lo mein and chow mein served at restaurants around me have egg in them. Just curious if they would be easy to add and taste good with this recipe?
Just curious, do you mean a fried egg or scrambled egg like in fried rice?
Used a 14oz bag of the shredded green and red cabbage with the carrots! Worked perfect! Yum.
Thanks for sharing, Emily! I’m glad to hear that.
This was absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe, will definitely make this again!
You’re welcome, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I made this and it was better than any Chinese restaurant I’ve ordered from. I make this alot and it is a huge hit with my family and friends
That’s great to hear, Bonnie! Thank you for sharing.
This was a perfect dish to serve my husband and dad for Father’s Day! I made 1.5 of the sauce as was suggested in a review, and added broccoli and then bean sprouts at the end. My mom has asked me to send her the recipe!
I’m so glad it was enjoyed, Margaret!
Super duper receipe!🥰💐🌸❣
The dish came out great.! It’s one of my favorites now🥰
Thank you very much!!
So glad to hear that, Saira! Thank you for the feedback.
Another NK hit in our family. Love this for dinner but also perfect for the kids’ school lunch in a thermos. So tasty! We make this when we have a bunch of veggies sitting in the fridge, add em all!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Reema!
First of all, I love your recipes! So, for me this came out pretty good. I followed the recipe exactly. My two suggestions are to add the carrots a few minutes before the cabbage and to reduce the sauce a bit. Other than that though I really enjoyed it. Thanks Natasha!
Hi Megan, thank you for your suggestion and feedback. We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed our Chicken Chow Mein recipe!
My chow main, turned out very sticky and no one liked it! 🤔 What could I did wrong?
Hi Juanita, thank you for sharing your feedback. This is one of our more popular recipes and I am always happy to help troubleshoot. Did you make sure that you used the same proportion of sauce to noodles and chicken or the sauce can seem overpowering?
I am deadly allergic to fish. What would you suggest I replace the oyster sauce with. I would love to make this, but cannot use the oyster sauce.
Thank You
Muriel
Hi Muriel, the oyster sauce will give you the most authentic flavor, but most people would substitute oyster sauce with soy sauce (to taste) if the oyster sauce is left out. You can also mix equal parts of soy sauce and hoisin sauce to get that sweet and salty flavor you are looking for here. I hope this helps!
There is Vegetarian Substitute for Oyster Sauce. It is sold as Ayam Vegetarian Oyster Sauce 210ml https://ayam.com/
I hope you get a simluar brand if in USA.
Maybe I skipped something important, but the sauce made the dish more gooey than used as a seasoning. All I could taste was sesame and oyster sauce. It overpowered the veggies and chicken.
Hi Yinette, thank you for sharing your feedback. This is one of our more popular recipes and I am always happy to help troubleshoot. Did you make sure to use light sesame oil and not toasted? Also, make sure to use the same proportion of sauce to noodles and chicken or the sauce can seem overpowering.
I followed the recipe closely and was rewarded by Rave reviews from the family! The sauce really makes the dish, everyone said it needs to go into the rotation. Thanks for the recipe!
That’s awesome! I’m glad it was a hit and made it to the meal rotation!
Tasty but still salty. I even used low sodium soy sauce. Need to figure out how to make it without it being dally. Otherwise, it was very tasty.
I’m sorry it didn’t turn out the way you hoped. Did you possibly use regular soy sauce instead of low sodium?
Yep, very salty. I’m an experienced cook and followed the recipe exactly, low-sodium SS and everything. When I was making the sauce I was thinking “6 tablespoons of oyster sauce and 3 tablespoons of soy sauce on top of a half-cup of chicken broth spells s-a-l-t-y.” Next time I will take your suggestion and use half hoisin and half soy sauce. Nnd maybe cut back of the broth a bit nd throw a tablespoon two of OJ
Other than that a good, easy recipe.
Use a low salt powdered chicken stock – keep your teaspoons to the minimum. I used Vegetarian Oyster Sauce as well. Turned out really nice. Rest ingredients as pure recipe except I added frozen baby peas for a bit more greenness and background to flavour.
I will make this over and over. It was easy and super delicious. Absolutely excellent recipe.
I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you for the wonderful feedback.
AMAZING!!! I was craving noodles and this dish hit the spot! 10/10! And it was super easy!
So glad you loved it, Candace! Thank you for the feedback.
I’m so glad you loved it. Thank you!
This is an excellent recipe, quick and easy to prepare. This is going to be a staple from now on.
Only 1 thought though, the vegetarian option of tofu as a chicken sub, is good, but the oyster sauce isn’t vegetarian.
Hi Karen! Thank you for the feedback. I’m glad you loved this recipe. The oyster sauce will give you the most authentic flavor, but most people would substitute oyster sauce with soy sauce (to taste) if the oyster sauce is left out. You can also mix equal parts of soy sauce and hoisin sauce to get that sweet and salty flavor you are looking for here. I believe they make a vegan version of an oyster sauce as a substitute as well.
I made this last night and added sriracha and it was delicious!!
Thank you for sharing, Maria! I’m so glad you loved the recipe.
Hello Natasha, I haven’t made this recipe before, but I plan to, I just have trust issues when it comes to Corn starch, so do you have any substitutes for it?
Hi Taluja! I haven’t tested a substitute but I assume it would work to use something else like flour, arrowroot powder, potato starch, etc. to thicken the sauce. You can research online to see what a good substitute ratio would be.
Soo good!
I used 2 cups of coleslaw and fake soy sause and it was delicious. Something everyone in my family could enjoy.
Great to hear that your family enjoyed this a ot too!
Love this recipe with the exception: reduced the noodles to 6 oz. Your notes said:
Note: When using cooked Chow Mein Noodles, it should measure to about 1lb. Well, if you use 12 oz of the chow main noodles it weighs 2.2 lbs. Should your recipe with the link to the noodles say 6 oz or am I missing something?
Hi Pammy, on these packages, each is 6 oz or 170 grams which is 1/3 of a pound. I would use 2 packages which equals 12 oz or about 3/4 of a lb.
I cooked up a (2) 6 oz pkg of the chow mein noodles you have linked (which would be 12 oz) and the cooked weight is over 2 lbs. I’m really missing something. Please help
Hi Pammy, the recipe calls for 12 oz of uncooked noodles. The cooked weight will be higher. Make sure to rinse the noodles with cold water to stop the cooking process so they don’t get too mushy (this also helps prevent too much sauce absorption which can lead to dry noodles).
Hello Natasha
Your Food is Wonderful.
I would like some of your good advice please…
You say that the Bolognaise minced beef needs to simmer for 2 hours to become tender…
How much time for minced chicken?
Thank You
Thanks, Odete. I haven’t tested it yet to advise of the exact timing but feel free to do an experiment. It will definitely be faster to cook minced chicken.
To be honest, I don’t see myself making this again. It had too much of a sesame flavor that overpowered everything else. I’m not sure how I feel about the oyster sauce either. If the dish wasn’t call chicken chow mein, I might like it better because I kept thinking this doesn’t taste like chicken chow mein. I am still open to trying other dishes from the site though, thanks for sharing.
Hi Louisa, thank you for sharing your feedback. This is one of our more popular recipes and I am always happy to help troubleshoot. Did you make sure to use light sesame oil and not toasted? Also, make sure to use the same proportion of sauce to noodles and chicken or the sauce can seem overpowering.
I added some other ingredients to the dish like red and green peppers,yellow onions,cooking sherry,oyster sauce,broccolli,and substituted linguine noodles for chow mein noodles,and added sliced pork. It was really good.
Sounds amazing, Dorthea! Thank you for the feedback. 🙂
Love this recipe, but I have to omit the oyster sauce due to shellfish allergy.
Is there a substitute?
Hi Sharon, the oyster sauce will give you the most authentic flavor, but most people would substitute oyster sauce with soy sauce, so I would suggest adding soy sauce to taste. It will taste better if you mix equal parts of soy sauce and hoisin sauce to get that sweet and salty flavor you are looking for here.
Made this tonight. It was so good and so easy. I doubled the recipe for my family and added broccoli, mushrooms and peppers along with the cabbage and carrots. Yum 😋 will definitely be making this again
Hey Christine, thank you for your great comments and feedback. We’re happy that you loved this recipe!
Great, easy recipe . The sauce was just a little too sweet, but the instructions were so easy to follow .
I will look for more of your recipes .
Thank you, Paula! I hope you find many more recipes to enjoy here.
This is an amazing recipe but also thank you for just getting right to the recipe. This is the first time I’ve clicked on someone’s that isn’t three pages of a diary entry before the actual meal. Thanks!
You’re welcome! Thanks for appreciating that too.
Love your recipes and cannot wait to get your cookbook, but this was way too salty for us. I dislike when people give reviews and list off what they substituted. I followed this recipe to a T, and I’m sad to say that this is our 1st time we didn’t gobble it all up.
Hi Catherine, I’m sorry it didn’t turn out the way you hoped. Did you possibly use regular soy sauce instead of low sodium?
Made this for dinner tonight. Absolutely wonderful. Followed the recipe as written like I always do. Then after I make it once I will tweek if needed. This recipe needs NO tweeking.
So glad you loved it, Eileen! Thank you for sharing.
Sauce is way too strong and thick. Neither my husband or I liked it and he likes everything.
Hi Heather, I don’t recall reading that feedback and this has been a very popular recipe – did you possibly make any substitutions or changes to the sauce ingredients? I’d love to help you troubleshoot this.
Marvelous! I’m a big fan of snow peas and added a handful while cooking the carrots
Sounds delicious, Lois! 🙂
I have made this chow neon recipe several times and everyone raves about how delicious it is! God bless you for posting this easy, yummy recipe! ♥️
Hi Marcy! I’m so glad you love it, thank you!
I really enjoyed this dish. I love stir fry food. I thought it was a little bit salty so next time I will use salt free broth.
Hi. Barbara! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for the feedback. 🙂
Hello, recipe looks delish. How well does this dish reheat? Thank you.
Hi Patty. Yes, you can make this ahead and reheat it. The noodles will absorb some of the moisture from the sauce, if they are dry, you can add more as needed.
Can I make and then put in crockpot to keep warm? I am having 12 people over so I need to triple recipe and I hate it not being ready when guest arrive.
Hi A! I haven’t tried that, but I imagine it may work to keep it warm, I wouldn’t keep it on heat for an extended amount of time though.
Delicious! I used tofu and added more veggies. Swapped veggie broth for chicken broth.. so good!! Thanks!
Sounds good, I’m glad you loved it!
Hi Natasha. Do you season the chicken at all? I didn’t see it in your instructions. I want to make this tonight because it looks delicious. Thanks
Hi Chealsae! The sauce has plenty of flavor and saltiness so there is no need for additional seasoning on the chicken. 🙂
This was really good. I did make some changes in that I used coleslaw mix instead of chopping up the cabbage and carrots. This made so much that next time I will cut the recipe in half, but I won’t cut the cabbage in half. I found this to be a little bit noodle heavy, and wanted more of the veggie.
Hi Melody! I’m glad you liked the recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Show me the recipe. How much is a serving? It doesn’t say on the nutritional value facts. I have high blood pressure so I have to watch my sodium.
Hi Virgina, The serving size can be found at the beginning of the print-friendly recipe card (located at the bottom of the recipe post). The nutrition label shows counts “per serving.” This recipe serves 8. Hope that helps!
Loved this recipe!!!! American white girl that loves Asian and Asian fusion cuisine. I did your recipe near exact but with thighs instead of breasts as that’s what I had. Have you tried this recipe with velvetting the chicken first? Where you marinade in a cornstarch mixture first. Just curious as is took my Kung Poa to the next level. Love your recipes – looking forward to the cookbook!!!
Hi Emily, that’s lovely feedback! Thanks a lot for sharing your experience trying this recipe, so glad you enjoyed it!
My go to recipe. Everyone loves it but I double the amount of sauce because it’s that good.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Ellen! I’m so glad you all loved it!
Can rice noodles be used in this recipe instead? Also, what kind of cabbage?
Hi Virgina! That should work but I would reference this recipe if you are using rice noodles for stir-fry.
Hi, I’m making this tonight. It sounds amazing and all the great reviews confirm that. Curious about the mention of bean sprouts and how you would use them. Robert on Feb 1 asked this same question but I didn’t see a reply. Hoping you can fill us in. Thanks so much! –Robert February 1, 2023
I am making this tomorrow for supper and wish to use bean sprouts. You mention them in the vegetables to use for the perfect chow mein. But i didn’t see it in the recipe on how to use them. I am wondering if they are added towards the end or if I stir-fry them with the rest of the vegetables.
Hi Carlita! It’s best to add them in toward the end. They cook very fast so you’ll need to watch them and bake them to your preference. I like them to still be a bit crunchy (2 mins or so).
Hello, love this – wondering if it can be successfully frozen?
Hi Amanda, I haven’t tried freezing this but you can make this ahead and reheat it. The noodles will absorb some of the moisture from the sauce, if they are dry, you can add more as needed.
Hi there,
First, thanks so much for a wonderful easy to follow and practical recipe site. Just wondering if I can use stock instead of broth for Chow Mein sauce please. Thanks so much. Karen.x
You’re welcome, it’s my pleasure. That will work too, I hope you’ll love it!
I used frozen chow mein veges that included 7 types—(saved a lot of work), cooked the noodles and chicken, and added your sauce~~~SO good~~and quick with the precut veges!!
Sounds great, I’m glad you loved it!
Hi Natasha,
I am just wondering if I am able to do this same recipe with beef mince?
Thank you Sarah
Hi Sarah, I’m sure that will work just fine too. Enjoy!
I have been cooking for close to 60 years. I have super sensitive taste buds, and I am a foodie. I can usually find a recipe or two or three on some of the more “well-known“ blogs, but I have to say that I’ve not had a bad thing yet from your site and it’s one of the first I go to. I can’t say I don’t tweak the recipes a little bit because we all do you have different tastes, and what we like. However, I didn’t have to do anything to this one. I love cabbage so I figured I’d try it. Well done! We will probably see this recipe at a few times every month, because it was that good. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Melody! That’s wonderful. So glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for sharing.
I made this last week. It was DELICIOUS. I made the sauce exactly as written. I love cabbage, hubby doesn’t so I omitted that. I used sliced mushroom, celery and big white onion chunks. Next time I make it I want to use bean sprouts instead of noodle for lower carb. Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you for following the recipe as it is, we’re so glad that you enjoyed it! Sounds like a good plan too, I think bean sprouts will be great too.
I made this tonight my picky large family loved it. I used bok chow instead of cabbage but ill probably use cabbage next time and doubled the recipe. I should have trippled it. I also added garlic and red pepper flakes to the sauce since my family prefers spicy asian food. Otherwise I flowed and it turned out great! Thank you for a quick easy dinner everyone loved!!
I’m so glad it was a hit for the family. Thank you for the feedback.
do you shred or just chop the cabbage or does it really matter also could you shred the carrots
Hi Sheila, we chopped it – we have a photo of the cabbage in the recipe for reference. I hope that helps!
This recipe was so good and so easy to make! Definitely restaurant quality!
Hello Steve, thanks a lot for your good comments and feedback!
I found this recipe to be far too sweet, even though I used half the amount of sugar. In all honesty it didn’t taste like chow mein at all.
Hi Adrienne, I don’t recall many reports of it being too sweet. Did you make any substitutions to ingredients or quantities in the sauce?
I have made this chow mein many times. It has become a family favourite. I often add shrimp. So delicious and it is the best sauce! Thank you Natasha!
Hi Tina! That’s wonderful to hear. Thank you for sharing. I’m glad you love this recipe.
Just tried this recipe, and using chow mein noodles in a recipe for the first time. Delicious. Everyone loved it. Will definitely make again!!
So glad you loved it, Amanda! Thank you for sharing.
I followed the sauce directions exactly. I even measured. This is too much sesame oil, in my opinion. It’s also missing something…. I probably won’t make this again.
Hi Kara, I’m sorry to hear it didn’t hit the mark for you. This has been a very popular recipe on my site. Did you change or substitute anything in the sauce possibly or change the volume of noodles? I have found that adding too much noodles without increasing the sauce can make it seem a bit bland.
Hi, can this be made ahead and reheated when needed? I’m putting together a Chinese feast so don’t want to have to do all the cooking at the last minute
Hi Tori! Yes, you can make this ahead and reheat it. The noodles will absorb some of the moisture from the sauce, if they are dry, you can add more as needed.
Followed the recipe for the sauce to the t but found it didn’t taste like any core mein I’ve ever had, it was still tasty but not what I imagined it to taste like, I think there may have been to much Oyster sauce next time I may halve it to only 3 tbsp
Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I hope you liked our take on Chow mein!
Holy chalupas! This recipe was amazing. I used angel hair pasta but other than that followed the recipe. So good. So delicious. Thank you so much Natasha!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Beena!
I cannot find non toasted sesame oil anywhere. Is there a substitute? Thank you.
Hi Shannon! The sesame oil adds a nice authentic flavor profile, so you may miss that in the recipe with out it. You can use another oil, and possibly add some sesame seeds on top for a nice addition.
I am making this tomorrow for supper and wish to use bean sprouts. You mention them in the vegetables to use for the perfect chow mein. But i didn’t see it in the recipe on how to use them. I am wondering if they are added towards the end or if I stir-fry them with the rest of the vegetables.
Loved this recipe! Had to change a couple things. Used cooked spaghetti noodles, hot sesame oil (reduced to 3 tsp) and an Xtra Tbls of sugar, and added broccoli. My family loved it!
Hi Jeanne! Thank you for sharing. I’m glad you’re family loved the recipe. 🙂
I had 1 pound of ground beef and a package of cole slaw, chopped an onion and voila, delicious! The sauce recipe makes it great thank you!
That’s so great, Anneke! Thank you for your lovely review!
Hi Natasha,
Love your recipes. My son has food allergies so I cannot use sesame oil but can use sesame seeds and don’t have a safe oyster sauce I can use. How can I substitute in this recipe?
Hi Vanessa, the sesame oil adds a nice authentic flavor profile, so you may miss that in the recipe with out it, but sesame seeds will be a nice addition.
I’m working my way through the best recipes of 2022 and this Chicken Chow Mein is the first. SO DELICIOUS!!
My husband loves it and it was very easy to make – thank you!
It’s going in “the book.”
So glad you found another one to add to the book, Heather! Thank you for the feedback.
It turned out delicious. I added mushrooms. Will be making again soon.
So glad you love it, Emma! Thank you.
I am making this tonight for our dinner. Whenever I get an idea for making something new, I always go to you first. You never disappoint. Looking forward to your cookbook in the fall! Happy New Year and keep those recipes coming!
Aww, thanks so much, Elizabeth! I’m so glad you love my recipes. Happy New Year. Be Blessed!
Could I use spaghetti noodles instead? My children love anything made with noodles Especially spaghetti noodles
Hi Crys, I prefer the chow mein noodles, but thin spaghetti noodles will work great too! Here’s what one of our readers wrote: “We have tried this recipe with spaghetti noodles and don’t notice a difference from chow mein noodles! It’s great either way!” I hope this helps!
I’ve made many of Natasha’s recipes. Loved them all.
I had some shiitakes, spinach, celery tossed them in too. If you’re thinking bout making this one, don’t think. Just make it. It’s outstanding.
Thanks, Kelly! I’m glad you loved the recipe. I appreciate the review.
I love just about everything you make. Love watching how you make cooking so fun and not a chore. If you make a cook book I’m definitely buyinh.
Thank you, Eden! That means a lot to me. So glad you love my recipes. My first cookbook will release Fall of 2023! 🙂
Hi! I’m curious is there a way to sub the oyster sauce? I have someone who is highly sensitive to the taste of fish or seafood in general. Doesn’t even like seaweed. So I just wanted to know if there was a good alternative.
Hi Alexis, The oyster sauce will give you the most authentic flavor, but most people would substitute oyster sauce with soy sauce, so I would suggest adding soy sauce to taste. It will taste better if you mix equal parts of soy sauce and hoisin sauce to get that sweet and salty flavor you are looking for here.
Hi. I’m making this tonight and only have toasted sesame oil. Should I use less, the same amount or not at all?
Thank you.
Hi Karen, toasted sesame oil is intended to be used in salads and not in cooked recipes. It’s a tough one to replace since olive oil doesn’t even come close in flavor. If you had the toasted one, I would probably drizzle it over the finished dish and toss to combine.
I made this chow mein yesterday for my wife and wow ot was great thanks heaps will be making for all the family when we get together next.
Wonderful to hear, Mick! Thank you for trying my recipe.
This is the most fabulous homemade chicken chow Mein recipe ever! I didn’t change a thing, and it was so fantastic, I turned right around and made your general tsao chicken, and I’m gonna try a whole lot more of your recipes!!! Just fantastic! You are so much fun to watch too!
Thanks so much, Jo! I’m glad you love the recipe. I hope you find many more to enjoy.
Wow, do we love this recipe! I have to leave out the garlic (I added half an onion, diced instead) and I also use mushroom-based oyster sauce and it is absolutely delicious! I will be using this sauce in all my stir fry dishes, regardless of the protein or carb. I’m thinking of beef and broccoli with rice…
Hi Kathy! I’m so glad you loved the recipe. The sauce is amazing! Thanks for sharing.
The recipe was great except it was highly salty. How can I change it so it’s not as salty?
Hi Sharon! Did you use low sodium soy sauce? You could also use sodium free or low sodium broth and that would help as well.
I am making this for the first time tonight. I am adding in sprouts. O hope it turns out good.
Let us know how you like the recipe! 🙂
A great substitute for soy sauce is coconut Aminos! Has no coconut taste at all and has a fraction of salt! If you were blind folded you could not taste the difference from soy sauce. All grocery stores sell it near the soy sauce. I got mine at Trader Joes. ☺ you’ll love it!
Thanks for the tip, Sheila. It’s hepful!
What is the correct term … I’m not sure… does one say fool proof or flop proof ? Both are good words. I’ve made this recipe at least once a month for about 6 months… NEVER FAILED ! My family love it … add all those veggies and more … you won’t regret it.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Claire!
Thank you for sharing this recipe, it turned out great. Differently will make it again
Really good and a thumb’s up from both kids! I made it with shrimp and also made a batch with rice noodles for my gluten-free kiddo. It was a hit!
So glad it was a hit! Thank you for sharing.
Great recipe!! I also substituted the noodles with “zoodles”, vegetable broth and salmon instead of chicken. It was just as yummy and I was able to get more veggies (instead of starch) in my meal.
That’s great, Spencer! So glad you loved this recipe!
This is a great recipe. Made it with tofu instead of chicken. It was great.
Glad you enjoyed this using tofu!
Very good!! My husband usually puts sauce on every Chinese food but not today!! He said it had a good flavor in cabbage and didn’t need it! Ty Natasha, Jackie Kerr ❤️
That’s great, Jackie! I’m so glad it was enjoyed.
I made this without the chicken and added onions came out great.
Good to know that you still enjoyed this without chicken. Thanks for sharing that with us!
I tried the recipe with a few changes.I brought shredded cabbage and precut carrots.I added onion and more green onion than it said. Using pkgs off 2 noodles I would suggest using double shredded cabbage and 2 containers of carrots precut.
I made this tonight and it was delicious! It’s the best stir fry we’ve ever made ourselves at home. So pleased I found this recipe, it will definitely be a meal we make regularly. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you for your awesome review, Shelley!
This was absolutely delicious and quick and simple to make!
I will definitely be making this again!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Silvana!
This was delicious! I’ll definitely be making this again. I did add fresh mushrooms.
We’re glad you enjoyed this recipe, Mary!
This recipe is FANTASTIC! Was super quick to prepare and the whole family loved it! My mom said it reminded her of the food she ate while in Asia. Didn’t find it too salty personally. Will definitely be making this regularly. Thanks Natasha!
You’re welcome, thank you for sharing your comments with us!
This is so very good! I have made it twice and honestly could eat it 3 or 4 days in a row.
Delicious!
So glad you loved it, Beth!
just made this recipe and it was a hit!!! although icouldn’t find chow mein noodles so i used angel hair it was still veryyummy
I’m glad to hear that, Terry! Thank you for sharing.
What can I say… It’s just yumm… So simple dish in so little time. My whole family loved it and it will be on our menu list,😋
That’s wonderful, Ginta! Glad you found a new one to add to the menu. 🙂
Very good recipe! I’ve made it a couple of times and I enjoy that the sauce is light but flavorful. I varied the vegetables this time based on what I had – this is a perfect recipe to do that – use whatever you like or have on hand. Can’t wait to enjoy the leftovers! Thanks for a really good recipe!
You are very welcome! I’m happy to hear that you have already made this recipe a couple of times and have always loved it!
This isn’t the Chow Main we eastern people know. This has to say West Coast Chow Main.
The East Coast Chow Main is totally different. On the east coast, this recipe is LO-MAIN.
Thank you for sharing that with me, William! I hope you like our version and try it out soon!
Hi Natasha, thanks for the recipe, and it was delicious. It’s one of my favourite of what you make. Spatchcock chicken is another one. I love all of your recipes. Thanks again. 💕
I’m so glad to hear that, Marjorie! 🙂
Anxious to try this tonight – I have all the ingredients except noodles – would Ramen noodles work? Im sure it wont cost me
$12 – $18
Thank you for sharing.
Hi, I haven’t tried this with ramen noodles but we did it in our Beef and broccoli Ramen Stir fry and it was delicious. You might refer to that recipe to get a sense of how we prepared the noodles.
Very yummy!! A bit salty, I’ll cut down on soy sauce next time I make it. I didn’t have green onions so I made it without.
Hi Isabelle, feel free to make some minor changes to the seasoning according to your preference. Thanks for the feedback!
Hi Natalya. I can’t wait to try this but can you leave out the oyster sauce without ruining the recipe?
Hi Noni, The oyster sauce will give you the most authentic flavor but most people would substitute oyster sauce with soy sauce, so I would suggest adding soy sauce to taste. It will taste better if you mix equal parts of soy sauce and hoisin sauce to get that sweet and salty flavor you are looking for here.
The sauce is too salty for me, even after reducing the soy by a tablespoon
Hi Karen, you can also try using low-sodium or sodium-free chicken broth to help with the additional saltiness.
Loved this recipe! Wished I could have given it 4 and a half star, but I couldn’t. I love how easy and quick the recipe is…. I have made a lot of Asian noodles but most are really time consuming and have a lot of ingredients that I don’t have on hand. The only thing I did was add lime juice…. I felt, for me it needed some acid. Thank you thank you😊😊
Hi Janet! Thank you for the wonderful feedback! So glad you loved this recipe.
Made this for supper this evening. It’s so good! Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Jean!
This is pretty dang good!!! I’m half Thai and I’m very picky about my Asian dishes. This will be a definite rotation in my dinner planning. I used dried chowmein noodles from China. They are a medium size and I loved the density of the noodle. Thank you for the recipe!!!
Thank you for your thoughtful feedback, Maryann! I’m so happy this was a hit!
Hands down, this is the BEST meal I have ever made!
THE BEST!
Hats off to you Natasha.
That’s great, Beth! So glad you loved this. Thank you for your feedback.
This is such a good recipe, it was quick to make easy, I served it with the cicken fried rice your recipe and egg rolls, my whole family loved it and my daughter who took two years of culinary in college asked me for the recipe. there will be many more repeats of last nights dinner, thanks Natasha!
That’s so great! That’s just awesome, Maria!
In order to make vegetarian, in addition your directions, you will also either need to omit the oyster sauce or use a replacement (vegetarian friendly oyster sauce can be found at Asian Markets).
Just made this dish for dinner tonight turned out awesome. Will definitely be making it again, so good. Thank you for sharing 😊
You’re welcome, Izzy! I’m glad you love this recipe. 🙂
WOW! So good, even my husband, who can be picky, ate 3 helpings. I used shrimp and left over bbq’d chicken. I used a half bag of coleslaw mix, taking most of the red cabbage out and it was so simple to make. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you so much for sharing it!!
Very nice! Thanks for sharing and I hope your family will love all the recipes that you will try for them.
I loved it! I used bean sprouts in place of cabbage and my sesame seed oil was toasted which I think added even more delightful taste. Will do it again for sure.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Patsy!
So tasty, we both loved it, will be a staple in our house from now on! ❤️ Thanks
I’m happy you found a favorite! Thank you for sharing, Helen. 🙂
This was my foray into Chinese cooking and I’ve made it twice now – first time exactly as your recipe and then today I add fresh bean sprouts and ‘velveted’ the chicken which was something I’d just heard about (not sure it made much difference though!). Either way, best Chow Mein I’ve ever had! So simple and incredibly delicious, it’s inspiring me to seek out other Asian recipes to try. Thank you so much for sharing.
You’re very welcome, Caroline! So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Ridiculously good my only change was to include fresh bean sprouts. Hands down the best Chow Mein I’ve ever had in a restaurant or at home. The house still smells heavenly.
Aww, thank you for the wonderful feedback, Sonia! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
I picked this recipe because unlike other chow mein recipes, the sauce didn’t require mirin or any other ingredient that I’d have to make a trip to the store to get. Very simple ingredients, easy recipe, and boy was this a huge hit with my family! Now in our rotation. Delicious sauce makes all the difference!
Yay, lovely feedback! Thanks a lot for sharing that with us.
I love it, it is one of the best foods i ever tasted. Keep up your good work. Bye
Thank you, Vlad! 🙂
This is Chicken Lol Mein. Chicken Chow Mein does not have noodles.
It actually does. The difference between the 2 is the noodles. One uses thin the other uses thicker, fatter noodles.
If you are not Asian you wouldn’t know. Chow Mein always have noodles!
Nice ripe but it tastes even better if you add half a teaspon of MSG.
not bad, actually. One thing left out is how to cook the beef and chicken like they do in Chinese restaurants. I steamed my meat, then let it sit in warm water with the veggies for an hour. Softer meat, but still didnt have the right taste or texture (tho closer than just frying it) – so what’s the secret? 🙂
Try coating in cornstarch. Softens up the meat. Try this, works very well….https://www.bonappetit.com/story/velveting-meat
Best Chow Mein I have made and I’ve tried several other recipes. It was a big hit with the whole family!. This will be my new go-to Chow Mein Recipe. I followed it exactly and added baby corn.Very Authentic tasting and to me tastes better than the take out version. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Wonderful Christina! I’m so glad you like it. I hope you find many more recipes to enjoy on my blog! 🙂
How come I can’t ever find “Chow Mein” noodles in the stores? Only “Ramen” noodles 🤔 I wonder if it would taste different with chow mein noodles than it does with Ramen noodles.
We prefer it with chow mein. I recommend asking the store if they have it in stock in a special section; you can order some online or go to your local Asian market.
I can’t find them either but Ive used the crispy noodles (from a can) and they worked well for me. I actually love the crispy noodles
Look in the refrigerated dept for the fresh chow mein noodles. They’re great. You just rinse them with warm water and drain well. I recommend frying the noodles in a separate pan to get crispy and adding them last with bean sprouts.
The sauce is PERFECT!!
Did you try looking in the international isle? I believe that is whereI I found mine.
I buy on Amazon they come bulk in a box, very good and cost effective, boil for 3 minutes.
I made this yesterday and it was good. And my family liked it. It was easy to put together.
That is the best when the family loves what we moms make. That’s so great!
What else could you use besides oyster sauce or any fish sauce? Have a severe fish allergy but this looks amazing!
The oyster sauce will give you the most authentic flavor but most people would substitute oyster sauce with soy sauce, so I would suggest adding soy sauce to the taste. It will taste better if you mix equal parts of soy sauce and hoisin sauce to get that sweet and salty flavor you are looking for here.
How much is a batch of green onions in cup measurements and also 1 carrot in cup measurements since I always buy carrots already cut up.
Hi Gloria, I do not have this exact measurement but a quick google search suggested that 1 cup of chopped green onions is about 9 and 1 cup chopped carrots is about 2 medium carrots. I hope that helps.
This was delicious! I used corn oil instead of sesame(can’t stand it) purple cabbage, carrots and asparagus(cut small) and it was all SOOOO good! My husband likes spice and I forgot to add chili flakes so he ate it with Sriracha and loved it!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Kelly! Thank you for the review.
I did this with chicken and now going to do it with beef,can I substitute beef broth in place of the chicken broth?
Hi Sherry, yes that will work!
no sesame oil in chow mein is like no paprika in Hungarian goulash – corn oil ain’t gonna cut it, generally, but yeah, if you dont like the taste, no point 🙂 but I would not recommend using corn oil to others …