This chicken chow mein recipe came from my old culinary instructor, Chef Wong, who ran a tiny kitchen in Chinatown for forty years. After spending two decades perfecting his techniques and teaching them to my own family, I'm sharing the method that creates those incredible crispy-bottomed noodles everyone craves. What started as weekend experiments with Lina has turned into our most requested family dinner - even my pickiest neighbors ask for the recipe after trying it at potlucks.
Why You'll Love This Best Chicken Chow Mein Recipe
I've been making this dish for my family for 18 years now, and it never gets old. The noodles come out with this crazy good texture - crispy on the bottom where they touch the pan, but still chewy on top. It's way faster than waiting for delivery once you know what you're doing. Lina's been my kitchen helper since he could barely reach the counter, and he's gotten really good at separating the noodles without tearing them up.
Those little hands of his are perfect for the job - way better than my clumsy fingers. The whole thing smells just like this hole-in-the-wall place where I learned to cook during school. And honestly, making it at home means I can control what goes in it. No weird preservatives or enough salt to make your blood pressure monitor cry.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Best Chicken Chow Mein Recipe
- Ingredients for Chicken Chow Mein
- How To Make Chicken Chow Mein Step By Step
- Equipment For Chicken Chow Mein
- Chicken Chow Mein Variations
- Smart Swaps for Your Chicken Chow Mein Recipe
- Storing Your Chicken Chow Mein
- Why This Chicken Chow Mein Works
- Top Tip
- Grandma's Hidden Recipe: A Family's Legacy
- FAQ
- Perfect Chinese Comfort Food!
- Related
- Pairing
- Chicken Chow Mein
Ingredients for Chicken Chow Mein
The Main Players:
- Fresh chow mein noodles
- Chicken thighs
- Bean sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Green onions
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh ginger
The Sauce:
- White pepper
- Soy sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Dark soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Cornstarch
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Chicken Chow Mein Step By Step
Before You Start:
- Cut chicken into thin strips
- Boil noodles for 2 minutes, drain them good
- Chop all your vegetables the same size
- Mix your sauce in a bowl
The Fun Part:
- Get your wok crazy hot - like smoking hot
- Cook the chicken until it's golden, take it out
- Add more oil, dump in the noodles
- Don't touch them for 2-3 minutes
- Throw in vegetables, hard ones first
- Add the chicken back
- Pour sauce around the edges of the pan
Wrap It Up:
- Eat it while it's still steaming
- Toss everything together fast
- Taste it and add more soy sauce if needed
Equipment For Chicken Chow Mein
- Big wok or heavy pan
- Long spatula or wooden spoon
- Sharp knife
- Some bowls for your prep stuff
Chicken Chow Mein Variations
When We Want It Spicy:
- Dump in some chili oil
- Sprinkle red pepper flakes everywhere
- Go crazy with the garlic and ginger
Veggie Overload:
- Use way more vegetables than chicken
- Toss in bell peppers and snow peas
- Perfect for when I'm trying to be healthy
Super Crispy Style:
- Cook noodles separately until they're almost burnt
- Make the chicken and veggies in the wok
- Put everything on top of the crispy noodles
For Picky Kids:
- No spicy anything
- Extra carrots (Lina's obsessed)
- Plain chicken breast
Smart Swaps for Your Chicken Chow Mein Recipe
Different Proteins:
- Chicken thighs → Chicken breast (won't be as good though)
- Chicken → Shrimp or thin beef strips
- Meat → Firm tofu blocks
Noodle Options:
- Fresh chow mein → Dried egg noodles (soak them first)
- Regular noodles → Rice noodles
- Wheat noodles → Gluten-free ones
Sauce Fixes:
- Fancy stuff → Whatever's in your pantry
- Regular soy sauce → Low-sodium kind
- Oyster sauce → Mushroom sauce
Storing Your Chicken Chow Mein
Fridge Stuff (2-3 days):
- Let it get cold first
- Put it in something with a good lid
- Heat it up in a pan, not the microwave
- Splash some water in if it looks dried out
Freezer (Meh):
- Cool it down completely
- Freeze it in small portions
- Use it up in a month
- The noodles get mushy but whatever
Heating It Back Up:
- Throw fresh green onions on top
- Hot pan is your friend
- Keep stirring it around
- Microwave makes it gross
Why This Chicken Chow Mein Works
I messed this up for years before figuring out what really matters. It's not about fancy ingredients - it's just heat and timing. Most people don't get their pan hot enough. You need that thing smoking before you put anything in it. That's how you get the wok hei - that smoky taste you can't fake any other way. My old cooking teacher used to scream at us about this. "Hot wok, cold oil, food won't stick!" he'd yell while waving his spatula around.
The noodles are the other big thing. Don't mess with them once they hit the pan. Let them sit there and get golden before you start stirring everything around. I used to flip them way too early and then wonder why they were soggy. Lina actually caught me doing this one day - he goes "Mom, you're doing it wrong again." Little smartass was right though. Same thing with vegetables - hard ones like carrots go in first, soft stuff like bean sprouts goes in last. Otherwise you end up with mush.
Top Tip
- My Grandma always said the difference between okay food and food that makes people beg for your recipe is patience. Don't mess with those noodles too early - let them sit in that hot oil and get properly golden before you start tossing everything around. I know it's tempting to keep stirring because you think they're going to burn, but trust the process.
- Those crispy, caramelized bits on the bottom are exactly what make this taste like real restaurant chow mein instead of soggy takeout. I learned this the hard way by ruining probably fifty batches before I figured out to just leave them alone. Now when Lina helps me cook, I make him count to sixty before we're allowed to touch anything. It's become our little kitchen ritual, and honestly, it works every single time.
Grandma's Hidden Recipe: A Family's Legacy
My Grandma had this weird trick with chow mein that she kept secret from everyone. She lived next door to this old Chinese guy who had a little restaurant downtown. He'd come eat Sunday dinner with us, and she'd cook her chow mein for him. One day when I was maybe twelve, I saw her sneak a tiny bit of Chinese black vinegar into her sauce at the very end, then stir it exactly five times.
I asked her what the heck she was doing, and she just smiled and said it was his secret recipe trick. Turns out he'd been showing her stuff like this for years because she always gave him her homemade apple pies. That little bit of vinegar makes everything taste way better - cuts through all the grease. I still do the five-stir thing when I cook this for Lina. He rolls his eyes at me, but whatever. Some things you just keep doing because they feel right.
FAQ
What is in a Chinese chicken chow mein?
It's got stir-fried egg noodles, chicken pieces, bean sprouts, cabbage, carrots, and green onions with a soy sauce mix. The trick is getting those noodles crispy on the bottom but still chewy on top. That's what makes it taste different from regular noodle dishes.
What's the difference between Chicken Chow Mein?
Chow mein noodles get fried until they're crispy on the bottom, lo mein noodles stay soft and just get mixed with sauce. Chow mein has more bite to it and tastes smokier. Lo mein is mushier and more saucy.
What ingredients are in Chicken Chow Mein?
You need egg noodles, some protein like chicken or beef, vegetables like bean sprouts and cabbage, and sauce made with soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. The vegetables can be whatever you have in your fridge though.
What does chicken chow mein taste like?
It's got this smoky flavor from cooking it really hot, plus salty and a little sweet from the sauces. The noodles are part crispy, part chewy. It fills you up without being too heavy or greasy.
Perfect Chinese Comfort Food!
Now you know how to make restaurant-style chicken chow mein at home - from getting that wok crazy hot to my Grandma's weird vinegar trick. This dish proves you don't need to spend money on takeout when you can make it better yourself.
Want to try more good stuff from different places? Check out our Easy Peruvian Chicken with Green Sauce - that green sauce is incredible. Need something warm and comforting? Our Easy Coconut Curry Soup Recipe hits the spot on cold days. Or if you're feeling ambitious, try The Best Greek Moussaka Recipe - it's a lot of work but totally worth it.
We’d love to see your panna cotta masterpieces! It’s always a thrill to see your delicious results!
Leave a rating and be part of our dessert family!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Chicken Chow Mein
Chicken Chow Mein
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Slice chicken, prep vegetables, and boil the noodles
- Mix soy sauces, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a bowl
- Sear chicken until golden and remove from wok
- Crisp noodles in hot wok, then add veggies and sauce
- Return chicken, add vinegar, stir, and serve hot
Leave a Reply