A great Chow Mein comes down to the sauce, made of soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar and cornstarch for thickening. Slippery noodles slick with the savoury sauce is noodle heaven! One of my favourite noodles, up there with all time greats Pad Thai, Pad See Ew and Singapore noodles.
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Chow Mein
I want to say that Chow Mein is my favourite noodle-child but I’m worried that I’ve said that in another recipe (or two… or three… 😂).
Because there is, after all, some heavy hitting noodle competition in this big wide world. Pad Thai, Pad See Ew (Thai Stir Fried Noodles), Singapore Noodles, Yakisoba (Japanese noodles) – to name just a few.
But Chow Mein is right up there and it’s not just because it’s noodle-slurpingly delicious, but also because of the following:
Tons of hidden veggies– cabbage, carrot and bean sprouts, all in “noodle shapes” so they just meld right in there with the noodles so you have no idea how much you’re actually consuming (it’s like feeding a child);
Faster to make that home delivery – 15 minutes from start to finish;
Versatile– as all stir fries are. Switch the proteins and veg as you please;
Charlie – Chow Mein Sauce can be made from scratch, or using Charlie, my all purpose Stir Fry Sauce that I always have on hand. Yes, I named him because I love him so much.
What noodles to use for Chow Mein
The thing that distinguishes Chow Mein from other stir fried noodles are the type of noodles used. Chow Mein noodles are thin crinkly looking noodles that are lightly coated in flour.
Here’s a close up of the noodles. The supermarket version by Fantastic Noodles is slightly more yellow than it should be but it’s just as tasty.
Can’t find Chow Mein Noodles?
Use Ramen Noodles or other instant noodles – just toss the packet seasoning! Or use thin spaghetti or other thin egg noodles (check ingredients on packet, should have egg listed).
What goes in Chow Mein
Other than noodles, Chow Mein almost always has cabbage, bean sprouts and carrot, then your choice of protein. I’m pretty sure chicken is by far the most popular, but I have no facts or figures to back that up. 😉
I like to use chicken thigh for stir fries because it’s juicier than breast and tenderloin. If I make this with chicken breast, I always tenderise it using a Chinese restaurant technique using baking soda (bi-carb). It’s super simple, see directions here: How to Velvet Chicken.
Chow Mein Sauce
Here’s what you need for the sauce. The Chinese cooking wine is the key ingredient that makes home cooking truly rival takeout – your local Chinese restaurant uses Chinese cooking wine in virtually everything!!
Difference between Lo Mein and Chow Mein
The difference lies in the noodles. Both are wheat noodles made with egg so they are yellow(ish). Lo Mein Noodles are wet and oily out of the packet, then boiled or soaked until soft before tossing with a sauce, vegetables and protein.
Chow Mein noodles are thinner, and kind of dry and crinkly out of the packet (see photo above). They can be used to make:
- soft noodles (this recipe) – soaked in boiling water until soft then tossed with a sauce, vegetables and meat; or
- Crispy Chow Mein – fried until crisp then served with a saucy stir fry on top – this is the traditional Chinese/Hong Kong way of serving Chow Mein noodles.
How to make Chow Mein
And here’s how to make it. Make sure you have everything ready to toss in because once you start cooking, you’ll be plating up in just over 5 minutes – I told you it’s fast!!
Wok NOT essential!
Totally fine to cook Chow Mein in a skillet instead of a wok. Just be sure to use a big one – so your noodles don’t go flying as you enthusiastically toss!
The fact of the matter is, no matter what protein you use, what vegetables and even what noodles, you’re going to end up with a bowl of slurp-worthy noodles as long as you use the Sauce recipe plus the same quantity of noodles + other stuff (veg, protein etc) so the flavour isn’t diluted.
So don’t get too hung up on the exact noodle type! Concentrate on the sauce. The sauce, the sauce!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Chow Mein
Ingredients
- 200g /6 oz chicken breast or thigh fillets , thinly sliced (Note 1 tenderise option)
- 4 cups green cabbage , finely shredded (Note 3)
- 1 1/2 tbsp peanut oil (or other cooking oil)
- 2 cloves garlic , finely chopped
- 200g /6 oz chow mein noodles (Note 2)
- 1 carrot , julienned
- 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
- 3 green onions , cut into 5cm/2″ pieces
- 1/4 cup (65 ml) water
Chow Mein Sauce:
- 2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce , all purpose or light (Note 4)
- 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce (sub Hoisin)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine OR Mirin (Note 5)
- 2 tsp sugar (reduce to 1 tsp if using Mirin)
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- White pepper (sub black)
Instructions
Sauce:
- Mix together cornflour and soy sauce, then mix in remaining ingredients.
- Alternative: Use 1/3 cup Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce, if you have some in stock.
Chicken & Noodles
- Marinate Chicken: Pour 1 tbsp of Sauce over the chicken, mix to coat, set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
- Noodles: Prepare the noodles according to the packet instructions (my pack says soak in boiled water for 1 minute), then drain.
Cooking:
- Heat oil in wok or large fry pan over high heat.
- Add garlic and stir fry for 10 seconds or until it starts to turn golden – don’t let it burn!
- Add chicken and stir fry until the surface gets a tinge of browning but inside is still raw – about 1 minute.
- Add the cabbage, carrot, and the white pieces of shallots (i.e. from the base of the stalk). Stir fry for 1 1/2 minutes until the cabbage is mostly wilted.
- Add the noodles, Sauce and water*. Stir fry for 1 minute, tossing constantly.
- Add bean sprouts and remaining shallots/scallions. Toss through for 30 seconds or until the bean sprouts just start to wilt.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes:
- Garlic – don’t use mincer/garlic press or jarred garlic, they burn too quickly. Finely chop it.
- Skillet is fine, just use a big one so the noodles don’t go flying when you toss.
Nutrition Information:
Originally published 2014, updated over the years with improved photos, process photos, and video!
Love Chow Mein? Here’s more noodles to try!
Pad Thai and Pad See Ew (Thai Stir Fried noodles)
Browse the Noodle recipes collection!
Life of Dozer
Throw stick, dashes after it, plonks down and eats it.
Someone needs to teach this Golden Retriever how to retrieve. (I failed)
Thank you for this wonderful recipe and I love your video ! Love the pictures of Dozer as well – I have an English Cream Golden Retriever who can’t grasp the concept of retrieving either ! Oh well – he is the most gentle and loving dog we’ve ever owned – so we are blessed !
Glad to hear it’s not just Dozer!!! 😂
do you have any good suggestions for a gluten free noodle replacement?
Hi Muppy! Vermicelli noodles would be a great GF sub!
Yay to 炒面! I normally don’t cook using a wok (I leave that to my parents) but this looks so good and simple that I might start to do it myself 🙂
Do it do it!! 😂
Hi Nagi
Great recipe. I like that chicken is with it … usually it’s all veggie.
Ahhh but he did retrieve it …to his likeness 😂😂 a happy Dozer!
Hugs! Have a Super Tuesday! 😊
HA! Clear who’s side YOU’RE on!! 😂
AHA! Serendipity at work! I just bought a new wok, and you provided the recipe to test it out…love it. 🙂
Mr. Dozer Dawg is totally blissin’ out…you can see it on his face! 😀 Luv that dog!
DO IT DO IT! Perfect recipe to christen it with!! 🙂 N x
So disappointed. Rushed right to recipe.When you come to the States and visit you are not getting a good idea of what Mid America is like. All the states have one or more upscale metropolitan areas. Here in Wisconsin
if you can’t drive a long distance OR drive at ALL this recipe won’t fly. There is no Asian market near me. The Chinese food places (2 of them) are the pits. Our Walmart doesn’t even carry oyster sauce. The asian aisle has no noodles and is a 3×11 foot aisle.
Maybe next recipe will work better.
I guess I’m spoiled living in northern California. All the grocery stores carry oyster sauce and chow mein noodles!
Ohhh, I’m disappoint for you too! 🙁 Am sure you will be fine with today’s recipe though!! N xx
Maybe try ordering the Asian condiments from Amazon? I live in a small town in Canada and fortunately there is an Oriental supermarket in the next big town 1 1/4 hr away. There is one good Asian restaurant here and a terrible Thai one. Luckily I can get the ingredients and I have a great Thai recipe book. Good luck!
Hi, Nagi,
As one of your devoted followers who can’t use alcohol, I always appreciate your alcohol subs. However, I think you might have left something out in your Note 5 Substitutions:
“…use chicken stock/broth in Sauce PLUS in place of water.”
PLUS what, please?
Thanks so much!
Donna
Hi Donna! Badly worded ,fixed! I mean to use chicken broth in the sauce in place of the wine, AND use more chicken broth in place of water 🙂 N x
I read that to mean use chicken stock in place of the wine in the sauce and also in place of the water mentioned in the list of ingredients.
I’m impressed you were able to decipher my poor writing! 😂 Thanks Donna 🙂 Rewrote it too N x
This chow mein looks yummy N! This is a great recipe for fussy/picky me too! 😂 I like bok choy but not cooked cabbage. Now I need to find that wine, so I can cook this.
My dog won’t bring things back to me either, it becomes a toy to him and he’ll guard it after. Only one time he did. I guess he thought it was too much work for him or a treat, like Dozer does. 😂
Have a great day!
Ha ha! Glad to hear Dozer’s hopelessness isn’t just him!!!
Superb! Truly a favorite dish at our house, and a favorite Charlie dish, too. We have this often, because I crave it constantly and I’m the one who cooks, but my husband loves it too and is always delighted when it’s on the menu. Sometimes, when we’ve not been in the mood for chicken, I’ve made it with sliced boneless pork chops, sliced beef, and a few times with browned ground pork mince or ground beef mince, too. I appreciate how fast, easy, and versatile it is, but we have it a lot because it’s so delicious! Also, sometimes divide the vegetables and sauce, putting half on cauliflower “rice” or zoodles for my husband who needs to limit his carbs a bit, before adding chow mein noodles to the rest for me. It’s so good!
I love hearing that Wynn!! And your variations – terrific!! N xx
Hi Nagi, what weight of dried noodles please. Just love your recipes and adore Dozer xxxx
Hi Carolyn! If you use the dried egg noodles, I think about 150g / 5 oz?? 🙂 N x
Another great recipe. Now I need to find out where I can get Chinese cooking wine.
Few sub options if you can’t find it Peter! N x
Any suggestions? I am unable to locate this at most grocery stores.
Well, as far as slothing goes I’m sure Dozer could give you a few lessons! And I’m sure your brain was busy the whole time the slothing occurred. And this recipe couldn’t come at a better time. I picked up a wok at the store and I found my chopsticks in one of our packing boxes. I’ve told you that my diet method is eating with chopsticks, an apron that covers my entire body, and a big sheet of plastic under the table. It takes me all day to eat a bowl of soup with chop sticks 🤣Can’t wait to try out your recipe!! Big hugs to you and Dozer!!
OMG you CRACK ME UP Marisa!!! 😂
Made this exactly as the recipe & it’s delicious & easy to make. Thank you!
Pretty please, would you create a “Stuffed Bell Pepper w/ Ground Beef or Ground Chicken” recipe please? I’ve tried it twice now a long time ago, once at a Chinese restaurant & it had a gravy sauce, and another one at a Mediterranean Restaurant with some type of tomato Sauce. Beautiful presentation & so delicious, I’ve been craving it and can’t find any restaurants now that serve it.
PS The one I make has ground beef or other ground meat with rice. Is that the one you are thinking of too??
Yes! My mouth is watering already thinking about it. I can’t wait for your recipe! Thank you so much!
It’s like you’re reading my “TO BLOG” list – I have it on my list!! Mediterranean style 🙂
Nagi,
My husband will not eat cabbage any way except as Polish stuffed cabbage rolls with tomato sauce, but he will eat bok choy. ????? Would this be an appropriate substitute for all of the wonderful cabbages you mentioned? Also, would mushrooms be a welcome addition?
Had a wonderful stir fry sauce written down, but lost card. Couldn’t remember where I got it. DUH. it was Charlie…knew it the minute I read the recipe.
Drooling and want to make this soon.
Hi Becky! Mushrooms are a welcome addition, always! Slicing the leafy part of any Asian greens so they are of similar shape would be an amazing sub! N xx
This looks amazing! For some reason I’ve been craving Chow Mein lately!! Love that pic of dozer our retriever Archie doesn’t retriever much either and won’t swim past his belly and is not food driven, not entirely sure he’s a retriever at all!!
Ba ha ha! He sounds like a precious POODLE!!! 😂
Thank you for your awesome notes – so helpful, especially about wine substitution!!
I host various groups and am always looking for versatile recipes👏👏
You’re so welcome Dee! When I make this for loads of people, I tend to cook it in batches and place in a giant microwave container then reheat in microwave. Give it a super good toss before serving 🙂 N x
Hello from Ottawa, Canada Nagi – love your blog, and receiving your recipe emails is always a treat. Your creations are always fabulous, flavourful and no-fail. Yay!! 🙂
Can’t wait to try your chow mein. I have always wondered this, and I know you’ll be able to give me the straight goods – is there an acceptable substitute for oyster sauce in Asian dishes? I usually just use more soy sauce, but I know that doesn’t give the same depth of flavour. I am not a seafood fan and, although I know the flavour of the sea in oyster sauce is very slight and barely noticeable, I can always detect the taste.
Please give Dozer a big hug for me!
Michele
Hi Michelle! The best I have seen is this -> http://omnivorescookbook.com/homemade-vegetarian-oyster-sauce. Otherwise, an easy option is to use hoisin sauce. It has the same thickness and sweetness with layers of flavour but the only thing is that it has a hint of Chinese Five Spice flavour. Which is delish in anything and everything Chinese! So the flavour will be slightly different but it is still going to be really tasty – and better than just using more soy sauce, promise 🙂 N x
Thank you so much Nagi ! 🙂
Hi Nagi, It´s 7.45am in Buenos Aires and I´ve just decided what my dinner will be 😉
Thanks for the recipe, I will not order Chinese any more, jajaja.
One question: it´s very hard to get here chinese wine. Any substitution you can recommend?
Please keep sharing 🙂
Hi Miguel! There’s some subs in the recipe notes! 🙂 N x
Read her Note 5 about substitutes.
Aw, This dish reminds me of my childhood. I still remember I ate this dish the first time when I was still a little girl and it did strongly surprise me. The combination was so good and I so like it untill I always asked my parents to go the Asian restaurant everytime we ate out xD Thanks for sharing!!
– Natalie Ellis
I love hearing that!! Food Memories ❤️ N x
It’s 4 35 am in toronto..I am awake and getting hungry just reading the recipe😂😂 I have your CHARLIE BROWN SAUCE IN MY FRIDGE. .I will use bbq pork that have plus the veggies.
Dozer..keep chewing the sticks you will have very clean molars . Thanks Nagi for a super simple yummy recipe
WHAT are you doing up SO EARLY???!!!