Chicken Lo Mein is rich, savory, and one of the most popular Chinese takeout dishes — but it’s surprisingly easy to make at home. Tender chicken, springy noodles, and crisp vegetables are tossed together in a glossy sauce that coats every strand of noodle.

This dish has always been a favorite in Chinese restaurants because it’s satisfying, flavorful, and comes together quickly in a hot wok. With just a few pantry ingredients and the right technique, you can recreate that same restaurant-style flavor right in your own kitchen.

In this recipe, I’ll show you how to marinate the chicken for tenderness, cook the noodles so they stay springy, and bring everything together in a rich, savory sauce — all in about 25 minutes.

What Is Chicken Lo Mein?

Lo Mein is a classic Chinese noodle dish made by tossing cooked wheat noodles with stir-fried ingredients and a savory sauce.

The name “lo mein” literally means “tossed noodles.” Unlike some noodle dishes that rely on heavy sauces or broths, lo mein focuses on lightly coating the noodles so they stay glossy and flavorful without becoming overly wet.

Chicken lo mein is one of the most common variations, combining tender slices of chicken with vegetables and springy noodles for a balanced and satisfying meal.

Lo Mein vs Chow Mein

Lo mein and chow mein are both popular Chinese noodle dishes, but they are prepared differently.

Lo mein uses soft noodles that are boiled first, then tossed with sauce and stir-fried ingredients. The noodles stay tender and slightly chewy, absorbing the flavor of the sauce.

Chow mein, on the other hand, often involves frying the noodles until they become crispy. The dish usually has less sauce and focuses more on texture.

Both dishes are delicious, but lo mein is known for its silky noodles and saucy finish.

What Noodles Are Used for Lo Mein?

Traditional lo mein uses fresh Chinese egg noodles, which are wheat noodles made with eggs. These noodles have a slightly springy texture that works well with stir-frying.

Fresh lo mein noodles are often found in the refrigerated section of Asian supermarkets.

If fresh noodles aren’t available, there are several good substitutes, including:

• ramen noodles
• udon noodles
• spaghetti

The key is choosing noodles that hold their shape and stay slightly chewy after cooking.

What Sauce Is Used in Lo Mein?

Lo mein sauce is simple but deeply flavorful. It usually combines soy sauce, oyster sauce, and dark soy sauce with a small amount of liquid such as chicken stock or water.

Soy sauce provides savory saltiness, oyster sauce adds depth and umami, and dark soy sauce gives the noodles their rich color.

When heated in the wok, the sauce lightly coats the noodles and ingredients, creating the glossy finish that lo mein is known for.

Let’s Talk Ingredients

Chicken breast
Chicken breast cooks quickly and stays tender when sliced thinly against the grain. This cut works well for fast stir-fries like lo mein.

Lo mein noodles
Traditional lo mein uses fresh egg noodles made from wheat and eggs. These noodles have a slightly springy texture that holds up well when tossed with sauce.

Soy sauce and dark soy sauce
Soy sauce adds savory saltiness, while dark soy sauce gives the noodles a deeper color and richer flavor.

Oyster sauce
Oyster sauce adds depth and umami to the sauce, giving the noodles a restaurant-style flavor.

Egg white and cornstarch
These ingredients help create the tender, silky texture often found in restaurant stir-fried chicken.

Vegetables
Onion, carrot, cabbage, bean sprouts, and scallions add freshness, color, and texture that balance the noodles.

Cooking oil
A neutral oil with a high smoke point allows the ingredients to stir-fry properly over high heat.

Step-by-Step: Let’s Cook

Step 1: Marinate the chicken

Save

Slice the chicken breast against the grain into thin slices.

In a bowl, combine the chicken with salt and mix until slightly tacky. Add white pepper, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, egg white, cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon oil. Mix until evenly coated and set aside while preparing the other ingredients.

Tip: This marinating technique is known as velveting, a classic Chinese method used to keep meat tender during stir-frying. The egg white and cornstarch create a light coating that protects the chicken from high heat, helping it stay juicy and silky.

Step 2: Prepare the sauce and vegetables

Save

Slice the onion, shred the carrot, chop the cabbage, cut the scallions, and mince the garlic.

In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and chicken stock to make the stir-fry sauce.

Tip: Having everything ready before cooking keeps the stir-frying process smooth.

Step 3: Cook the noodles

Save

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the lo mein noodles and cook until just al dente, about 3 minutes.

Drain and rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking and prevent sticking.

Tip: Slightly undercooked noodles finish cooking in the wok.

Step 4: Stir-fry the chicken

Save

In a wok over high heat, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil.

Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir-fry briefly until fragrant. Remove the chicken from the wok.

Tip: Cooking the chicken first allows it to brown properly, and adding the garlic later prevents it from burning.

Step 5: Stir-fry the vegetables

Save

In the same wok over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil.

Add onion, carrot, and cabbage. Stir-fry for about 1 minute until slightly softened. Remove and set aside.

Tip: Stir-frying the vegetables separately helps them cook quickly over high heat, so they stay aromatic and crisp instead of becoming overcrowded and soggy.

Step 6: Combine and finish the lo mein

Save

Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil to the wok. Add the noodles and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until aromatic.

Return the chicken and vegetables to the wok. Pour in the sauce and stir-fry until the noodles are evenly coated and heated through.

Add bean sprouts and scallions, toss briefly, and serve hot.

Tip: Add the bean sprouts last so they stay crisp.

25-Min Chicken Lo Mein Recipe

No ratings yet

Chicken Lo Mein is a classic Chinese noodle dish made with tender chicken, springy egg noodles, vegetables, and a savory stir-fry sauce.

Servings 4

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the chicken

• ¾ pound chicken breast, sliced against the grain
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of white pepper
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil

For the stir-fry sauce

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• ¾ cup chicken stock, or water

For the stir-fry

• 16 ounces lo mein noodles
• 4 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 1 cup cabbage
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 3 stalks scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces

Instructions

 

• To marinate the chicken, in a bowl, combine the chicken breast with salt and mix until slightly tacky. Add white pepper, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, egg white, cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon cooking oil and mix until evenly coated.
• To prepare the sauce, in a bowl, combine soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and chicken stock and stir until mixed.
• To cook the noodles, in a pot over high heat, bring water to a boil. Add the lo mein noodles and cook until just al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse briefly under cold water.
• To stir-fry the chicken, in a wok over high heat, add 2 tablespoons cooking oil. Add the chicken and stir-fry until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir briefly until fragrant. Remove from the wok.
• To stir-fry the vegetables, in the same wok over high heat, add 1 tablespoon cooking oil. Add onion, carrot, and cabbage and stir-fry for about 1 minute until slightly softened.
• To finish the lo mein, add 1 tablespoon cooking oil to the wok and add the noodles. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Return the chicken and vegetables to the wok and pour in the sauce. Toss until the noodles are evenly coated and heated through. Add bean sprouts and scallions and stir to combine.

Video

Notes

• Velvet the chicken: Marinating the chicken with egg white and cornstarch is a technique called velveting. This creates a light coating that protects the meat during high-heat stir-frying, helping the chicken stay juicy and tender.

• Slice against the grain: Cutting the chicken against the grain shortens the muscle fibers, which makes the chicken much more tender when cooked.

• Cook ingredients in stages: Stir-frying the chicken, vegetables, and noodles separately prevents overcrowding in the wok and helps each ingredient cook properly.

• Use high heat: Lo mein cooks best over high heat, so the noodles stay springy and slightly smoky rather than soft or soggy.

• Don’t overcook the noodles: Cook the noodles just until al dente. They will continue cooking briefly when stir-fried with the sauce.

• Add bean sprouts last: Bean sprouts cook very quickly, so adding them at the end keeps them crisp and fresh.

• Noodle substitutes: If fresh lo mein noodles are not available, you can substitute ramen noodles, udon noodles, or even spaghetti.

• Protein swap: This recipe also works well with shrimp, beef, pork, or tofu. Adjust the cooking time depending on the protein used.

Author: CiCi Li

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese