30-Min Chicken Chow Mein Recipe

Chicken Chow Mein is a Chinese-American takeout classic known for its thin egg noodles, chewy texture, and savory stir-fried flavor. In this version, tender marinated chicken is stir-fried with fresh vegetables and tossed with chewy chow mein noodles in a rich, savory sauce. It’s the comforting, familiar dish many of us grew up ordering—only fresher, more flavorful, and easy to make at home in under 30 minutes. Perfect as a satisfying weeknight meal or a crowd-pleasing favorite to share.

Chicken Chow Mein Recipe

Serves: 2 to 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

For the chicken and marinade:
1/2 pound chicken breast, sliced
Pinch of salt
Pinch of white pepper
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 egg white
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, minced

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
4 tablespoons water
Pinch of white pepper

For the chow mein:
1 package (12 oz) chow mein noodles
4 tablespoons cooking oil, separated (high-smoking-point oil like avocado, grapeseed, or peanut)
½ medium onion, sliced
1 cup snap peas
5 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
½ medium carrot, julienned
1 cup mung bean sprouts
2 stalks scallions

Chicken Chow Mein Instructions

1. Marinate the chicken:

• In a mixing bowl, add the sliced chicken breast.
• Marinate it with salt, white pepper, rice wine, egg white, cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Mix well.
• Let it marinate while preparing the other ingredients.

2. Cook the noodles:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the chow mein noodles and cook for about 20 seconds until al dente.
• Rinse the noodles under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well.

3. Make the sauce:

• In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, water, and white pepper. Mix well.

4. Stir fry:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a wok over high heat. Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry for about 4 minutes until fully cooked.
• Add minced garlic and stir-fry for about 10 seconds. Remove chicken from the wok.
• In the same wok, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add onion, snap peas, shiitake mushrooms, and carrot. Stir fry for about 1 minute until aromatic. Remove from the wok.
• Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the wok. Add chow mein noodles and stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant.
• Return the chicken, vegetables, and sauce to the wok. Mix everything thoroughly.
• Finally, add mung bean sprouts and scallions. Toss everything together and serve hot.

Tips & notes

• Prep ahead: Protein, sauces, and vegetables can all be prepared up to 1 day ahead and stored in the fridge.
• Protein swaps: This recipe works beautifully with shrimp, beef, pork, or tofu in place of chicken. Just adjust the cooking time as needed.
• Customize the vegetables: Bell peppers, cabbage, bok choy, or broccoli all work well—use what you enjoy or have on hand.
• Don’t overcook the noodles: Cooking the noodles just until al dente helps them stay chewy and prevents them from turning mushy during stir-frying.
• Meal prep shortcut: Marinate the chicken and chop all vegetables ahead of time so everything is ready to go when you start cooking.
• Time-saving tip: While the chicken marinates, prep the vegetables and mix the sauce. Once you start stir-frying, the dish comes together in minutes.
• Chow mein vs lo mein: Chow mein uses thinner egg noodles that are briefly boiled, then stir-fried. This method gives the noodles a chewier texture and slightly crisp edges. Lo mein, on the other hand, uses thicker egg noodles that are tossed softly with sauce, resulting in a more tender, saucy finish.