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Easy Chicken Chow Mein is a family favorite dinner recipe that is so simple to put together for a meal any day of the week. It’s the perfect easy dinner recipe! And this chicken chow mein is so much better than takeout. If you love a good stir fry, be sure to also try our recipes for pineapple chicken ginger stir fry and beef and broccoli stir fry.

This recipe was first published back in 2017. It has been updated with new photos and a how-to video in 2020 and 2025.

For me, a visit to Panda Express has never been complete without a generous helping of chow mein, but we can all agree that Panda Express isn’t the best place to eat in terms of healthy options. That is exactly why I decided to make my own easy Chicken Chow Mein at home! Chicken Chow Mein is always made with thin, wimpy noodles at chain restaurants (like Panda Express). I used some big-boy noodles (fresh chow mein stir fry noodles) in this recipe and trust me, it’s so much better!

Ingredients Needed:

• Asian ingredients can all be found in the Asian products aisle of your market: Asian noodles, oyster sauce, low-sodium soy sauce, sesame oil and canned bean sprouts.
• Chicken broth: Use low-sodium chicken broth or water.
• Oil: This is for stir-frying, so use a high smoking point oil such as canola, vegetable or avocado oil.
• Flavor: Fresh ginger, fresh garlic and salt/pepper.
• Sweetener: Use honey or brown sugar.
• Cornstarch: This is used for thickening the sauce.
• Chicken: Use chicken breast to cut into chunks.
• Vegetables: You’ll need Napa cabbage, shredded carrot and green onions.

How to make Easy Chicken Chow Mein:

1. Prepare the noodles, according to the package instructions.
2. First you’ll make the sauce. Some of the sauce is used to marinate the chicken. The rest of the sauce is used for mixing into the noodles later on in the recipe.
3. Chicken marinade drained, and then it’s cooked in a pan with a little bit of oil. Then you’ll take the chicken out of the pan and stir fry garlic, ginger, cabbage and carrots.
4. Next, the noodles are added into the pan, along with the rest of the sauce, cooked chicken, bean sprouts and green onions.

Recipe Tips:

• Chow mein cooks fast, so slice your chicken, veggies, and measure sauces before you turn on the heat.
• Chinese egg noodles work best — fresh or dried.
• For crispier chow mein, pan-fry the noodles after boiling to get golden edges.
• Use a wok or large skillet over high heat to get that classic smoky flavor.
• Add crisp vegetables like carrots, cabbage, bean sprouts toward the end so they stay vibrant and crunchy.

Substitutions or Additions:

1. Substitute sliced sirloin steak for the chicken, if you want to make a beef chow mein (use beef broth).
2. Substitute shrimp for the chicken if you want to make shrimp chow mein.
3. Add sliced mushrooms, chopped zucchini or small broccoli florets to the vegetable mixture.

Make Ahead Tips:

This recipe is easy to make, but it does require some chopping. I recommend that you do all of the chopped ahead of time (even earlier in the day or the night before works). Then when it’s time for stir frying, it comes together so easily for a quick meal.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

1. The recipe is not difficult to make and it turns out delicious. It’s one for the whole family to enjoy!
2. I would HIGHLY recommend this recipe to anyone who enjoys chow mein (or if you just want to try it).
3. Once everything is chopped and ready to go, it’s a pretty easy meal to make for a weeknight. I first made this recipe when I was just a teenager.