This tasty chicken chow mein is so delicious you might not feel the need to order a takeaway again. It’s quick, simple to make, and delivers all the flavours you love. Chicken Chow Mein is one of those classic dishes that’s surprisingly easy to recreate at home — tender chicken, crisp vegetables, and springy noodles tossed in a savoury sauce. It’s fresher, lighter, and ready in minutes, making it perfect for a speedy midweek dinner.

There’s something so comforting about the sizzle of chicken hitting a hot wok, the aroma of garlic and soy, and the sound of noodles being tossed through a glossy sauce. Chicken Chow Mein is all about fresh textures and bold flavours — a simple, satisfying dish that tastes like pure comfort in a bowl

Other alternatives that work well with this chow mein

Other alternatives work really well with this chow mein too. You can make it with 500g of beef, pork, prawns, or even turn it into a simple vegetable chow mein. All of them cook quickly and soak up the sauce beautifully.

What goes well with this simple chow mein

This chow mein is best served with shop‑bought prawn crackers, battered chicken balls, and a little sweet and sour sauce on the side. It turns a quick noodle dish into a proper fakeaway feast.

Chicken chow mein

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Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 4 People

Ingredients

  

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice
• salt and pepper
• 200 g dried egg noodles
• 4 tbsp vegetable or groundnut oil
• 2 tbsp soft brown sugar
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 4 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 100 ml cold water
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 6 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 50 g frozen Peas
• handful of sliced mushrooms

Instructions

 

• Cut the chicken into thin strips, place in a bowl and toss in the chinese five spice, salt and pepper and set aside.
• Bring a pan of boiling water together, add the egg noodles and cook for 4-5mins. Once the noodles are cooked, drain and rinse in cold water until cold. Toss with a tablespoon of oil and set aside.
• In a bowl add the sugar and cornflour, then gradually stir in the soy sauce, mirin and 100ml water, mix well and set aside.
• Heat a tbsp of oil in a large frying pan or wok and fry the chicken until cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Add another tbsp of oil and fry the red pepper, carrots, spring onions, peas and mushrooms until softened. Add the garlic and ginger paste and stir for a minute. Tip everything onto a plate with your chicken and set aside.
• Add the remaining oil in the pan and add the noodles. Fry the noddles for around 3 mins until they begin to become golden and crispy, be careful not to burn. Return the chicken and vegetables to the pan and combine together.
• Stir in the soy mixture combining all the ingredients together and fry until pipping hot.
• Serve immediately with prawn crackers on the side.