Chicken chow mein
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.
Serving Suggestions for Chicken Chow Mein
- Spring rolls or vegetable gyoza — crispy, light and great alongside the noodles.
- Chicken balls with sweet and sour sauce — crispy, golden and perfect alongside the noodles
- Prawn crackers — an easy, crunchy addition everyone loves.
- Stir‑fried greens — pak choi, tenderstem broccoli or green beans add freshness and balance.
- Egg‑fried rice — perfect if you want to bulk out the meal or feed a crowd.
- Cucumber salad — cool, crunchy and refreshing against the savoury noodles.
- Sweet chilli or soy‑ginger dipping sauce — ideal for drizzling or dipping.
- Sesame‑topped Asian slaw — adds colour, crunch and a bit of zing.
- Steamed dumplings — soft, savoury and a lovely contrast to the noodles.

Chicken chow mein
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.
