Easy Chicken Lo Mein Recipe (Better Than Takeout)
If you’re craving takeout but don’t want to leave the house, this easy lo mein recipe is a great solution. Tender noodles are tossed with savory sauce, vegetables, and protein to create a satisfying dish that comes together quickly in your own kitchen.
This recipe is adapted from the 20 Minute Garlic Beef and Lo Mein recipe by The Recipe Critic. Alyssa’s recipe is totally delicious, but I wanted to make a few adaptations. (I encourage you to check out her recipe and to try it, too!)
Lo mein is a popular Chinese-inspired noodle dish known for its flavorful sauce and perfectly coated noodles. While restaurant versions are delicious, making lo mein at home allows you to customize the ingredients to suit your tastes. Add chicken, shrimp, beef, or keep it simple with vegetables—whatever you have on hand.
This homemade version delivers the same comforting flavors you expect from your favorite takeout spot, but it’s easy enough to make on a busy weeknight.
If you enjoy making restaurant-style meals at home, dishes like this lo mein are a great place to start. Many takeout favorites are surprisingly simple to recreate in your own kitchen. Recipes like Sesame Chicken and Thai Spicy Basil Chicken Stir-Fry bring those same bold flavors to the table while letting you control the ingredients and adjust the spice level to your liking.
Ingredients
The first thing you need to do is decide what protein you’d like to use: chicken, beef, shrimp, or tofu. For my family, chicken is an easy choice. Below are the ingredients that you need:
Sauce Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 4 teaspoons sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Noodles, Protein, and Veggies
- 8 ounces lo mein noodles
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 8 ounces chicken (or other protein of choice)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 cups shredded carrots
How To Make Lo Mein
- Make the sauce by combining the brown sugar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes, and pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
- Heat a pot of water and cook the noodles according to the directions on the package. For best results, cook the noodles until they reach the al dente stage. Add broccoli to the boiling noodles during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking time. Drain the noodles and broccoli and set them aside.
- In the meantime, start preparing your protein. You can use either a large wok or a large skillet.
- For beef or chicken, cut thin slices on the bias. Be sure to cook the chicken until it is no longer pink. It’s okay to leave a little bit of pink in the beef.
- For shrimp, remove the tails and shells. Shrimp cook in only a couple of minutes. Cook shrimp for 2-3 minutes or until it turns pink.
- For tofu, use a firm variety and make sure it is well-drained. (If using tofu, check out this post on Vegetable Lo Mein by Simple Veganista.)
Once the protein is cooked, add garlic followed by shredded carrots. Add the sauce and toss well.
- Add the noodles and broccoli to the skillet. Toss well with the chicken, veggies, and sauce.
FAQs
If you like a thicker sauce, add a few tablespoons of cornstarch to thicken it up. I recommend using organic cornstarch (I buy it at Whole Foods).
What I do is move the food away from one corner of the skillet and allow the sauce to pool there. I whisk in a little bit of cornstarch and when there are no clumps, stir it back into the rest of the dish.
Yes, you can make gluten-free lo mein by using gluten-free noodles like rice noodles or gluten-free wheat noodles. Ensure you follow the cooking instructions on the package, as gluten-free noodles may require different cooking times.
Lo mein is incredibly versatile, and you can use a variety of vegetables to suit your taste. Common choices include broccoli, bell peppers, snap peas, carrots, bok choy, and shitake mushrooms. Bean sprouts, snow peas, red bell pepper, and water chestnuts add extra crunch and flavor.
Looking for another comforting dinner idea? When you’re ready to switch things up from noodles and stir-fries, Quick and Easy Chicken and Dumplings is a warm, satisfying meal that’s perfect for a cozy night at home.
Chicken Lo Mein
Ingredients
Method
- Make the sauce by combining the brown sugar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes, and pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
- Prepare lo mein noodles according to directions on the package. Add the broccoli to the boiling noodles during the last 3 minutes of cooking time.
- Meanwhile, cook chicken in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Add the garlic and shredded carrots and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Add the sauce.
- Drain the noodles and add them to the mixture in the skillet. Stir well to ensure that the noodles are well coated with the sauce.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!While the lo mein is cooking, bake some egg rolls to go along with the main course. Finish it off with some cute store-bought fortune cookies for a meal the whole family will love.
Last Bite
Did you make this lo mein recipe at home? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Did you add chicken, shrimp, or keep it veggie-packed?
Leave a comment below and let me know how you customized your lo mein.
And if you enjoyed this recipe, don’t forget to save it for later or share it with someone who loves a good homemade takeout-style meal.
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