Chicken Chow Mein is a favourite at most Chinese restaurants. However, what if you could make it at home at a far cheaper cost with a lot more flavour. This recipe is simple to prep and so easy to cook. I use a wok as it speeds everything up but you can use a high sided frying pan. This recipe makes a single chicken breast go a long way
Chicken Chow Mein is the sort of meal many of us first encountered as a takeaway favourite, packed into a foil container, steaming hot and smelling irresistible on the drive home. Over time, though, it becomes clear that Chicken Chow Mein is far more than a late-night option. When made thoughtfully at home, it turns into a balanced, satisfying dish that rewards good preparation, confident cooking, and an understanding of how simple ingredients work together.
At its heart, Chicken Chow Mein is all about texture and timing. You want tender chicken, noodles that are soft but not soggy, vegetables that still have a bit of life to them, and a sauce that clings rather than pools. As a home cook who enjoys helping others build confidence in the kitchen, I always think of this dish as a perfect lesson in stir-frying: quick, purposeful, and best done with everything ready to go before the heat is turned on.
The ingredients themselves are reassuringly straightforward. A single free-range chicken breast, sliced into bite-size pieces, is plenty to flavour the whole dish if treated properly. Cooking it over high heat in sunflower oil allows it to seal quickly, staying juicy rather than drying out. The red pepper brings sweetness and colour, its thin strips softening just enough in the wok while still holding their shape. Spring onions add a gentle sharpness and freshness at the end, while beansprouts provide that characteristic crunch that makes Chow Mein instantly recognisable.
Egg noodles are the backbone of the dish. Medium egg noodles are ideal because they’re sturdy enough to stand up to tossing in the wok without breaking apart. Cooking them separately and draining them well is crucial; excess water is the enemy of a good Chow Mein, as it can dilute the sauce and make everything feel limp. When added at the right moment, the noodles soak up flavour while keeping their own character.
The sauce is where Chicken Chow Mein really finds its voice. Fresh ginger and garlic form the aromatic base, offering warmth and depth without overpowering the other elements. Grating the ginger finely and grinding it with the garlic helps release their oils, ensuring they disperse evenly through the dish. Soy sauce brings salt and savouriness, oyster sauce adds richness and body, and tomato ketchup might surprise some people, but it provides a subtle sweetness and acidity that rounds everything out. When combined, these familiar cupboard staples create a glossy sauce that tastes far more complex than the ingredient list suggests.
One of the joys of making Chicken Chow Mein at home is watching how the dish comes together in stages. The wok should be properly hot before anything goes in, encouraging fast cooking rather than steaming. The chicken needs constant movement, not because it’s fragile, but because high heat demands attention. Once the pepper joins the pan, the aroma starts to change, becoming sweeter and more inviting. When the sauce hits the hot metal and begins to bubble, everything suddenly smells like a good Chinese kitchen, even if you’re just cooking at home on a weeknight.
The final addition of noodles, beansprouts, and spring onions is where balance matters most. Stirring gently but thoroughly ensures every strand and slice is coated. The beansprouts softening slightly is a visual cue that you’re nearly there; they should still have a bit of bite, offering contrast to the noodles and chicken.
Serving Chicken Chow Mein straight into warmed bowls is more than just a nice touch. Heat retention matters with stir-fried dishes, and warm bowls keep the noodles silky and the sauce glossy for longer. It’s a dish best enjoyed immediately, when everything is at its peak.
What makes Chicken Chow Mein such a lasting favourite is its honesty. It doesn’t rely on obscure ingredients or complicated techniques. Instead, it rewards attention, organisation, and an understanding of how flavours build. For home cooks looking to expand their confidence with stir-fries, this dish is a generous teacher—familiar enough to feel safe, yet nuanced enough to feel like a real achievement when done well.
Chicken Chowmein
Ingredients
Noodle Ingredients
- 1 large red pepper
- 5 fresh spring onions
- 150 g beansprouts
- 1 large chicken breast free range
- 3 nests egg noodles medium
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 inch ginger fresh
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
Instructions
- Cut the red pepper into quarters on a flat chopping board. Remove the seeds and stalk and slice into thin strips.. .1 large red pepper
- Remove the top and tail of the spring onions and then outer layer of skin. Slice the spring onion on the diagonal into delicate pieces.5 fresh spring onions
- Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces1 large chicken breast
- Peel the skin from the fresh ginger and finely grate. Peel the garlic and put into a pestle with the ginger and grind. Add the ketchup, soy sauce and oyster sauce. Add a little water to thin if required. Mix it until fully combined.2 inch ginger, 2 cloves garlic, 3 tbsp tomato ketchup, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- Fill a pan of water and bring to the boil. When ready, drop the noodle nests in and follow the instruction on the packing. Drain when cooked.3 nests egg noodles
- Put the sunflower oil into a wok on high heat. When ready add the chicken and stir fry keeping the chicken on the go. Add the sliced pepper and cook until fully done.1 tbsp sunflower oil
- Pour the sauce into the wok and continue to stir well until bubbling away.
- Finally, add the noodles, beansprouts and spring onions mixing them into the sauce until fully coated. The beansprouts will start to soften is a good sign. s.150 g beansprouts
- Serve into warmed bowls and enjoy.
31 comments
Quite simply I love this recipe. Full on flavour and layers of tectured.
Family loved it, went down a treat.
Quick, tasty, and full of texture, a proper comfort meal.
Perfect combination of textures, noodles soft and chicken juicy.
Chicken was cooked well, noodles just right.
The sauce was good, but a touch too runny for me.
Very enjoyable, sauce was rich and glossy.
Noodles and chicken were spot on, sauce was tasty.
Quick and easy to make, a real weeknight winner.
A lovely meal, colourful, flavoursome, and satisfying.
The noodles soaked up the sauce beautifully.
Loved the colours from the red pepper and spring onions.
Delicious, family friendly and easy to prepare.
Solid dish, but I’d try adding a bit more ginger next time.
Quite nice, but I’d add more vegetables next time.
The beansprouts gave a nice crunch, really enjoyable.
It was good, but a little bland compared to takeaway versions.
A really satisfying meal, flavours were well-balanced.
Good dish, but I felt it needed a touch more salt.
Very tasty, the ginger and garlic really shine through.
Really liked it, simple ingredients but excellent taste.
Absolutely loved the noodles, perfectly cooked and full of flavour.
Absolutely perfect, will be making this again and again.
The flavours worked well together, a classic done right.
Tasty dish, simple but effective.
Good flavours, though not very exciting.
Liked it, but could use a bit more heat for my taste.
The chicken was tender and the sauce had a lovely balance.
Enjoyed it, though the beansprouts could have been fresher.
It was nice, though I’d cook the chicken slightly faster next time.
Delicious, but the sauce was a bit sweet for my liking.