Description
This Restaurant-Style Chicken Lo Mein recipe delivers a flavorful and authentic experience right at home. Featuring tender chicken strips, fresh lo mein egg noodles, crisp vegetables, and a savory sauce made with soy, oyster sauce, and Shaoxing wine, this stir-fried dish is easy to prepare and surpasses typical takeout quality.
Ingredients
Scale
Noodles and Chicken
- 1 pound fresh lo mein egg noodles
- 8 oz. boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breast, cut into thin strips
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons water
- 2 teaspoons oil, plus more for cooking
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 4 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 4 cups cabbage, shredded
- 2 medium carrots, julienned (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 2 cups mung bean sprouts
- 2 scallions, julienned
Instructions
- Prepare Noodles: Check whether your lo mein noodles are raw or pre-cooked. If raw, boil them according to package instructions until tender, then drain. If pre-cooked, simply let them come to room temperature before stir-frying.
- Marinate Chicken: In a medium bowl, combine chicken strips with cornstarch, water, 2 teaspoons oil, and oyster sauce. Mix well and let it marinate briefly to tenderize and flavor the chicken.
- Make Sauce Mixture: In another bowl, dissolve salt and sugar in 2 tablespoons hot water. Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper. Stir thoroughly to create a balanced, flavorful sauce.
- Sear Chicken: Heat a wok over high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. Once hot, add the marinated chicken and sear for 2-3 minutes until browned and partially cooked through. Remove chicken from the wok and set aside.
- Cook Vegetables: Add a couple more tablespoons of oil to the wok, then add minced garlic. Sauté for about 10 seconds until fragrant. Add shredded cabbage and julienned carrots, stir-frying on high heat for about 1 minute. Pour Shaoxing wine around the edge of the wok to deglaze and add aroma.
- Combine Noodles and Chicken: Return the noodles and seared chicken to the wok. Pour the prepared sauce over the top. Using tongs or chopsticks, mix everything from the bottom up vigorously for about 30 seconds, helping to evenly distribute the sauce and combine ingredients.
- Steam and Finish Stir-Fry: Reduce heat to medium, cover the wok, and let the mixture steam for 1 minute. Remove the lid and stir-fry the noodles; if they appear dry, add 1/4 cup water or stock and continue stir-frying until the noodles are loose, slippery, and heated through.
- Add Bean Sprouts and Scallions: Toss in mung bean sprouts and julienned scallions. Stir-fry for an additional minute to retain their crunch and freshness. Serve immediately hot for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- This chicken lo mein recipe is surprisingly easy to make at home, delivering better flavor than most Chinese takeout versions.
- Using fresh lo mein noodles enhances texture and authenticity, but pre-cooked noodles can also be used for convenience.
- Searing the chicken first locks in flavor and juiciness before stir-frying with the vegetables.
- The Shaoxing wine adds depth and a subtle aroma; if unavailable, dry sherry or rice wine are good substitutes.
- Adjust water quantity during stir-frying to keep noodles moist, ensuring they remain slippery and separate rather than clumped together.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 306 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 502 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 58 mg
