Chicken chow mein is one of those dishes that almost everyone orders from the Chinese takeaway. It’s quick, comforting and packed with noodles, chicken and savoury sauce – the sort of dinner that disappears very quickly once it hits the table!
But here’s the thing: chicken chow mein is actually incredibly easy to make at home.
Once you’ve made it once, you’ll realise that this takeaway favourite is really just a fast stir fry with a few clever flavour tricks. The result is a fresh, flavourful chicken chow mein recipe that costs far less than ordering in, and tastes brighter and better too.
This version is designed to be a proper easy weeknight chicken dinner. The chicken marinates briefly in soy, rice wine and sesame oil, which gives it that deep savoury flavour you normally only get from takeaway noodles. Then everything cooks quickly in a hot wok with garlic, vegetables and fresh noodles.
From start to finish, you’re looking at around 30 minutes, making it perfect for nights when you want something satisfying but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen.
Fancy a vegetarian version instead? You’re in luck! I have a recipe here.
What Makes This Chicken Chow Mein Different
There are thousands of chicken chow mein recipes online, but a few small details make this one particularly good.
The marinade
Marinating the chicken might sound like an extra step, but it’s what gives the dish its proper takeaway-style flavour. Thinly slicing the chicken means it absorbs the soy, rice wine and sesame oil quickly, so even a short marinade makes a big difference.
Prosciutto for extra depth
This is definitely not traditional, but it works beautifully. A little cured ham adds a savoury richness that mimics the deep flavour you get from restaurant stir fries. If you don’t have prosciutto, any thin cured ham works well.
Fresh vegetables for texture
Mange tout and mushrooms keep the dish bright and fresh. Chow mein is at its best when there’s a mix of textures – soft noodles, tender chicken and crisp vegetables.
High heat cooking
Everything cooks quickly in a hot wok, which gives you that slightly smoky stir fry flavour you normally associate with takeaway food.
Why Chicken Chow Mein Is a Perfect Weeknight Dinner
When you’re deciding what to cook for dinner tonight, noodle dishes like chow mein are hard to beat.
This chicken chow mein recipe is:
- fast – ready in around 30 minutes
- affordable – much cheaper than takeaway
- flexible – easy to adapt with whatever vegetables you have
- great for leftovers – it reheats brilliantly
And because everything cooks in one wok, it’s also minimal washing up – always a bonus on a busy evening.
If you enjoy easy chicken dinners like this, you might also like my Chicken Balti, Thai Red Chicken Curry, or Chicken Katsu Curry.
A Note on Authenticity
Chow mein simply means “fried noodles”, and versions of the dish exist across many different regional Chinese cuisines. This recipe isn’t trying to replicate a specific regional version, instead it’s inspired by the British Chinese takeaway style that most of us grew up with.
The goal here is simple: a really delicious homemade chicken chow mein that you can cook easily in your own kitchen.
How to Marinate Chicken for Chicken Chow Mein
Marinading is the key (and by far the most time consuming) part of this chicken chow mein recipe. Don’t skip it! First, you thinly slice the chicken – aim for 5mm. This means that the chicken will absorb the most flavour, plus it will cook more quickly and evenly later on (there’s nothing worse than big chunks of dry chicken in a stir fry).
You can marinate the chicken for a minimum of 20 minutes. 20 minutes will give you the flavour you want – marinate for longer and it’ll just get better and better. You can marinate for up to 24 hours. Just pop the chicken, soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil in a bowl, cover with cling film and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to get going with your stir fry.
The Stir Fry Ingredients
One of the key ingredients in a chow mein is garlic, and lots of it, so don’t be shy! I used 6 big cloves in this recipe and it was perfect.
I also use prosciutto in this recipe. Obviously – it being an Italian ham – it is not authentic, but it does bring a really incredible depth of flavour. You could use any cured ham in place of this, just be sure to cut it thinly.
The vegetables I chose were mange tout – a wonderful burst of freshness and sweetness – and some gorgeous tiny enoki mushrooms that I picked up from my local greengrocer. If you can’t find these, don’t panic! Thinly sliced chestnut mushrooms would be a great substitute.
Once you’ve made it the first time, start mixing up the ingredients – baby corn, bamboo shoots etc would go perfectly. Depends what you have in the fridge!
Tips for the Best Chicken Chow Mein
Use high heat
A hot wok gives you that slightly smoky flavour that makes stir fries taste like takeaway.
Don’t overcrowd the pan
If your pan is too full, the ingredients will steam instead of fry.
Slice the chicken thinly
This keeps the chicken tender and ensures it cooks quickly.
Easy Weeknight Chicken Chow Mein
Ingredients
- 400 grams chicken breast
- 4 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons rice wine
- 4 tablespoons sesame oil
- 6 garlic cloves
- 200 grams mange tout
- 70 grams prosciutto
- 100 grams enoki mushrooms
- 400 grams fresh medium or egg noodles
- 8 spring onions
- Sesame seeds, to serve
Instructions
- Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips and put in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons each of the soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for about 20 minutes (or longer – up to 24 hours!)
- When you're ready to cook, prep your ingredients. Peel then crush or finely dice the garlic cloves. Finely slice the prosciutto. Cut the mushrooms into bitesize pieces.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil to a wok over a high heat and tip in the chicken. Sizzle for 2 minutes, then add the crushed garlic.
- After 10 seconds, add the mange tout, mushrooms and thinly sliced ham.
- Stir fry for another minute, then add the noodles, remaining soy sauce and rice wine. Stir fry for 2 more minutes.
- To finish, add the thinly sliced spring onions and remaining sesame oil and fry for another 30 seconds.
- Top each bowl with a sprinkling of sesame seeds for a bit of crunch.
Video
So easy and quick to make!