The whole family enjoys this Chow Mein recipe, even kids, so skip the Chinese takeout and prepare these stir-fried chow mein noodles in just 15 minutes using basic Kikkoman sauces.
We also love this cold Asian noodle salad with crab meat (Kani Salad) as a side dish! If you want to make your own Chow Mein sauce, try the sauce from our Vegetable or Chicken Lo Mein that’s as good as a Chinese restaurant dish!
The sauce is the easiest of all easy to make because you use bottled sauces that are on sale in most grocery stores and you can use plain spaghetti noodles, despite the fact that there are many different types of Asian noodles and recipes for a good stir fry.
What kind of noodles to use can be debatable, but when it comes to quick dinners, spaghetti is so helpful. In addition, it is more likely to be in the pantry than specialty chow mein or lo mein noodles, which frequently require a trip to an Asian market. In addition, egg noodles here are similar to chow mein noodles in that they are made with wheat flour and eggs, making it difficult to distinguish between them and spaghetti.
When I had to prepare dinner quickly once more (yes, we had these noodles back-to-back during one busy week), my son declared these to be “the World’s Best Noodles,” and believe me, 1 pound of these Asian noodles gets devoured in one sitting because everyone wants seconds.
Our friends first served us these Asian noodles using this recipe. It turns out that these Asian noodles are the same ones that many Slavic people prepare at home with straightforward ingredients and it was love at first bite for its delicious sauce. If you love lo mein, wait until you try these Asian noodles if you don’t already! And I totally understand why-these Chow Mein noodles are the best when it comes to ease!
Here, in the bottled sauces, is where the enormous shortcut to chow mein lies. I’m all for making your own sauces, but most Asian sauces come with soy sauce, sugar, and spices already included. This makes dinner a breeze because you can just pour the sauces into the stir-fried noodles.
Because of this, if you visit the Asian section of most supermarkets, you’re probably able to find Kikkoman stir-fry and sweet and sour sauce, which I combine with Sriracha and sweet chili sauce (also readily available) to make the best chow mein dish that even toddlers can eat!
Chow mein noodles are smaller than lo mein noodles, which is how they differ from each other. The egg noodles are cooked by boiling them in water (thinner noodles boil or par-boil more quickly). ).
Both chow mein and lo mein, which are both stir-fried noodles, are frequently combined with either vegetables (or tofu), meat (chicken), or seafood (shrimp). Regardless of the type of noodles I use—chow mein or lo mein—I usually toss and stir-fry them in the sauce. When tossed through a wok, it enhances the flavors and texture of the noodles.
Q&A
What Is Chow Mein?
Chow Mein is a Chinese dish made from stir-fried noodles. Sometimes it’s made with meat, vegetables, and tofu. Every Chinese restaurant serves this Taishanese dish, which translates to “fried noodle.”
This stir-fried chow mein dish is not just American Chinese food; it is also well-liked in India, Nepal, the UK, and the US. Chow mein typically contains cabbage, bean sprouts, and julienned carrots, but there are many variations that also include chicken.
What Noodles To Use For Chow Mein?
Chow Mein noodles differ from Lo mien noodles in size. Egg noodles that are thin, dried, and crinkly are what most Asian grocery stores sell as chow mein noodles. While lo mein noodles are typically fresh, larger, and sold in the freezer or refrigerator section of supermarkets. The thinner the noodles the quicker prep time. Italian pasta takes the longest to boil because it is typically thicker than chow mein.
Chow mein noodles can easily be substituted with ramen noodles because they take almost no time to prepare. The following is a list of the various noodles that are interchangeable:
- Ramen Noodles
- Chow Mein Noodles
- Lo Mein
- Spaghetti
- Thin Egg noodles
- Fresh Chow Mein Noodles
How To Make Chow Mein?
Similar to Italian pasta noodles (spaghetti), Chow Mein Noodles are made with wheat flour and eggs. The sauce is a combination of bottled Asian sauces that can be found in the Asian Aisle of most supermarkets. You can just dump the sauces and noodles into the pan to stir-fry, making dinner incredibly quick and simple.
You can make homemade noodles in less time than it takes to have them delivered to your house because the entire process takes only about 15 minutes.
It only takes a few minutes to cook and toss everything together, so check out my photo tutorial in the recipe box to see how to make it.
- Start by boiling the noodles in water as directed on the package; al dente spaghetti pasta takes 10 minutes, while fluffy noodles take 12 minutes.
- Chicken breast should be thinly sliced and fried in oil in a big wok over high heat. Feel free to add up to 2 cups of your preferred vegetables, such as carrots, cabbage, onions, or bean sprouts. Stir-fry the meat until browned and cooked thoroughly.
- Drain the noodles once they are fully cooked, then toss them right into the stir-fried chicken. To evenly coat all the noodles, add the sauces and toss.
- Garnish with green onions if you wish.
- Serve.
The stir-fried noodles should be covered with a lid for five minutes to fluff them up. I usually do this before serving and it really does make a difference!
How Chinese Restaurants Tenderizer Meat?
If you’ve ever wondered how your favorite Chinese dishes’ chicken is so tender, a trick used in Chinese restaurants is to soak chicken thighs or chicken breasts in a baking soda solution. Making incredibly tender meat quickly (the same day) is simple and quick using this method.
Use 1/2 tsp. of baking soda for every pound of meat. The baking soda should be dissolved in 1 to 2 tablespoons of white distilled vinegar and just enough water to barely cover the chicken. Without needing to rinse the meat, the vinegar tames the bitterness and makes it suitable for use.
Can I Make In A Skillet?
Due to its deep and wide dimensions, a wok is practical because it makes it simple toss and coat the noodles in sauce. Use a deep skillet or pot instead of a wok if you don’t have one to stir-fry the chicken and noodles in sauce.
Ingredients:
Chow Mein can be garnished with cabbage, bean sprouts, or any other Chop Suey dish. Panda Express Chow Mein features stir-fried wheat noodles with onions, celery, and cabbage, so use vegetables and meats that best suit your style. However, adding a protein like chicken, beef, or shrimp will make this chow mein hearty.
- Noodles: You can use any type of egg noodles, such as ramen, chow mein, or Italian pasta. Remember that every type of noodle cooks differently, so follow the directions on the package.
- With soy sauce, oyster sauce, and granulated sugar, you can make chow mein sauce. However, the base of many bottled sauces is already made of sugar and soy sauce. Stir-fry sauce, sweet and sour sauce, sweet chili sauce, and Sriracha sauce are all bottles of Asian sauces used in this chicken chow mein recipe.
- Oil: When stir-frying noodles or vegetables in Chinese cuisine, a lot of oil is used. If you want slippery stir-fried noodles, use plenty of oil.
- Make shrimp chow mein, use leftover steaks or even pork to make a hearty noodle recipe with chicken by combining different proteins!
La Choy chow mein noodles, available at Walmart, can be used as a garnish over the slick noodles in sauce to give chow mein noodles a crispy crunch.
Storing?
Keep prepared and cooled noodles refrigerated up to 3 days. In a large wok or skillet, reheat Chow Mein in a few tablespoons of oil until the noodles are hot.
What To Serve With Chow Mein?
If served with a protein like chicken, chow mein can easily serve as the meal’s main course. Serve this easy Chow Mein recipe with these sides;.
- Easy rice recipe that can be quickly transformed into fried rice.
- General Tso’s Chicken Recipe
- EASY Orange Chicken Recipe
- Make a rice dish to serve alongside the noodles for variety in this simple Asian beef stir fry.
- Chinese Chicken Fingers
Asian noodle stir-fry made with simple, readily available pantry ingredients. Quick, no-fuss, and made in less than 30min!.
Any type of Asian noodle, whether it be hot, sticky, or cold, is my absolute favorite. I promise that if there are any remaining noodles on my plate, I will eat them all.
But it’s even better when you can prepare a quick noodle stir-fry at home and use up all the leftover vegetables in your refrigerator.
Since I only had shrimp on hand, I used that instead of chicken or even beef, which would have been ideal!
Hey, it’s faster than ordering delivery, right? Plus, you can eat a lot more garlic. The hubs is just going to have to deal.
How to Make Perfect Chinese Noodles
Cook the noodles a little less than stated on the package instructions (until just underdone).
Drain and rinse with cold water and set aside.
Heat the oil in the wok over a high heat. Once hot, add the garlic and ginger.
Stir-fry for 30 seconds before adding the green onions and stir-fry vegetables.
Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the sherry and allow to almost evaporate before adding any meat you are using, and cooked noodles. Toss so that all of the ingredients are combined.
Turn the heat down to medium and add both of the soy sauces, oyster sauce, and pepper. Stir-fry for a further 1-2 mins before adding the remaining green onions, then toss to combine and serve.
Other Stir-Fry Recipes You’ll Love
What goes in Lo Mein Noodles
Here’s what goes into the noodles (see below for sauce):
• For takeout style lo mein noodles, use freshly made yellow noodles that are about 3mm / 1/8′′ thick (these are typically referred to as “egg noodles”). The ones you find in the fridge section of grocery stores (in Australia, look for it in the pasta section of the fridge) are what I mean when I say “fresh.” The chewy, slippery texture of takeout noodles is present in these noodles.
The second-best option is dried or vacuum-packed “fresh” egg noodles.
However, you can also make lo mein with any type of noodle, including thick, thin, fresh, dried, egg, or rice, ramen, spaghetti, or other long pasta. This will be delicious with ANY type of noodles (or pasta – trust me, no one will know!) because Lo Mein doesn’t discriminate.
• For protein, choose from tofu, chicken, pork, beef, or turkey. The recipe includes instructions on how to prepare each of these, and hard tofu is delicious in this.
• As for vegetables, I used carrots, green onions, and bell peppers. Use any combination of five cups (packed) of vegetables. Also included in the flavor base are half an onion and some garlic.
FAQ
How do you cook packaged Asian noodles?
To make: Put the noodles in a heat-resistant bowl and cover them with boiling water. Noodles can either be left to stand for 5 to 7 minutes or submerged in cold water for 25 to 30 minutes. Rinse, drain, and then add to boiling water. Cooking Time: Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
How do you prepare noodles?
6 cups of water should be brought to a boil in a big pot or deep pan over a medium flame. Add dried noodles, 1/2 tablespoon oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt when the water begins to roll. It will take around 4-5 minutes to boil the noodles until they are tender. Stir occasionally in between.
Do you salt the water for Asian noodles?
When cooking any type of pasta, salted water is essential because it gives the pasta flavor as it cooks. Avoid using salted water when making ramen. The same cooking technique does not apply to ramen. Ramen noodles should always be cooked in unsalted boiling water for the best results, whether they are fresh or dried.
How do you cook frozen Asian noodles?
Take your noodles out of the freezer and cook them in boiling water (on a rolling boil) for one to three minutes, depending on the thickness, once you’ve got your broth and toppings ready.
