Skip to content
FriendsPantry

Cantonese · Chinese

Chicken chow mein

Non-vegetarian

雞肉炒麵 · jī ròu chǎo miàn

Egg noodles stir-fried with sliced chicken, cabbage, carrot and bean sprouts in a light soy and oyster sauce — the takeaway favourite made at home.

Chicken chow mein is a Cantonese noodle dish from China, ready in about 27 minutes and made with egg noodles and chicken breast. It serves 3 and is rated easy to cook.

Start cooking
Freshly cooked chicken chow mein with vegetables in a blue bowl, ideal for food photography.
Photo: Mohammad Fahim / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
15 min
Cook
12 min
Total
27 min
Serves
3
Level
Easy
Calories
636

Ingredients

3 servings

Marinade

Sauce

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Toss the chicken with the soy sauce (opens in a new tab) and cornstarch (opens in a new tab). Cook the noodles for a minute less than the packet says, rinse in cold water and drain very well. Mix the sauce.

    Food safety: Wash hands and boards after handling raw chicken.

    Pasta boiling in a pot of water
    How it looks · Photo: Gianpiero Ferraro on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok (opens in a new tab) and stir-fry the chicken until cooked through. Remove.

    Food safety: Chicken should be white throughout with no pink.

    Ingredients tossed in a hot wok
    How it looks · Photo: Aesthos AR. Photography on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Add the remaining oil, fry the garlic (opens in a new tab) briefly, then the cabbage (opens in a new tab) and carrot (opens in a new tab) for 2 minutes.

    • 2 min
    • high heat

  4. Step 4

    Add the noodles and toss for 2 minutes so they crisp slightly, then add the sauce, chicken, bean sprouts (opens in a new tab) and spring onion (opens in a new tab) and toss until hot and evenly coated.

    • 3 min
    • high heat

About this dish

Origin
Guangdong, China · Commonly attributedChao mian is Chinese; the takeaway style known abroad developed in Chinese diaspora restaurants.Also popular in United Kingdom, United States, CanadaMore food from China
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Noodles · Main courses
Cooking method
Stir-fried, Boiled
Taste
savoury, umami, mild
Diet
Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein
With the listed swaps: Pescatarian, Flexitarian-friendlyWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · Child-friendly · One-pan
Cook more with
Egg noodles · Chicken breast · Soy sauce · Cornstarch · Garlic · Cabbage
Techniques
Stir-frying · Boiling

Allergens

  • Contains: Eggsfrom egg noodles
  • May contain: Crustaceansfrom oyster sauce
  • Contains: Molluscsfrom oyster sauce
  • Contains: Wheatfrom egg noodles, soy sauce, oyster sauce
  • Contains: Glutenfrom egg noodles, soy sauce, oyster sauce
  • Contains: Soyfrom soy sauce, oyster sauce
  • Contains: Sesamefrom toasted sesame oil

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

636 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 360 g · recipe makes 3

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 24%
  • Carbohydrate 45%
  • Fat 31%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy636 kcal177 kcal
Protein38.3 g10.6 g
Carbohydrate72.4 g20.1 g
Net carbohydrate66.3 g18.4 g
Sugars7.3 g2 g
Added sugars——
Fibre6.1 g1.7 g
Fat21.8 g6 g
Saturated fat2.8 g0.8 g
Trans fat0.1 g0 g
Cholesterol143 mg40 mg
Sodium1060 mg295 mg
Salt equivalent2.7 g0.7 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
875 mg
Calcium
91 mg
Iron
5 mg
Magnesium
109 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
201 µg
Vitamin C
30 mg
Vitamin D
0.3 µg
Vitamin B12
0.5 µg
Folate (DFE)
386 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Dry the drained noodles on a tray for 10 minutes for crispier, less sticky results.

Common mistakes

  • Wet noodles steam instead of crisping — drain them very well and let them sit in the wok undisturbed for a moment.
  • Overcrowding the wok cools it; cook the chicken first and remove it.

Serve with

  • Serve with chilli sauce or alongside sweet and sour pork.

Storage

  • Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Reheating

  • Re-fry in a hot wok with a splash of water.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 3, 4

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

You might also like