Stir-Fried Chicken and Vegetable Lo Mein
A million times better than takeout, this simple stir-fried chicken and vegetable lo mein with tender noodles is delicious and quick to make!
My love for stir-fried Asian-style noodle dishes runs wide and deep. You’ve heard this a million times, but I just can’t help it. I love them.
I never tire of meals like this and while they don’t all end up wowing me and subsequently being posted here, this simple chicken lo mein number certainly did.
So, so super easy to prepare, after the noodles are cooked and the chicken marinades for a quick 15-minute stint, this meal comes together lightening fast.
Maybe that’s why I love stir-fried meals so much; I can usually count on the good ones being fast, flavorful and (sorry, I have to do it) freakishly fantastic.
The vegetables could definitely be changed up a bit, depending on what you have on hand. I’m thinking asparagus or cauliflower or green beans or zucchini would work great (among many other things).
It’s really the drinkable sauce that makes this meal pop with flavor and pizzazz. I had trouble tracking down fresh stir-fry noodles so I opted for very unauthentic spaghetti and it was still wonderful.
Most days, I have a hard time getting up the energy to change out of my sweatshirt, pop into society and order something from an official restaurant when a meal like this can be made in less time, with less money, and tastes waaaay better than takeout.
Lo Mein = Love.
What to Serve With This
- Fresh fruit or Homemade Applesauce
- Pao de Queijo (totally not along the Asian flavors but for a fusion meal, this is a fun side dish)
One Year Ago: Roasted Balsamic Vegetable Pasta Sauce
Two Years Ago: Pumpkin Cheesecake Crumble Bars
Three Years Ago: Classic Macaroni and Cheese
Stir-Fried Chicken and Vegetable Lo Mein
Ingredients
Sauce and Marinade:
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil or toasted sesame oil
- 1 ½ tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoon cornstarch
Stir Fry:
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- 10 ounces spaghetti, broken in half
- 2 teaspoon canola, vegetable or coconut oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1-2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted or not
Instructions
- For the marinade, whisk together the broth, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, and cornstarch. Place the chicken in a resealable ziploc bag and pour 1/2 cup of the marinade over the chicken. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 4 hours or so, reserving the rest of the sauce.
- Cook the noodles in a pot of boiling, salted water. Drain and rinse lightly with cool water. Set aside.
- In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer with space in between each piece so that the chicken browns nicely (you may need to cook the chicken in two batches), seasoning with a light touch of salt and pepper as it cooks. Cook until the chicken is browned on all sides and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- To the hot skillet, add the broccoli, bell peppers and garlic. Stir fry, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the reserved sauce, noodles, and chicken. Cook, tossing every so often so the ingredients are evenly coated in the sauce, for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the noodles are heated through.
- Serve and garnish with sesame seeds.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from a recipe in Cuisine at Home, October 2014 (increased to serve 6 instead of 4, changed up all the sauce ingredients, used dry noodles instead of fresh stir-fry noodles, adapted the method to use the marinade differently)
Made this the other night and it was a hit! I ended up having to use frozen broccoli (microwaved a couple of minutes less than the time called for and then added it in with the other veggies) and I added carrots (cooked them a bit before adding the other veggies) and some onions I needed to use up. The spaghetti noodles worked out great, too! All five kids said this is one to add to the “regulars” list. Easy, versatile, and so good.
I made this using precooked chicken and frozen veggies and it was great! I stir fried my veggies, added the chicken, noodles and sauce and it was yummy.
This is the best Lo Mein recipe ever.
We made this for dinner last night and it was fabulous! All four of my boys gobbled it down and wanted more. Will definitely be doubling this the next time we make it. Thanks for another great recipe 🙂
So fabulous! Everyone loved this. My 16 year old added sriracha to his serving. Super easy to make, and used up some fresh veggies I had on hand. I was serving 8 people, so I used 12 ounces of spaghetti, and 2 lbs of chicken, and we still had plenty of leftovers.
I made this with afew changes. I used to being noodles. Added slivered onions,carrots,baby sugar snap peas,baby corn halved,a little fresh torn baby spinach. Only afew words described this meal. Totally satisfying,filling,eye pleasing and just DARN good. Everyone just loved it. Even the picky eaters.
Thanks Mel for another wonderful recipe. Don’t know how this one got past me. It’s delicious and smells amazing. Even better the next day. Doubled up on everything except the chicken. A new family favorite.
P.s.. I’m forever telling the family that there’s millions of recipes on line but so many typos and food that’s not worth the time, energy or cost. Your recipes never let me down.
Thank you.
Thanks, Debbie!!
I like the simplicity, but I really prefer my veggies cooked to softness (even in stir-fry, hey I never claimed authenticity), so I think next time I might pre-cook the broccoli in the microwave for a minute or two. Also, the sauce was not quite what I wanted, so I added a little oyster sauce at the end (less than a tablespoon?) because I love me some oyster sauce.
Hi, Mel. I’m a new follower of your site and I’ve already found tons of great recipes that I’ll be trying.
I just wanted to let you know that this recipe is the first one I tried and it was perfection! We made it for dinner tonight and it was so delicious! We love veggies, so I doubled the broccoli and used two peppers (one red, one yellow). I also threw in some sliced mushrooms. Because of that and the extra noodles we made, I made a bit more of the sauce. Wow, that sauce really makes this dish such a hit. We do stir fries often, but not with a sauce like this. What a difference! We also used noodles that we get from an Asian market, but I think it would be just as good with regular spaghetti.
Thanks for a great recipe which I know I’ll be making again (I’ve already recommended it to my mother and emailed her the link, lol). I just love your website, Mel!
Thanks so much, Samantha!
I’m getting ready to make this recipe but I’m curious which lo mein recipe on your blog do you prefer? This one or your Chicken Lo Mein the Easy Way? http://www.melskitchencafe.com/chicken-lo-mein-the-easy-way
Definitely prefer this newer version!
Couldn’t wait to try this recipe so used what I had in the fridge. I used chopped carrots instead of broccoli and wide green noodles. It was absolutely delicious so I will make sure to have all the ingredients on hand for next time which will be very very soon!
Made this tonight with the exception I used Angel Hair Pasta instead of spaghetti and frozen stir fry vegetables instead of the fresh broccoli and peppers. We loved it. I will be making this again. Just added a little more soy sauce at the end with the sesame seeds. I’m sure we ate three servings between the two of us. Have some for lunch the next day or two. Thank you. Great Flavor!
Nothing special. Skip this recipe and make Mel’s Broccoli Beef instead. It’s awesome!
This stir fry was easy to make and delicious! Everyone in my family loved it! Another hit thanks to you!!!!
I made this for dinner last night and it was really good. I loved the sauce, not too overpowering, but not bland and a nice flavor. I just used spaghetti and it was perfect. I’ll definitely make it again, and I like the suggestion of adding mushrooms.
My family loved this! Found the fresh lo mein at walmart. Subbed mushrooms for the red pepper to appease the masses. Thank you for another win!
I made this last night for dinner and I love the light flavor it had! I added mushrooms in too and it was a great, quick meal!
I was going to mention Costco’s udon noodles as well. I think they would be perfect. This is going on next week’s menu!
I love a great stir fry! This looks delicious, Mel!
Made it tonight with just a few minor changes. I like how you can prep everything ahead of time. It’s a keeper!
We had this for dinner tonight and everyone loved it, even the 2 year old! My son is allergic to dairy and tomatoes but loves pasta so we really enjoy Asian-style noodle dishes. We eat your spicy Thai noodles on a regular basis. Thanks for another great recipe Mel!
This is on my menu plan for tonight! I have all the ingredients except the chicken but I planned to use shrimp.
Check the produce section of Winco. Near the “mexican” produce and canned garlic and ginger is also a small section of stir-fry noodles. We use those and have had great success. Good luck!
🙂
I love quick and easy stir fry dishes too, such an easy and versatile meal for those busy weeknights! This one looks amazing!
Ohhhh… This looks and sounds scrumptious!! I will be trying this! Snow peas and maybe water chestnuts or bamboo shoots would be good too in addition to the peppers and broccoli to give it a bit of crunch! Can’t wait to try this! I may make a bit more sauce as pasta might absorb some, especially if you have leftovers.
Can’ wait to try this, although I might “spiralize” my noodles.
This looks easy and delicious! Putting on the list to make!
Hi Mel, I wanted to try this tonight ,but I don’t have sesame seeds or sesame oil. Would it be a big change in flavor if I left them out? Do you think it would work with thin slices of rib – eye steak for a beef stir fry? Thanks
Hi Nita – definitely think it would work with steak; yum! And I think you could also leave out the sesame oil. It obviously gives it a yummy, nutty flavor, but it won’t ruin the dish to leave it out.
Oh my! These look delish!! Thanks for the recipe! So I have to ask, what are “fresh stir fry noodles”? And where do you find them in the grocery store?
Costco has been selling fresh Udon noodles that work very well in stir-fry’s. I look forward to trying this stir fry sauce…Thanks Mel.
Looks absolutely delicious .My kids love Asian cuisine .I will have to try it very soon.Mel you are the best 🙂