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One Pot Chicken Lo Mein is a Noodle dish packed with classic Asian Flavor. The sauce, Lo Mein noodles and chicken cook all together in the same pot, at the same time! Made in either the Instant Pot or on the stovetop, add in your favorite veggies like snow peas, carrots and zucchini to make this a hearty, filling One Pot Meal!
Why you will love Chicken Lo Mein
Chicken Lo Mein has always been a favorite of mine. Okay, I like pasta and noodles in general.. If you’ve been reading my blog for any amount of time at all I’m pretty sure you could have gathered that yourself. ?
Whenever we go to a Chinese or Japanese restaurant I can’t leave without trying some type of noodle. I know Lo Mein is like the basic of basics at a restaurant, but it always ends up being my total favorite.
It’s just something about the perfectly cooked noodles, snuggled into that rich soy/sesame/ginger sauce with the slightly crunchy veggies (who are also drenched in that sauce, by the way ?) that just make my heart SING!
What is Chicken Lo Mein?
Chicken Lo Mein is a popular Chinese dish that consists of stir-fried noodles, chicken, and an assortment of vegetables. The dish is typically seasoned with a savory sauce that combines soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and various other seasonings. It is a flavorful and satisfying noodle dish commonly found in Chinese restaurants.
Today, my friends, it is my job to show you just how easy it is to make this restaurant quality Lo Mein in your kitchen with basic ingredients. You will knock your spouse’s socks off and savor in the sweet silence around your dinner table as everyone gobbles this meal up!
Would you believe me if I told you that you can have dinner on the table in 20-30 minutes?? FOR REAL! I wouldn’t lie to you about something as important as hungry little bellies! I’ve got 3 of those and know how feisty they can get without food!
This recipe can be made in either the Instant Pot or on the stovetop. I will include both directions below. ? I prefer to make this in my Instant Pot, which is what the photos below will show.
I like using the Instant Pot because I don’t have to worry about stirring or having a pot boil over if I take my eye off of it for a second! The last time I made this I actually tossed everything into the Instant Pot and turned it on to cook while I took my son to the bus stop! #momsbestfriend
Lo Mein Chicken ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic, dried
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 lb (8 oz) Chinese Noodles
- 4-6 chicken tenders
- 12 oz bag stir fry vegetables
What noodles are used in Chicken Lo Mein?
I use authentic Chinese Noodles. I find these at my local grocery store down the isle with all of the Asian Cuisine foods. They are generally made from wheat flour and the suggested cook time is about 5 or 6 minutes. The noodles are thin, almost like a spaghetti or linguini.
There will be Rice Noodles there too, that is not what is used in Lo Mein and will not work for this recipe. Pictured below are the noodles I use!
Lo Mein Chicken stir fry veggies!
I personally like my veggies with a little ‘snap’ to them. If you like yours softer, I would suggest steaming the veggies in the microwave while the noodles and chicken are cooking. Then stir them in at the end.
I buy the Vegetable Stir Fry bag at the grocery store, it is perfect because I have exactly what I need in one nice package with no extras I need to figure out what to do with. Some prefer just shredded cabbage instead of a veggie rich Lo Mein. Pick according to your family’s taste!
How to make Chicken Lo Mein in the Instant Pot
The chicken and noodles cook together in the sauce in the Instant Pot. Phew, did you follow that?
Step 1: First, mix up the sauce in the Instant Pot. The sauce consists of chicken broth, soy sauce, canola oil, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and cornstarch. Whisk those ingredients together in the Instant Pot.
Step 2: Next, break the Chinese noodles in half and place into the liquid.
Step 3: Next, lay raw chicken tenders on top of the noodles. I like to use tenders because I think they end up more.. tender.. ? and the size of tenders are fairly consistent as with chicken breasts, sometimes you get an A and sometimes you get a DD, if you’re picking up what I’m putting down. ?
If you don’t have chicken tender’s on hand, a couple of chicken breasts into 1 1/2 inch strips so you end up with ‘tender sized’ chicken pieces.
Step 4: Season the chicken with salt and pepper once in the Instant Pot.
Step 5: Cook on Manual (Pressure Cook) HIGH for 3 minutes, NPR 6 minutes and then quick release the remaining pressure.
If you like your veggies with a little bit to them, proceed as follows.
Step 6: Once the Instant Pot is finished cooking and the pressure has released, remove the lid and quickly remove the chicken, pour in the bag of veggies and give it a quick stir. Secure the lid in place again and set the knob to sealing. Let the Instant Pot sit for 5-10 minutes to ‘steam’ the veggies a bit.
Step 7: While the veggies are steaming, cut the chicken into bite sized chunks.
Step 8: Remove the lid, stir in the chicken chunks and serve! Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onion if desired.
How to Make Chicken Lo Mein on the stovetop
To make the Chicken Lo Mein on the stovetop, you will first mix together the sauce in your pot. The sauce includes, broth, soy sauce, canola oil, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and cornstarch.
Then place your chicken tenders on the bottom of the pot, then layer the Chinese noodles on top of that.
Bring the pot to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until most of the liquid is gone and the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken and cut into chunks. Pour the veggies into the pot. Replace the lid and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes or until the veggies are ‘steamed’ to your liking.
Add the chicken chunks back into the pot, stir and serve!
YIELD: 4-6 SERVINGS
Lo Mein Recipe (Chicken) FAQs
The main differences is the method of cooking and the texture. Lo Mein is a soft, boiled or steamed noodle while Chow Mein is usually crispy, fried noodles.
If you don’t have access to specific lo mein noodles, you can use regular noodles as a substitute. Spaghetti, linguine, or even udon noodles can work well in a pinch. However, keep in mind that the texture and flavor may differ slightly from the traditional lo mein noodles.
The term “lo mein” translates to “stirred noodles” in Cantonese. It refers to the method of stir-frying the noodles along with the other ingredients. The name accurately describes the cooking technique used to prepare this dish.
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Chicken Lo Mein Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic, dried
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 lb 8 oz Chinese Noodles
- 4-6 chicken tenders
- 12 oz bag stir fry vegetables
Instructions
- For the Instant Pot: Whisk together the chicken broth, soy sauce, canola oil, sesame oil, minced garlic, ground ginger and cornstarch in the liner of your Instant Pot.
- Break the Chinese noodles in half, and submerge them into the liquid, insuring all of the noodles are covered by liquid.
- Place the chicken tenders on top of the uncooked noodles. Season with salt and pepper.
- Close the lid and turn the knob to sealing.
- Cook on Manual (pressure cook) HIGH for 3 minutes, NPR 6 minutes before quick releasing the remaining pressure.
- Remove the lid, quickly remove the chicken, add in the stir fry vegetables, give everything a quick stir and then replace the lid, setting the vent to sealing. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, or until the veggies are steamed to your liking.
- Slice the chicken into bite sized pieces. Add the chicken to the pot after the veggies finish steaming. Stir to combine and serve.
- For the Stovetop: Combine the chicken broth, soy sauce, canola oil, sesame oil, minced garlic, ground ginger and cornstarch in a large pot.
- Place the chicken tenders on the bottom of the pot, layering the Chinese noodles on top.
- Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until most of the liquid is gone and the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the pot. Slice the chicken into bite sized pieces.
- Add in the stir fry vegetables and give give everything a quick stir. Cover with a lid and let it sit for 5-10 minutes or until veggies are cooked to your liking.
- Stir in the chicken chunks and serve.
Hi Maddie- You are right- using frozen chicken would require a longer cook time which would overcook the noodles.