Chicken vegetable lo mein tosses soft noodles with sliced chicken, broccoli, carrots, and red bell pepper in a garlicky sauce of soy, oyster, and hoisin. It cooks in one skillet in about thirty minutes.
The sauce coats every strand and the vegetables stay slightly crunchy, so the dish tastes like takeout but costs less and lets you control the ingredients.
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Why This Chicken Vegetable Lo Mein Recipe Works
Slicing the chicken thin means it cooks in a few minutes and stays tender instead of turning dry.
Soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin, and sesame oil make a balanced sauce that is salty, sweet, and nutty in a single bowl.
Cooking the vegetables only until tender crisp keeps their color and bite, which gives the noodles contrast.
Ingredients for Chicken Vegetable Lo Mein
- The dish uses eight ounces of lo mein noodles or spaghetti, two sliced chicken breasts, four cloves of garlic, one red bell pepper, one cup of shredded carrots, and two cups of broccoli florets.
- The sauce uses a quarter cup of low sodium soy sauce, one tablespoon each of oyster sauce and hoisin sauce, one teaspoon each of sesame oil and sugar, and two tablespoons of vegetable oil.
Lo mein noodles. They give a soft, chewy base that carries the sauce.
Chicken breast. It adds lean protein and a mild flavor.
Garlic. It gives the sauce a bold savory aroma.
Mixed vegetables. They add color, crunch, and sweetness.
Soy, oyster, and hoisin sauces. They make a salty, sweet, and savory glaze.
How to Make Chicken Vegetable Lo Mein
1. Cook the noodles. Boil the noodles as the package directs, then drain and set them aside.
2. Mix the sauce. Whisk the soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and sugar in a small bowl.
3. Cook the chicken. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet, season the chicken with salt and pepper, and cook it for five to six minutes until golden. Remove it from the pan.
4. Cook the vegetables. Add the remaining oil, garlic, bell pepper, carrots, and broccoli and cook four to five minutes until tender crisp.
5. Combine. Return the chicken to the pan, add the noodles and sauce, and toss over the heat for two minutes.
6. Serve. Top with chopped green onions and serve hot.
Slice the chicken across the grain into thin strips so it stays tender. Freezing the breasts for about twenty minutes before slicing makes them firm and easy to cut. Pat the strips dry before they hit the pan so they brown instead of steam.
Cook the noodles just until tender, then rinse them briefly if they will sit before going into the pan. Overcooked noodles break apart when tossed, while firm noodles hold their shape and soak up the sauce as they finish in the skillet.
How to Serve Chicken Vegetable Lo Mein
Serve the noodles hot in wide bowls with extra green onions. For more Asian inspired dishes and sides, try egg fried rice with vegetables, teriyaki chicken lettuce wraps, Thai fish cakes, or chicken broccoli fettuccine alfredo.
How to Store and Reheat Chicken Vegetable Lo Mein
Cool the noodles and refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water so the noodles loosen and warm evenly. Freezing is not recommended because the vegetables turn soft.
Tips and Variations for Chicken Vegetable Lo Mein
Flag the allergens. This dish contains wheat, soy, and shellfish from the oyster sauce, so check labels before serving.
Do not taste raw chicken. Taste the sauce only after the chicken is fully cooked, and wash your hands and tools after handling raw meat.
Check the temperature. Chicken is safe at 165 F.
Prep first. The cooking goes fast.
Keep the heat high. It browns the chicken.
Swap the noodles. Spaghetti works well.
Go gluten free. Use tamari and rice noodles.
Check trusted guidance. Review the FDA safe food handling guidance for poultry temperatures and chilling times.
Work in stages and use high heat. Cooking the chicken first, then the vegetables, keeps each ingredient at its ideal texture, and the hot pan gives light browning that adds flavor. Have everything cut and the sauce mixed before you turn on the stove.
Customize the vegetables to what you have, such as snap peas, mushrooms, cabbage, or baby corn. Add a spoonful of chili garlic sauce for heat, or finish with sesame seeds for extra crunch. Keep the amount of vegetables about the same so the sauce still coats everything.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chicken Vegetable Lo Mein
What sauce goes in chicken vegetable lo mein?
It uses soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and a little sugar.
Can you make chicken vegetable lo mein ahead of time?
Yes. Cook it a day early and reheat it in a skillet with a splash of water.
Can you freeze chicken vegetable lo mein?
Freezing is not ideal because the vegetables lose their crunch.
Can I use spaghetti?
Yes. Spaghetti is a common substitute for lo mein noodles.
Can I use shrimp instead of chicken?
Yes. Cook the shrimp for two to three minutes until pink.
Garlic Chicken Vegetable Lo Mein
Equipment
- Large skillet or wok
- Large pot
- Whisk
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 8 oz lo mein noodles or spaghetti
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced thin
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper julienned
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 2 cup broccoli florets
- 2 green onions chopped
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil divided
Instructions
Cooking
- Boil. Cook the noodles as directed, drain, and set aside.
- Sauce. Whisk the soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and sugar.
- Chicken. Cook the seasoned chicken in 1 tablespoon of oil for 5 to 6 minutes and remove it.
- Vegetables. Cook the garlic, pepper, carrots, and broccoli in the remaining oil until tender crisp.
- Toss. Add the chicken, noodles, and sauce and toss for 2 minutes, then top with green onions.
