This One Pot Chicken Chow Mein is a fast and healthy dinner the whole family will love! Loaded with juicy chicken, bell peppers, cabbage, peas and carrots, it’s ready in about 30 minutes!
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A Quick and Healthy One-Pot Dinner
It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, life always seems to be busy!
With 3 kids aged pre-school to grade 4, we are always on our toes, and healthy, one pot dinners are our go-to’s most days.
I know that this is not a traditional chow mein recipe, but it is my take on chow mein with simple ingredients that we usually have on hand. If you’re looking for a totally authentic recipe, you are welcome to look somewhere else 🙂
Love one pot pastas? Check out this Cajun Chicken Pasta and this Feta Pasta with Dill next!
What’s the Difference Between Chicken Chow Mein and Chicken Lo Mein?
Like I said, I will never profess to know anything about cooking authentic Asian food, but I do my best and this is one recipe we all love. I load it up with veggies and there are no fights at dinner time.
However, if you wanted to make this recipe more authentic, you could turn it into a more traditional chow mein or lo mein without too much hassle.
What’s the main difference? Basically, it’s about the cooking technique. Both dishes start with Chinese egg noodles that have been cooked al dente. From there, chow mein dishes are made with stir-fried noodles topped with savory sauce, veggies, and/or meat. In lo mein dishes, the noodles are cooked briefly in the sauce along with the other ingredients.
As a one-pot dish, this easy chicken chow mein recipe doesn’t exactly take either approach. It may not be authentic, but it is flavorful, easy, healthy, and fast! You can have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes!
If you love Asian-inspired chicken dinners, you might also like these Chicken Lettuce Wraps or this Teriyaki Chicken!
Recipe Ingredients
Let’s take a look at the ingredients for this easy recipe. Most If you’re not sure whether hoisin sauce is worth an extra purchase, just do it. It adds so much amazing flavor and you will find yourself using it over and over. (Note: To see the recipe card with amounts and nutrition info, scroll to the bottom of this post!)
- Oil: I use canola oil for gently cooking the chicken and veggies, but you could substitute any oil you prefer. Just make sure it has a reasonably high smoke point—you don’t want to ruin the flavor of a more delicate oil. Sesame oil is a common choice, but has a strong flavor so I would recommend just using a little for finishing.
- Chicken: Breasts are my go-to, but chicken thighs would also be fine. They should be boneless and cut into cubes.
- Fresh Vegetables: Red bell pepper, snap peas, shredded cabbage (or coleslaw mix), and matchstick carrots are a colorful and easy combination. However, feel free to substitute your favourites!
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is my favorite, but garlic powder is also fine.
- Ginger: Again, I like to use minced fresh ginger, but the recipe will still be super tasty with powdered ginger.
- Red Pepper Flakes: These can be omitted for a milder dish, or you can use a couple of pinches of cayenne for more heat.
- Broth: To give our one-pot pasta more flavor, I use chicken broth instead of water to cook the pasta. You can also use vegetable broth or water, depending on what you have or prefer.
- Soy Sauce and Hoisin Sauce: These two Asian sauces combine to make the perfect easy chow mein sauce!
- Noodles: You’ll need a box (375 grams or about 13 ounces) of whole grain spaghettini pasta, or an equal amount of dried ramen or chow mein noodles.
- Water and Cornstarch: These are optional, for thickening the sauce.
How to Make One Pot Chicken Chow Mein
To make this recipe, you’ll need to saute everything briefly and then simmer to cook through. It’s easiest and fastest if you get your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start the cooking process!
See the detailed recipe down below in the recipe card.
- Cook the Cubed Chicken. Place a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the oil and allow it to heat for a few seconds. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and saute or stir-fry until the chicken cubes are mostly browned.
- Cook the Vegetables. Add the bell peppers, peas, cabbage and carrots (or whatever veggies you choose) and cook for a few minutes, until the veggies are softened slightly.
- Add the Aromatics. Stir the garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes into the mixture, and cook for one minute release their fragrances and flavors.
- Add Liquids and Noodles. Stir in your broth of choice (or water), the soy sauce, and the hoisin sauce. Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat. Gently drop in the noodles, and reduce the heat to medium.
- Finish Cooking. Cook the pasta along with the other ingredients uncovered for about 5 minutes. Stir the pasta frequently to keep it from clumping and sticking (we don’t want no clumps!). Once most of the liquid has been absorbed, cover the pot and cook everything for 3-4 more minutes, until pasta is al dente or cooked to your preference.
- Enjoy! At this point, you can serve the pasta. If you want a thicker sauce, mix a bit of corn starch with water, and stir the mixture into the pot. The sauce will thicken as you stir.
Tips and Variations
This dish is so, so flexible! You can change the pasta, the protein, the veggies, and even how you prepare it. As you know, I’m not a big fan of rules here, so you do your thang! Here are a few ideas
- Protein: This dish works well with lean cubed boneless pork chops, cubes of firm, well-drained tofu, or even browned ground beef. I don’t recommend using cubes of steak, because they may over- or under-cook (depending on the cut). And if you’re into batch cooking or meal prep, you can made a big batch of Instant Pot Shredded Chicken and setting some aside for this Chicken Chow Mein!
- Veggies: You might want to mix up the veggies. Onions, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, snow peas, bean sprouts, green onions, bok choy, water chestnuts… the choices are endless!
- Two Pots? If you like, you can cook the noodles in the broth separately from the stir-fried, saucy veggies and chicken. Cook them until al dente, and then give them a quick stir-fry in a skillet to get a crispy pan-fried texture. Yum!
Serving Suggestions
This one-pot meal is complete in itself, but if you’d like to add an extra dish or two, one of these simple takeout-style recipes would be a great choice! Meal prep is easy if you make several main dishes one night per week, and set the leftovers aside (or freeze them) to use later in lunches, etc.
- Mongolian Beef: Set it and forget it! This Mongolian Beef with Pineapple is great over your favorite rice or noodles.
- Grilled Chicken: Sweet and Spicy Coconut Grilled Chicken? How can I put this… you need this chicken in your life! And you don’t have to use an outdoor grill. It cooks up just as perfectly on a grill pan or cast iron skillet.
- Sweet and Sour Chicken: Another slow-cooker favorite, this easy Crockpot Sweet and Sour Chicken is a sticky, sweet, and tangy main course the whole family will adore.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Store this pasta in airtight containers in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 3 days.
The best way to reheat saucy pasta is in the microwave or in a covered skillet. Reheating in the pot may result in a scorched bottom layer and cold top layer!
- To Microwave: Place the desired portion in a shallow layer on a plate and microwave for 10-30 seconds at a time until hot. Stir to prevent hot and cold spots.
- To Reheat on the Stove: Place the desired portion in a shallow layer in a skillet. Add a splash of water or broth if the pasta seems dry. Heat on low, covered, until the dish is steaming hot.
One Pot Chicken Chow Mein
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 3 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
- 2 large carrots peeled and shredded
- 1 red pepper thinly sliced
- 1 cup stringless snap peas
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- ¼-½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 cups chicken broth*
- ⅓ cup soy sauce*
- ⅓ cup hoisin sauce
- 375 grams whole grain spaghettini pasta (or an equal amount of dried ramen or chow mein noodles)
- 2 tablespoons water optional
- 1 tablespooon corn starch optional
- honey for sweetening optional
Instructions
- Add oil to a large pot and cook chicken over medium-high heat, just until mostly browned.
- Add pepper, peas, cabbage and carrot and cook for 2-3 minutes, until veggies are softened slightly.
- Add garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes and cook 1 minute.
- Stir in broth, soy sauce and hoisin sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add pasta and reduce heat to medium.
- Cover and cook, stirring every couple of minutes so that the pasta doesn't stick together (we don't want clumps!), until al dente or desired tenderness is reached.
- If desired, combine corn starch and water and stir into pasta to thicken sauce. You can also add a tablespoon or so of honey to balance out the soy sauce if needed. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Michelle says
Hard to keep noodles from clumping. Good flavor.
The Recipe Rebel says
You definitely have to stir every couple of minutes so that the pasta doesn’t stick together. Also it’s best to cook them to al dente, this also helps with them not sticking.
susan says
looks delicious
The Recipe Rebel says
Enjoy!
Corinne Poulten says
Just had this for dinner and I had three bowls! I added sweet chilli sauce on top. The whole family lives it. Will be making it lots more! Thanks for the recipe!!!!!!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Corinne! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Dave says
Kinda just flavourless and bland. The end result just tasted salty even after using low sodium soy sauce and no added salt, and the meal wasn’t really filling at all. Would very much recommend taking out some of the soy sauce, chicken broth, and hoisin sauce and fiddling around with spices to give this flavour. We like to make a big one pot meal to take for lunches for the week, and this one didn’t really meet the mark. A little upset we spent so much on groceries and time making it for something we ended up needing to toss out, because we couldn’t stomach the salt and were still hungry after anyway…
The Recipe Rebel says
I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe Dave. The amounts and ingredients have worked well for myself (and others) have enjoyed it, so I wished it would of been a hit for you too.
Nathalie says
Bonsoir,
Merci pour cette recette délicieuse et rapide à préparer. C’est certain que je la referai.
Teri says
Can you substitute with fresh chow mein noodles? If so, do I reduce the cooking time or the amount of chicken broth? Would really like to try
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Teri, I’ve only tested the recipe as written, but you could likely try it. I would check the package of the noodles to see how long they need to cook. Hope you enjoy it!
Johnny Dalla-Longa says
Very yummy..added water chestnuts and green beans as well..very addicting
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Johnny! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Jourdan says
I make this recipe almost weekly and love having leftovers. It’s almost better the next day after the flavors all settle together. It’s a big hit at my house. Substituting chicken with crab meat when I make this tonight and I know it’ll turn out great! I get two bags of mixed veggies with the water chestnuts and double the sauce. It seems like I tweek it a little every time I make it and never have had a bad batch. So easy, quick, and cheap for a busy mom. Much thanks!!!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Jourdan! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
Ian says
Wow! What an exciting recipe Ashley. Chow Mein is my favourite dish and your creation is just wonderful. And as for Chicken Lo Mein, I never considered trying this. I can’t wait both to make it and to serve it. Thank you for this recipe, Ashley.
Jessica says
I loved the aromas of everything mixed – but there was something missing. Followed the recipe as stated, but omitted chicken (vegeterian option), It tasted bitter to me, and felt like it needed something – I can’t quite get my finger on it. Thanks for sharing the recipe and making me attempt the dish.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Jessica! I’m sorry the flavor wasn’t what you had hoped for! Next time, you could always bump up the seasonings to your liking! Thanks for trying it out!
Vicki says
Good! Satisfied my cravingfor some Asian fare. I made it for my son and myself….husband is doing low carb and won’t eat pasta…..I’m making him a keto recipe for his dinner. (Good thing I like to cook!!) My son won’t eat cabbage, but I noticed you said you could use a coleslaw mix, so I used broccoli slaw that comes pre-packaged and ready to use. Tasted wonderful!!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Vicki! It’s one of my favorite shortcuts!
Laura says
Lovely recipe – My fussy husband even had a second portion. Easy to make and very tasty
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Laura!
Kristin says
hello! this might be a dumb question, but should i be adding the noodles raw or cooked?
Thanks!
Renee Brown says
Raw! 🙂
Valerie says
Can you add small shrimp with the chicken? Going to make this tomorrow
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Valerie, I’ve only make this recipe as written. If you decide to experiment with shrimp, let me know how it goes!