Weeknight Chicken Chow Mein - Fast, Simple, Full of Flavour

Weeknight Chicken Chow Mein - Fast, Simple, Full of Flavour

Chicken Chow Mein is one of the most straightforward noodle dishes to make at home, and it relies on familiar ingredients you’re likely to have on hand. The method is simple: a quick marinade, fast cooking, and a generous amount of vegetables that bring colour, texture, and balance. It’s a practical weeknight option because everything happens in one pan, and the noodles cook in just a few minutes.

The base of the dish is sliced chicken briefly marinated in a light soy‑cornflour mixture. This step takes very little time but helps the chicken stay tender during the high‑heat stir‑fry. Once the chicken is seared and set aside, the pan becomes the place where the vegetables build structure. Chow mein is known for being adaptable, and using a wide range of vegetables makes the dish both economical and substantial. Onion, garlic, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, spring onions, bean sprouts, and leafy greens all work well. They cook quickly, retain some bite, and bulk out the noodles without making the dish heavy.

The noodles themselves are straightforward and economical to buy. Most supermarket chow mein or thin egg noodles cook in a few minutes and can be added directly to the pan once drained. When combined with the vegetables, chicken, and a small amount of stock or sauce, they absorb flavour and help bring everything together.

Making chicken chow mein at home also allows you to adjust quantities to suit your preferences. Adding more vegetables increases volume and keeps the dish balanced, while the sauce remains light and functional rather than rich. The entire process is fast, uses standard pantry items, and produces a complete meal without complexity. It’s a reliable option for nights when you want something fresh, structured, and easy to prepare.

Pro tip: This dish comes together quickly, so it’s worth preparing all your ingredients in advance. Use a few small bowls to portion out the vegetables, chicken, noodles and sauce — it makes the cooking process smooth, fast and avoids the risk of overcooking.

Tutorial in this short YouTube clip:

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

200g chicken breast or thigh fillets, thinly sliced

2 cups of Chinese cabbage (or other greens of your choice), finely shredded 

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1-2 stalks of celery, finely sliced

1 carrot, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

2-3 florets of cauliflower and or a mix of cauli & broccoli broken into thumb-nail sized florets (don't forget to peel and chop up the stalks, too)

1 cup mung bean sprouts

1 large onion, peeled and cut into chunks

1-2 spring onions, sliced

1/2 can whole baby corn, chopped into small pieces (freeze the rest for next time)

Extra chopped spring onions and mung bean sprouts to garnish

1/2- 3/4 cup chicken stock

2 tbsp peanut oil (or other cooking oil)

175 - 200 gm pack chow mein noodles

Sauce

2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)

1.5 tbsp soy sauce, all purpose or light

2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine 

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp sesame oil

salt and pepper

Method

Prepare all the vegetables in bowls so they’re ready to go.

In a small bowl, add the cornflour and soy sauce and stir to combine. Add the remaining marinade ingredients and mix well.

Place the sliced chicken in a separate bowl and spoon over half the marinade. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes.

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and cook the noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain and set aside.

Heat a splash of peanut oil in a hot pan and flash‑fry the chicken for a minute or two - the aim is for the chicken to remain soft and juicy, and it will finish cooking at the end. Remove to a bowl.

Add another dash of peanut oil to the pan and fry the onion, garlic, and spring onions for a few minutes. Add the carrot and cauliflower/broccoli, cover, and cook until just al dente.

Add the corn, greens, and sprouts. Cover again and let the greens wilt for a few minutes.

Return the cooked chicken to the pan along with the stock and drained noodles. Toss everything together until well combined.