Garlic Chicken Lo Mein Noodles
There are some aromas that instantly signal comfort and satisfaction, and for me, the scent of garlic and ginger sizzling in a hot pan is right at the top of that list. It’s the starting point for so many wonderful meals, but it truly shines in this Garlic Chicken Lo Mein. This isn’t just another stir-fry noodle recipe; it’s the one I turn to when I want that satisfying, savoury takeaway experience without ever leaving my kitchen. The sauce clings beautifully to every strand of noodle, the chicken is wonderfully tender, and the vegetables retain a perfect, crisp bite.
I make this at least once a week – it’s become a family favourite. We’ve dialled in the flavours over time to get that perfect balance of salty, savoury, and deeply garlicky notes that make you want to go back for a second helping. It’s the kind of dish that feels special enough for a Friday night treat but comes together so swiftly that it’s completely manageable on a busy Tuesday evening. If you’re a fan of Asian noodles and love a bold, flavourful sauce, you’re going to adore this recipe.
Recipe Overview
This Garlic Chicken Lo Mein is all about building layers of flavour, starting with tender pieces of chicken and finishing with a deeply savoury garlic sauce that coats slurpable egg noodles and crisp-tender vegetables. The key is the two-part garlic approach: minced garlic melts into the sauce for depth, while thinly sliced garlic gets lightly fried to provide little pockets of sweet, nutty flavour throughout the dish. I’ve found that preparing all your ingredients before you start cooking (a process chefs call mise en place) is the secret to a stress-free stir-fry experience.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 4 people
- Difficulty: Easy
Why You’ll Love This Garlic Chicken Lo Mein
- Genuine Takeaway Flavour: We achieve that authentic restaurant taste with a balanced sauce made from light and dark soy sauce, sesame oil, and a touch of rice vinegar. The dark soy sauce, in particular, adds a beautiful colour and a rich, molasses-like depth that you can’t get from light soy alone.
- Ready in Under 30 Minutes: From chopping the veg to serving up, this entire meal comes together in about half an hour, making it a fantastic option for weeknight dinners when time is short but you still want something genuinely delicious.
- Flexible & Forgiving Recipe: Don’t have pak choi? Use broccoli florets, sliced mushrooms, or bell peppers instead. You can easily swap the chicken for prawns, sliced beef, or even crispy tofu for a vegetarian version. It’s a great blueprint for using up whatever vegetables you have in the fridge.
- Great for a ‘Fakeaway’ Night: This dish works beautifully for a relaxed weekend meal when you’re craving your favourite Chinese takeaway. It has all the satisfying qualities of a takeaway, but you control the ingredients, making it a fresher, often healthier, choice. It’s also much more satisfying than my usual quick Lentil Soup Recipe Hearty Comfort when I need a proper meal.
- Family Tested & Approved: This is my go-to recipe when I need something quick but impressive. Everyone in my family, from the fussy eaters to the ones with big appetites, always polishes off their bowl. It always gets compliments.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the best results, I recommend gathering all your ingredients before you even think about turning on the hob. I always use Lee Kum Kee brand soy sauces; I find their flavour is consistent and authentic. Make sure you use both light and dark soy sauce, as they serve very different purposes in this recipe.
- For the Chicken Marinade:
- 500g boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- ½ tsp white pepper
- For the Lo Mein Sauce:
- 60ml light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp honey or brown sugar
- 120ml low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- For the Stir-Fry:
- 400g fresh egg noodles (or 250g dried)
- 2 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil, divided
- 8 cloves garlic (4 minced, 4 thinly sliced)
- 2 cm piece of fresh ginger, grated
- 2 large carrots, julienned or thinly sliced
- 2 heads of pak choi, leaves separated and stems sliced
- 4 spring onions, sliced, green and white parts separated
Ashley’s Tip: Don’t skip the step of marinating the chicken in cornflour. This technique, known as velveting, creates a protective coating that keeps the chicken incredibly tender and juicy, even when cooked over high heat.
How to Make Garlic Chicken Lo Mein
The process for this stir-fry moves fast, which is why preparation is so important. Have your noodles cooked, your sauce mixed, and your vegetables chopped and ready to go before you begin.
- Marinate the Chicken: In a medium bowl, combine the sliced chicken with 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp cornflour, and the white pepper. Toss well to coat every piece. Set aside while you prepare everything else.
- Prepare the Sauce & Noodles: In a separate small bowl or jug, whisk together all the sauce ingredients: light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, stock, and the remaining 1 tbsp of cornflour. Whisk until the cornflour is fully dissolved. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process, and toss with a tiny drizzle of sesame oil to prevent sticking.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large wok or deep frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the marinated chicken in a single layer. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil to the same pan. Add the sliced garlic and the white parts of the spring onions. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the minced garlic and grated ginger. Cook for another 30 seconds, being careful not to let the garlic burn. What works best for me is to keep everything moving constantly in the pan.
- Cook the Vegetables: Add the julienned carrots to the pan and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften. Next, add the sliced pak choi stems and cook for another minute.
- Combine Everything: Return the cooked chicken to the pan. Give the sauce a quick re-whisk (the cornflour will have settled) and pour it all over the ingredients in the pan. Let it bubble and thicken for about 1 minute.
- Add Noodles and Finish: Add the cooked noodles and the pak choi leaves to the pan. Using tongs, toss everything together vigorously for 1-2 minutes until the noodles are heated through and every single strand is coated in the glossy, thickened sauce.
- Serve Immediately: Stir through the green parts of the spring onions, reserving a few for garnish. Serve hot, garnished with the remaining spring onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds if you like.
Tips From My Kitchen
- Temperature Control is Key: For a successful stir-fry, your pan needs to be hot. This allows the ingredients to sear and cook quickly, preserving the crisp texture of the vegetables. Don’t overcrowd the pan, as this will lower the temperature and cause the food to steam rather than fry. Cook in batches if necessary.
- The Secret Step for Noodles: I learned that rinsing the cooked noodles under cold water is non-negotiable. It washes off excess starch and stops them from becoming a sticky, clumped mess. Tossing them with a touch of sesame oil afterwards ensures they stay separate until you’re ready to add them to the pan.
- Make-Ahead Suggestions: To get ahead, you can prepare all the components in advance. The sauce can be mixed and kept in a jar in the fridge for up to 3 days. The vegetables can be chopped and stored in an airtight container, and the chicken can be sliced and marinated for up to 24 hours. This turns a 30-minute meal into a 15-minute one.
- Storage and Reheating: Leftovers are fantastic! Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, I recommend using a pan over a medium heat with a splash of water or chicken stock. This helps to loosen the sauce and steam the noodles back to life without making them mushy. Microwaving works, but the texture is better from the pan.
Equipment You’ll Need
You don’t need a lot of fancy kit for this recipe, but a few key items make the process much smoother.
- A large wok or a deep, heavy-bottomed frying pan/skillet
- A large pot for boiling the noodles
- A sharp knife and a sturdy cutting board
- Several mixing bowls for the marinade, sauce, and prepped ingredients
- Tongs or a large wooden spoon for tossing
What to Serve With Garlic Chicken Lo Mein
This is a hearty, all-in-one meal, but if you want to create a bigger spread, here are a few ideas that work wonderfully:
- Steamed Edamame: A simple bowl of steamed edamame pods sprinkled with sea salt provides a fresh, clean counterpoint to the rich sauce.
- Crispy Spring Rolls: For a true takeaway-at-home experience, serve alongside some crunchy vegetable spring rolls and a sweet chilli dipping sauce. It’s a combination that reminds me of making my favourite Salmon Cakes Canned Salmon Recipe.
- A Crisp White Wine: A dry Riesling or a Sauvignon Blanc has enough acidity to cut through the savoury notes of the soy sauce and garlic, cleansing the palate with each sip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Garlic Chicken Lo Mein
Ingredients
Method
- Marinate the Chicken: In a medium bowl, combine the sliced chicken with 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp cornflour, and the white pepper. Toss well to coat every piece. Set aside while you prepare everything else.
- Prepare the Sauce & Noodles: In a separate small bowl or jug, whisk together all the sauce ingredients: light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, stock, and the remaining 1 tbsp of cornflour. Whisk until the cornflour is fully dissolved. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process, and toss with a tiny drizzle of sesame oil to prevent sticking.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large wok or deep frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the marinated chicken in a single layer. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil to the same pan. Add the sliced garlic and the white parts of the spring onions. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the minced garlic and grated ginger. Cook for another 30 seconds, being careful not to let the garlic burn. What works best for me is to keep everything moving constantly in the pan.
- Cook the Vegetables: Add the julienned carrots to the pan and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften. Next, add the sliced pak choi stems and cook for another minute.
- Combine Everything: Return the cooked chicken to the pan. Give the sauce a quick re-whisk (the cornflour will have settled) and pour it all over the ingredients in the pan. Let it bubble and thicken for about 1 minute.
- Add Noodles and Finish: Add the cooked noodles and the pak choi leaves to the pan. Using tongs, toss everything together vigorously for 1-2 minutes until the noodles are heated through and every single strand is coated in the glossy, thickened sauce.
- Serve Immediately: Stir through the green parts of the spring onions, reserving a few for garnish. Serve hot, garnished with the remaining spring onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds if you like.
Notes
I really hope you give this Garlic Chicken Lo Mein a try. It’s one of those recipes that proves a home-cooked meal can be just as satisfying and flavourful as any takeaway. It’s a joy to cook and an even greater joy to eat. If you do make it, please let me know how it turned out! I’d love for you to leave a comment and a rating below. Happy cooking!
– Ashley
