Chicken lo mein in about 30 minutes. Baking soda soak on the chicken first, which sounds odd but actually works for tenderness. Shiitake mushrooms, mixed veg, ginger, soy, a good cooking wine. Noodles at the end. Everything in one pan after the chicken is done.
How to Make Chicken Lo Mein
Baking soda velvet
Soak the chicken in water and baking soda for 20 minutes, then rinse and dry thoroughly before cooking. This is a Chinese restaurant technique called velveting. Skip the rinse and it’ll taste like baking soda.
Sauce timing
Mix the soy sauce, cooking wine, mirin, sriracha, cornstarch, and stock before you start cooking. Add it in one pour once the vegetables have softened. The cornstarch thickens fast so keep stirring. 
Noodles
Cook them separately, drain, and toss in the pan at the very end. Overcooked noodles sitting in sauce go mushy in minutes. Serve immediately.
Chicken Lo Mein
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
A quick and flavorful chicken lo mein recipe. Perfect for a weeknight meal or a casual get-together.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (473 ml) water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 lbs (227 g) boneless skinless chicken, cubed
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 cups (237 ml) mixed vegetables
- 7 to 8 shitake mushrooms, sliced
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/3 cups (79 ml) Chinese cooking wine
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha or other chili paste
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 cups (237 ml) stock
- 2 cups (473 ml) cooked noodles
Instructions
- Soak the chicken in water and baking soda for 20 minutes, then wash, drain, and dry it thoroughly.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Toss the chicken in 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, add it to the hot oil, and cook, stirring until well browned and cooked through.
- Heat the remaining oil. Add sesame oil and ginger paste; stir for 1 minute.
- Add the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes.
- Mix the soy sauce, cooking wine, sriracha, mirin, and cornstarch until well combined.
- Add the mixture to the vegetables, add the stock, and bring to a low simmer.
- Stir in the noodles and chicken; cook until heated through.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, marinate the chicken in the soy sauce mixture for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- If you don’t have Chinese cooking wine, dry sherry or even white wine can be used as a substitute.
- To prevent the noodles from sticking, toss them with a little oil before adding them to the sauce.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stir-Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 100
Frequently Asked Questions
Why soak the chicken in baking soda and water?
The baking soda raises the pH of the chicken’s surface, which prevents the proteins from squeezing out moisture during cooking. After 20 minutes, rinse it thoroughly or you’ll taste a slight alkaline flavor.
Can I substitute the Chinese cooking wine?
Dry sherry is the closest substitute. In a pinch, you can use dry white wine with a small splash of rice vinegar, but skip red wine entirely.
What type of noodles works best for lo mein?
Fresh egg-based lo mein noodles are ideal. If you can’t find them, fresh ramen noodles or even dried linguine cooked al dente will work. Avoid rice noodles here, as they have the wrong texture.
