One Pot Chicken Chow Mein Recipe

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.

Love Asian-inspired recipes? Try my Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef, Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Beef Lo Mein, and Crockpot Orange Chicken!

Chicken Chow Mein is made with tender chicken, fresh veggies, and chewy chow mein noodles sautéed in a savory sauce for a dish that rivals your local Chinese restaurant! It’s the perfect way to enjoy Chinese food without leaving your house. 

As a one-pot dish, this easy chicken chow mein recipe is the perfect solution for busy weeknights.

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.

Why you’ll love this easy meal:

• Easy clean up: No need to dirty up a bunch of dishes with this one-pot recipe.

• Versatile: This is a great recipe for getting rid of any veggies in your fridge! You can also customize this recipe with different types of noodles, veggies, and protein. 
• Simple ingredients: You only need a few basic ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your kitchen!

Chicken Chow Mein Ingredients:

• Oil: I use canola oil to gently cook the chicken and veggies, but you could substitute any oil you prefer. Just make sure it has a reasonably high smoke point, like vegetable oil or avocado oil. Sesame oil is a common choice, but it has a strong flavor, so I recommend just using a little for finishing.
• Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are my go-to, but chicken thighs would also be fine. You could also use chopped rotisserie chicken and sauté it along with the veggies. 
• 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 favorites!
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is my favorite, but garlic powder is also fine — use about ½ teaspoon to substitute. 
• 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! Use low sodium soy sauce to reduce the sodium content. 
• 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. You can usually find ramen or chow mein noodles in the Asian section of your grocery store. 
• Water and Cornstarch: These are optional to thicken the sauce.

How to make One Pan Chicken Chow Mein:

This recipe is easiest and fastest if you get your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start the cooking process! For the full list of recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card. 

• Place a large skillet on the stovetop, add the chicken, and sauté or stir fry until the chicken cubes are mostly browned.
• Add the veggies and cook for a few minutes until softened.

• Stir the garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes into the mixture, and cook.
• Stir in your broth of choice (or water), the soy sauce, and the hoisin sauce. Bring everything to a boil, then add the noodles. Cook until al dente and serve.

Tips and Variations

• Use a different meat: This dish works well with lean, cubed, boneless pork chops, cubes of firm, well-drained tofu, or even browned ground beef. If you’re into batch cooking or meal prep, you can make a big batch of Instant Pot Shredded Chicken or Crockpot Shredded Chicken and set some aside for this Chicken Chow Mein!
• Mix up the veggies: You might want to mix up the veggies. Onions, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, green beans, snow peas, bean sprouts, green onions, bok choy, water chestnuts… the choices are endless! 
• Use two pans: 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.
• Thicken it up: If you want a thicker sauce, mix a bit of cornstarch with water and stir the mixture into the pot. The sauce will thicken as you stir.

How to store Chicken Chow Mein:

Store this pasta in an airtight container 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 with a splash of broth to keep it from drying out.

• To Microwave: Place the desired portion in a shallow layer on a plate, add a splash of broth or water 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.

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!

• 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.
• 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.

More one-pot recipes you’ll love:

• One Pot BBQ Chicken Chili Mac — loaded with protein and veggies.
• One Pot Taco Pasta Recipe — this one is always a hit with the kids!
• One Pot Lemon Orzo pasta — fresh and not too heavy!
• One Pot Teriyaki Chicken, Rice and Vegetables — another Asian-inspired noodle dish.

More Easy One Pot Recipes

• Chicken Tortellini Soup
• Healthy One Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
• Taco Mac