The Lo Mein My Dad's Made 100,000 Times
Why this recipe
Most lo mein recipes online are tested only a handful of times. My dad used to make this dish multiple times a day, every day, for 50 years and can make this in his sleep.
I know you'll love it as much as our community does! This recipe has over 124.3K views, 2.6K likes on YouTube.
Lo mein (撈麵) is a Chinese takeout classic that's easier than you think to recreate at home! My dad has been making this dish for more than 50 years and his step-by-step recipe is full of expert tips to help you master chicken lo mein at home.
From selecting the right noodles and supporting ingredients to the techniques that'll help you achieve bouncy, slurpable strands and tender juicy chicken, consider this guide your ticket to lo mein greatness.
What is lo mein?
Lo mein translates to "mixed" or "stirred noodles," a nod to how it comes together. Available at nearly every Chinese restaurant, this dish typically features thick, chewy noodles that are boiled, then set aside and later topped with a saucy mix of protein and veggies.
We use chicken and mushrooms in this lo mein recipe, but the wonderful thing about lo mein (and many other Chinese noodles!) is that you can easily customize it according to your tastes.
Chow mein vs lo mein
Lo mein noodles are often confused with another classic Chinese noodle dish: chow mein. The two use different noodles. As mentioned above, lo mein is thick and chewy, while chow mein — which translates to "stir-fried noodles" — uses slightly thinner ones.
My dad also prepares the noodles differently. He boils lo mein, but prefers to steam chow mein to prevent the noodles from getting soggy during stir frying.
Ingredients
Instructions
Prep mushrooms
Wash and soak the shiitake mushrooms (1 oz). Place them in a bowl of warm water (approximately 40° to 50°C/104° to 122°F) and allow them to soak for 10 minutes to rehydrate.
Trim the ends off the seafood mushrooms (2 oz) and discard. Cut the mushrooms in half and place in a bowl of cold water to remove any remaining dirt.
For the king oyster mushroom (1 oz), slice at an angle into thin 1/4-inch thick pieces. Stack them together a few at a time and slice into thin 1/2-inch sticks.
Prep vegetables & aromatics
Make a thin slice on one side of the carrot (2 oz), then place it on the flat side. This creates a stable base and makes the carrot less likely to roll when cutting. Cut the carrot into 1/4-inch slices, then stack those slices and cut them into sticks. Set aside.
Now it's time to prep the aromatics. First, cut the scallion (1 bunch) into 2- to 3-inch pieces.
Next, using the flat side of your knife, smash the shallot, then roughly chop them.
Peel the garlic (2 clove), flatten with your knife, then roughly chop.
Finally, cut the red onion (2 oz) along the grain into 1/4-inch slices.
By now, the shiitake mushrooms have rehydrated. Drain them and squeeze out any excess water. Cut into thin strips and set aside.
Prep & marinate chicken
Divide the chicken breast (12 oz) into two halves. If you look carefully, you can see that the grain of the protein is divided, with one half going up and down and the other half going left to right.
Starting with the bigger half, slice the breast into 1/4-inch pieces going along the grain. Then, just like with the vegetables and mushrooms, we’ll stack the chicken slices and cut them into 1/4-inch strips.
You can use the same technique with the other half or try this one. Butterfly the remaining half of the chicken breast and slice each piece in half again holding your knife parallel to the cutting board. Then, stack the pieces together and cut them along the grain into 1/4-inch strips.
Marinate chicken
Place the chicken in a bowl. Add the oyster sauce (1 tbsp), white pepper (0.25 tsp), chicken bouillon powder (0.50 tsp), cornstarch (1.5 tsp) and water (2 tbsp). Mix together and set aside.
Make sauce
In a separate bowl, combine the oyster sauce (2 tbsp), light soy sauce (1 tbsp), sugar (1 tsp), salt, and chicken bouillon powder (1 tsp). Mix to combine.
Cook noodles
Bring a large pot or wok of water to a boil. My dad like to use hot water to save cooking time.
Once the water comes to a boil, add the noodle (18 oz), using your fingers to gently unravel them as you place them in. Using chopsticks, gently break apart the noodles until the water comes back to a boil.
Lower the heat to medium and cook for another 8-10 minutes (total cook time after adding in the noodles should be about 10-15 minutes). You’ll know the noodles are cooked when you take a bite out of a noodle and there isn’t a stiff interior.
Once cooked through, strain the noodles and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Chef's Tip: Add about 1-2 tsp of oil and stir it into the noodles to prevent the strands from clumping up.
Cook chicken
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once the water reaches a boil, lower the heat to medium. Add the marinated chicken.
Chef's Tip: This technique of blanching the chicken breast first before frying will help the chicken keep its white color, prevent shrinking of the meat and thus keep the breast meat tender.
Cook for about 1-3 minutes, then strain and rinse briefly under cold water. Do not dispose of the cooking water just yet! Set aside 1 1/2 cups to use for the sauce later.
Stir fry ingredients
In a wok, heat up the oil (1 tbsp). We’re using corn oil, but feel free to use any other high smoke point oil like peanut or vegetable oil.
Once hot, add in the shallot, garlic, and rehydrated shiitake mushroom and stir fry. After about 1-2 minutes, add in the seafood mushrooms, king oyster mushroom and red onion. After another 2 minutes, add the carrots. Make sure you're constantly moving and tossing the ingredients around.
Stir fry for 1-2 minutes then add the cooking wine (1 tsp).
Next, add the chicken and bean sprouts (4 oz), followed by the reserved 1 1/2 cup of chicken cooking water and scallions.
Add the sauce and lower the heat to medium. Taste and adjust accordingly, adding more salt if needed.
In a separate bowl, the remaining cornstarch (3 tsp) and water (1.5 tbsp) together to create slurry and add it to the stir fry. Mix over low heat to thicken.
Lastly, add the sesame oil (1 tsp) and toss to combine.
Place the noodles on a large platter and top with the chicken and vegetable stir fry. Toss everything together when ready to serve.