This Easy Chicken Chow Mein tastes just like takeout – all you need is a skillet and 30 minutes to whip up this easy dinner!
I’ve been doing it for 15+ years and several different shops/chefs and I’ve never had an issue. I wouldn’t freeze the chips or the chicken balls they would taste awful reheated. However I’ve always freezes chow mein, rice and chicken and they’ve tasted even better reheated. Please do not freeze the rice.
How to make chow mein sauce
The chow mein sauce for this recipe is super easy to make. All you need are four pantry staples that you likely already have on hand!
To make the sauce, mix together:
- 3 tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil
Chicken chow mein is one of the most popular Asian stir fry dishes. It usually includes white or dark meat chicken, vegetables, and a delicious chow mein sauce. The ingredients are cooked in a wok or skillet with chow mein noodles.
Chicken chow mein is made using wheat egg noodles. To keep things a bit healthier, you can look for whole wheat egg noodles. You can also get super adventurous and make homemade chow mein noodles! There are videos on YouTube to show how it’s done. It takes about an hour to make egg noodles from scratch.
This chicken chow mein recipe is definitely healthier than the kind you’d get from your favourite takeout spot. It uses whole ingredients, so you don’t have to worry about any preservatives. Plus, authentic chow mein sauce usually includes sugar, while the sauce for my recipe uses honey to make it a bit healthier.
While they do have a couple of similarities, they are also quite different. Lo mein and chicken chow mein are both made with wheat flour and eggs, so they’re both egg noodles. For authentic chow mein noodles, the noodles are boiled in water first, then pan fried or added to a wok to stir fry them until they’re crispy. On the other hand, lo mein noodles are simply boiled. As a result, they are softer and chewier than chow mein noodles.
If you have any leftovers of this chicken chow mein, let them cool to room temperature. Then, refrigerate them in a covered container and enjoy within 5 days.
Reheating is easy! You can either microwave the leftovers on high power for a couple of minutes, or toss everything into a wok or skillet and reheat over medium-high heat. I recommend sprinkling some water over top before reheating so your noodles dont dry out.
Can you freeze chow mein?
This chicken chow mein recipe freezes well, so it’s a great meal prep idea! Before you freeze it, be sure to allow it to cool to room temperature first. This helps to prevent freezer burn. Once it has cooled, transfer the cool chicken chow mein to freezer-safe meal prep containers or Ziploc bags and freeze it for up to 3 months.
To reheat, defrost in the fridge overnight then proceed as normal by reheating in the microwave or in a wok/skillet.
Ziangs: How to cook Takeaway Chicken Chow Mein (dry)
FAQ
Can I freeze leftover Chinese takeaway?
Can you freeze leftover lo mein?
Can you freeze cooked stir fry with noodles?
Can you freeze chow mein?
Stored in an airtight container or bag, chow mein will keep well for 2 to 3 months in the freezer. If you freeze and defrost chow mein properly, these stir-fried noodles will suffer minimal texture and flavor changes. Continue reading for step by step instructions on how to freeze chow mein and what you should avoid doing for the best results.
Chowmein vs Lo mein: What is the difference?
Chowmein and lo Mein are the tossed noodles. But not stirred or fried. Chowmein has the difference of dry noodles where as lo Mein noodles are wet with addition of sauce which lacks in Chowmein.
Can takeaway chow mein sit in the freezer?
Yes, takeaway chow mein can sit in the freezer but it’s not recommendable. The problem with freezing takeaway chow mein is that you are not aware of the ingredients that go into making the dish. Hence, you won’t be able to make out which ingredients will react to the food while it’s being stored in the freezer.
How long does chow mein last in the freezer?
Chow mein lasts around 4 days in the fridge. Freezing these stir-fried noodles significantly extends their shelf life. Chow mein will keep for 2 to 3 months in the freezer. If the temperature of the freezer is stable, the noodles will keep well for much longer. However, the sooner you eat chow mein stored in the freezer the better it will taste.