Savory Garlic Chicken Lo Mein You’ll Want to Make Tonight

Garlic Chicken Lo Mein has saved my dinner plans more times than I care to admit. You know those nights when you want something fast, easy, but super tasty? Maybe you just realized the takeout app is getting, a little out of hand (I’m lookin’ at my own bank statement here), and yet you crave that legit restaurant flavor. Lucky for us, this dish totally nails it. By the way, for other comfort food ideas that hit the spot, don’t miss my favorite chicken cordon bleu meatloaf recipe too.

Gather Your Ingredients

Okay, so honestly, Garlic Chicken Lo Mein starts with pretty basic stuff. It’s almost shocking it tastes like some five-star restaurant thing. You’ll need boneless chicken (thigh or breast is cool), fresh veggies (think bell peppers, carrots, broccoli—go wild, nobody’s judging), garlic (the star), low-sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, and, of course, lo mein noodles. Sometimes I swap in spaghetti when I can’t find the real thing, and no one’s caught me yet. Onion adds a punch, green onions too, maybe a shake of red pepper flakes if you’re feeling spicy. Definitely don’t forget the garlic. Seriously, if you’re out of garlic, I’d just wait to make this another night. Not to brag, but I have a mini collection of noodle sauces in my fridge, so feel free to experiment. The main keyword here: keep it fresh and don’t stress.

Velveting the Chicken

So, let’s talk about velveting real quick. I’ll admit the first time I heard that word, I thought, Okay, fancy pants. But honestly, it’s ridiculously simple and really makes the chicken in your Garlic Chicken Lo Mein as tender as anything you’d get out. Just toss sliced chicken with a bit of cornstarch, maybe a splash of soy sauce, and a trickle of oil. Let it sit ten-ish minutes. Feels like magic—the chicken comes out all soft, not rubbery. That’s the bit I’m always chasing in takeout, and now I do it at home.

I wouldn’t skip this, unless you’re truly, epically lazy or just out of time, and trust me, I’ve been there too. Get the chicken ready while you chop everything else. That’s time management, small-town style. Folks from farm country know how to stack their chores, right?

“I never realized how tender chicken could get in stir fry ’til I tried velveting. Total game changer.” – Jenn B.

The Importance of Mise-en-Place

Now, I know ‘mise-en-place’ sounds all chef-y, but if you don’t set everything out beforehand, Garlic Chicken Lo Mein turns into chaos fast. Seriously, nothing worse than searching for the soy sauce while your garlic’s turning black in the pan (been there, done that, yikes). Slice up your veggies, dice garlic, measure your sauce. I line ‘em up like soldiers on the counter. This isn’t about being fancy, it’s about not screwing up a very easy recipe.

If there’s one lesson I wish someone drilled into me when I was first cooking (besides “don’t set paper towels too close to the stove”), it’s this. You’ll breeze through everything when you have your stuff ready. Even my distracted teenager manages to pull off a halfway decent version just by lining up the bowls of chopped stuff. So trust me, mise-en-place matters, even if you can’t pronounce it like Julia Child.

Cook the Chicken

This is the fun part—watching all that prep come to life. Toss your velveted chicken right into a blazing hot skillet or wok. Get a little sizzle going. Stir for a couple minutes til it changes from pink to that nice, cooked white and golden thing. Don’t overdo it or it dries out—that’s the sad opposite of delicious. Remove it from the pan, set it aside, take a deep breath, and marvel at how professional you suddenly feel. If that whole process only takes a few minutes, you’re doing it right.

By the way, for genuinely quick chicken ideas, the chicken scampi with garlic parmesan rice is always a hit at my place when I’m short on time.

Bring Together the Stir Fry

Here’s where Garlic Chicken Lo Mein finally turns into dinner (and not just a bunch of separate piles). Toss your veggies in the pan. Get a little char if you like, or keep ‘em crisp. Add garlic at the right second, so it gets fragrant, not burned (my kitchen rule: when it smells awesome, you’re doing things right). Slide the chicken back in, toss in cooked noodles, and drizzle on your sauce. Stir it all around like a boss.

All those flavors start hanging out together—the sauce coats everything, the noodles soak up the flavor, and the smell… I’m telling you, it’ll drag everyone into the kitchen (pets included). Sprinkle sliced green onion or even a handful of sesame seeds if you want to get wild. That’s it, honestly. Don’t overthink. Make it messy and quick.

Serving Suggestions

So, after you plate this Garlic Chicken Lo Mein, here’s what I usually do:

• Splash a bit more soy sauce on top for extra flavor.
• For fun, I sometimes toss on crispy fried onions from a can.
• A light lemon wedge squeeze makes it taste so fresh.
• Honestly, just eat it standing at the counter—I do this a lot, no shame.

Comes out just as good as takeout, but it’s your fork.

Common Questions

Q: Can I use a different meat or go veggie?
A: Totally, beef or tofu works great. Adjust the cooking time as needed.

Q: What if I can’t find lo mein noodles?
A: Spaghetti is a surprisingly great substitute—promise, no one will sue you.

Q: How do I stop chicken from going chewy?
A: Velvet it! And don’t overcook. Seriously, less is more here.

Q: Can I make it less salty?
A: Easy—just use low-sodium soy sauce. You can always add more salt, not take it out.

Q: Leftovers… can I actually reheat this and not be sad?
A: Yep, microwave with a splash of water, and it’s almost like new.

Now You’re the Lo Mein Hero

So there you go, my best tips for making Garlic Chicken Lo Mein that actually tastes amazing (and sometimes better than delivery). Don’t stress if you mess up a step or toss in extra veggies. Cooking should be fun, not fussy. If you’re inspired after this, check out some legendary versions at Garlic Chicken Lo Mein – Two & A Knife or grab a different take from Garlic Chicken Lo Mein Recipe for even more ideas. All that’s left is to get cooking—seriously, you won’t want takeout after this, I promise.

Garlic Chicken Lo Mein

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• Author: hamidkom
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Diet: Gluten-Free (if using gluten-free noodles)

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Description

A quick and easy recipe for Garlic Chicken Lo Mein that delivers restaurant-quality flavor at home.

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Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless chicken (thigh or breast), sliced
• 2 cups lo mein noodles (or spaghetti)
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• Red pepper flakes (optional)

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Instructions

1. Velvet the chicken by tossing it with cornstarch, a splash of soy sauce, and a little oil. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
2. Prepare all your ingredients by chopping veggies, mincing garlic, and measuring sauces.
3. Heat a skillet or wok over high heat and cook the velveted chicken until no longer pink, then set aside.
4. In the same pan, stir-fry the veggies until charred or crisp, then add garlic and cook until fragrant.
5. Return the chicken to the pan, add cooked noodles, and drizzle soy sauce over everything. Toss to combine.
6. Serve topped with sliced green onions and enjoy!

Notes

Experiment with different vegetables and noodle sauces for a personalized touch.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Stir-frying
• Cuisine: Asian