One Pot Chicken Lo Mein Recipe – Uncooked pasta, chicken, veggies, broth, and Asian seasonings are simmered together in a pot for an easy dinner recipe.
One pot meals are so cool! You can simmer uncooked pasta, with some broth and veggies, and it will create an almost creamy sauce. This is my one pot version of chicken lo mein.
I guess it isn’t technically lo mein since I used linguini instead of traditional lo mein noodles, which contain egg. But, it’s close. Pasta tends to cook up better in one pot recipes than traditional lo mein noodles.
Using pasta also means that all of the ingredients in this dish are things that many people keep on hand in their pantry or refrigerator.
How to make Chicken Lo Mein
*Note: The full printable recipe card is at the bottom of this post.
- Add uncooked chunks of chicken breast to a large pot.
- Top with uncooked linguini or fettuccini pasta.
- Then, top with carrots, bell pepper, green onions, garlic, soy sauce, garlic powder, corn starch, sugar, red pepper flakes, chicken broth, and olive oil.
- Cover it and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Then, stir and reduce to a simmer.
- Cook covered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cook until most of the liquid is gone and the chicken is cooked through.
You could change this up by adding just about any vegetables that you like. Also, this could easily be made into a vegetarian dish by using vegetable broth and leaving out the chicken.
Check out these other great One Pot Pasta Recipes.
- One Pot Cajun Chicken Alfredo
- One Pot Southwest Pasta
- One Pot Pasta Con Broccoli
- One Pot Pasta from Southern Living
Watch the step by step recipe video for One Pot Chicken Lo Mein below.
Find more of my recipes on TikTok
One Pot Chicken Lo Mein Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast -cut into small chunks
- 1 lb. box linguini or fettuccini pasta -broken in half (I used whole wheat)
- 4 medium carrots -peeled and cut in thin 3 inch long strips
- 1 medium red bell pepper -cut in thin 3 inch long strips
- 1 bunch green onions -white part sliced and green part cut in 3 inch long strips
- 4 cloves garlic -minced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add the chicken, then the pasta, then the remaining ingredients to a large stockpot and cover. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Stir and reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Cook covered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until most of the liquid is gone and the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the lid and let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Check out all of my great chicken recipes.
This recipe is so tasty! It made me want to try some of your other recipes; shocker, they are all fabulous too! You are the queen of easy and delicious meals!!
Made this for my husband and 14 yo grandson. I had hosted a bridal shower the day before & had veggies left over from a relish tray I made. I made this using only veggies. I added more chicken broth because I added more vegetables than it called for. It was a hit with us all. Next time I will add a bit more corn starch since I added extra broth just to thicken it up a bit more. Regardless, we enjoyed it. Will make again.
This was so simple and so delicious, using everyday ingredients I already had on hand! Will definitely make it again.
Delish-i left out the minced garlic and crushed red pepper because we don’t like spice. All cooked nicely and smelled great!
Overall, it is a good recipe, and the noodles cooked perfectly, but even though the veggies were cut in the size as instructed, I found that they all came out mushy. I also found it lacked flavor. I salvaged it by adding salt and some hoisin. Next time I’ll cut the carrots into thick rounds and the peppers into chunks.
This is a most delicious recipe – and so easy to make. My husband loved it as much as I did. For the 2 of us, I halved the ingredients and still had enough left over for dinner tonight. I printed it and it will be repeated often for our dinner. Thank you for sharing. I will be trying your meatloaf recipe
next. My husband has said he does not like meatloaf and because of that, I have never made it for
us. Because, I do like it, I will make it for our dinner tomorrow and we shall see if he eats it. I am encouraged that he will like it from all the good reviews it has received. Pe
Personally I would add an Asian noodle, such as ramen or rice noodles instead of the Italian noodles. Gives it a more authentic feel 😍 otherwise 10/10!!
This is a favorite at our house. So easy! Even if I don’t have the veggies on hand, its great with just the chicken and noodles.
My whole extended family enjoyed this meal, to my surprise! Thank you
I found your recipe few years ago and been ever since, my family love it! My mom likes how it’s not so oily and made with veggies. We will make this every so often.
I would like to leave out the onions, what could I use instead? Thanks! Also, how many people would you say this serves. If I half it, would it still cook as long?
Even my daughter eats this! She’s so picky!
I am not at all a message leaver but I had to let you know that I LOVE this recipe and have made it very often. I have a lot of traumatic brain injuries and, while I was a great cook, I now have to keep recipes very simple and I want tasty and (relatively) healthy food. This recipe rocks!!! I cut the recipe down to thirds and use a bag of frozen stir fry vegs and Barilla protein plus spaghetti (It retains a chewiness). Bravo! I have had it twice this week! Thank you!
I’ve made this dish a few times now & it’s been a big hit! It’s so easy, versatile, & economical. I’ve done switch-outs & add-ins with different veggies & meat & it turns out delicious every time. I just use whatever meat & veggies I have on hand. Great way to clean out the fridge. Again, always a big hit with the family. And with me as it is so easy & the one-pot method saves time with cleanup as well. Thank you for the inspiration!
This was awesome! My 7 year old is very picky and loved it.
I used this recipe with 3/4 lbs of beef instead of chicken and replaced the chicken broth with beef broth. I also split the oil using sesame and olive oils. It came out quite tasty…thanks for posting the recipe! Simple too!
Too anyone wondering if it is truly quick and easy to make. I’m a 25 year Male fresh out of college and living on my own. Never cooked a day in my life until this year. I tried this out with zucchini and it is by far the best dish I have made and was a much needed win in the kitchen.
I added about 2 cups of chopped cabbage in place of about half the noodles. It blended in well and the kiddos couldn’t tell at all. Great way to reduce carbs and get more veggies in!
Love the recipe but double up on the veggies and even the chicken if you are big on meat. I have been using this recipe for a while and it is great… With my adjustments… Add sriaccha serving
This recipe is delicious! I used lo mein noodles instead of the pasta noodles. If you are going to use lo mein, cook the veggies first, then add a little more broth to the pot before putting the noodles in. I didn’t the first time and the noodles were sticky and didn’t cook all the way through.
I didn’t use enough broth last time*
Just had this for lunch. I used angel hair pasta as some reviewers recommended. I also just sliced my carrots. I used a whole onion roughly chopped, and green bell pepper slices in strips. I also used about a pound and a half of chicken. I garnished with more soy sauce after it was prepared. This was delicious!! We will definitely be making this again.
Yummy! This was fantastic and do quick to make. Thank you! Next time I would add the red pepper flakes to mine and my husbands after cooking, too spicy for my kiddos. Other than that it was perfect, not to much liquid. Thanks again! 🙂
This was fantastic and do quick to make. Thank you! Next time I would add the red pepper flakes to mine and my husbands after cooking, too spicy for my kiddos. Other than that it was perfect, not to much liquid. Thanks again! 🙂
Had this for dinner tonight. It was delicious But it needed salt. A bit blah for us.
I use gluten free pasta and it was perfect.
Just wanted to say thanks for the recipe! I made it today and it was amazing. I just moved it to my favorites section. 🙂
Just found your recipe on Pinterest. Made it with what I had, so no peppers and subbed in spaghetti and more chicken. It was delicious! Thank you.
I just made this for dinner and it is absolutely delicious! So easy, simple, and yummy.
Is the sugar necessary? Is there a specific purpose for it or is it ok to leave it out?
I made this for dinner tonight, it was so easy and fast to get it ready, and it was delicious, my kids loved it, my husband had 2 bowls of it.
Thank you.
Ok, I literally just tried this recipe, doing everything exactly as written everyone I replaced the veggie oil with seseme oil.I’ll be honest, I was a little nervous thinking dinner might not turn out right. Amazing! The only thing I might do different next time is add more chicken. A half lb of chicken wasn’t enough for us. But that’s ok. The recipe is still great!
Has anyone tried this in an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker?
15 minutes
5 minute release
Stir
Let sit 10 minutes
Do not need cornstarch
So good!!
I also added ginger and sesame seed oil 😁
That should say 5 minutes not 15
My bad!
Just saw this and thought wow, gotta make it. But I was wondering, is that celery in the photograph with the ingredients and the pasta laid on the pot? But I don’t see celery listed in the ingredients. What gives?
Hi Robert, That’s green onion in the picture. You’re right, no celery. Although, that would probably be good. 🙂
Greetings Amanda, this may come across negative and it’s not intended to be but Italian pasta noodles are not the same consistency and flavor as Oriental noodles are. I know a lot of cooks just will nilly substitute the Italian pasta for the Oriental and really that’s okay however if you really like that authentic taste and flavor of the Orient, I recommend using actual Oriental stir fry noodles. Aside from that, I LOVE this recipe idea. I make a lot of Oriental and Asian dishes at home. Lo Mein is one of my favorites and often I go the tedious route to making it. However I think I will give this a try but with the Oriental stir fry noodles. 😉
I just want to say, I cannot and do not cook but I am AMAZED at how freaking easy this was and how amazing it tastes! I seriously cannot believe it. THANK YOU for this recipe!
Hi Nadine, I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks so much 🙂
For your recipe of the one dish chow mien. Could you just make all the ingredients without the pasta? I don’t like the idea of eating all that starch from the pasta? I alway rinse my pasta and drain the milky floury water, or is there a reason for this. To be used a a thickener. Maybe I will at least start my pasta in hot water to get most of the flour out. Anyway love your page.
the pasta now does not need to be rinsed
This is delicious!! I followed the recipe exactly except used almost 2x the amount of chicken. So good! Will be making this again for sure 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
The whole family loved it – from 90 year old Mom to the parrots who eat noodles! I added about half a teaspoon of grated ginger with the original ingredients and finished it off with a tiny drizzle of sesame oil at serving. I will be adding this to the family favorite s list! THANK YOU for sharing. Espi.
I followed the recipe except I used chicken thighs. It was very easy and delicious. I’m making it again tonight and will add water chestnuts. I’m glad that it’s freezeable because it makes a large amount. Although this isn’t a make ahead of time meal, all of the veggies can be chopped ahead of time so prep is reduced to almost 0 and it’s on the table in 20 minutes.
This was EXCELLENT! Followed the recipe nearly exact- used lo mein egg noodles, subbed half the olive oil for sesame oil, and added a can of bamboo shoots and water chestnuts. Also added freshly grated ginger. Definitely was not watery like others said, I allowed it to cool 10 minutes and the sauce thickened up beautifully. I’ll definitely be making again soon!
I just tried this dish tonight for my family and it was wonderful, everyone loved it. I thought I would have to doctored it up after it was almost done but I didn’t have to. The seasonings were perfect. I did use sesame oil instead of the vegetable oil and it worked well in this recipe. I will definitely make this dish again and again. Thank you so much for it.
Great! I’m so glad you liked it!
Can you use zucchini as well?
Thanks. Looks amazing. This is tonight’s dinner.
Yes. Zucchini, or almost any other vegetable could be added to this dish.
I made this tonight for my kids and for the first time in MONTHS my 2 year old completely cleared his plate! I had to substitute regular onions for the green ones because we ran out but it was absolutely amazing! I normally don’t comment on stuff like this at all but I just had to say how happy I am that I found something my son will eat! My daughter (4yo) had 3 servings too! Thank you!
Made this tonight and it was delicious!!! I had some ginger root on hand so I added that and some mushrooms that soaked up the liquid and made a nice addition. My 3 year old loved it which is always a good sign!
Thanks for this receipe. This dish is amazing! Tasty and quick. I made it with beef stock and beef instead of chicken and replaced noodles with GF noodles. (This meant I only put noodles in the last 7 minutes.).
I made this for dinner tonight and I just had to tell you it was AMAZING!!! The only thing I will change next time, is I will double it!! So yummy!!!
I just came across your website when searching for Southwest Pasta. I love all the recipes I’ve seen thus far, and would try this with the Lo Mein noodles I do stock in my pantry (I’m not Asian but I do love Asian cooking especially noodle dishes), and I think it could work but since those noodles are a bit thicker, it may take a little bit longer.
These recipes are easy, and to only have one pot to wash every day? That would be amazing!
Is this freezer friendly? I would love to be able to have one pot freezer friendly recipes since I just got my Food Saver, and would love to be able to make large batches to freeze for later.
I was just coming on here to ask if it’s freezable. It’s just two of us and a baby so this would make like 3 dinners. Did you end up freezing it? If so, did it come out good?
I just made this on the stove top in my dutch oven. SO GOOD and one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever done. Thanks for sharing!
I believe there is no need to cook the past in the sauce to have a creamy sauce. It gets hard to manage different cooking times. The trick we use in Italy and especially Naples to make any sauce creamy and make the flavours blend is to add little bit of water cooking pasta that contains amides in the sauce you are cooking, then keep a quarter of a glass of this same water on the side. If your pasta cooking time is 10 minutes, drain it at 8 and finish the cooking in the sauce pan while adding the water you need to balance the liquidity! Believe me it will be creamy and u adapt better rather than having to have everything pre-programmed!
Hi – I appreciate recipes that have nutrition facts on them. It makes it so much easier for portion control. I also found this recipe on “My Fitness Pal.” It says 332 calories for one serving. What is the serving size so I can portion correctly?
Thank you!!
this came out really good! going to try some more of your recipes!
do you think you could use ramen noodles for this recipe? I have a ton in my pantry for quick lunches, but no spaghetti or linguine noodles. What do you think?
I love this recipe. It is so simple and makes yummy leftovers. I have recently been eating cleaning and losing weight. This recipe is great for meal prep to eat throughout the week.
I am exercising quite a bit so I wanted to ensure there was plenty of protein. Last time I used quinoa pasta noodles. I substituted one tbsp of EVOO for sesame oil. Additionally included asparagus, mushrooms, and shrimp. So good!
The food looks awesome- will be making it this week but I just had to comment and say how gorgeous your hair is!!! Seriously- it distracted me from the recipe. I wish mine was as healthy looking as yours!
if I wanted to use rice noodles or lo mein noodles will I need to change anything to the ingredients?
I made this last night for me and my picky kids…so easy and SO good, they loved it and so did I. Will definitely be making it again. Followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfect. Thanks so much!!!
Thanks for the great recipe from another RD! I’ve been looking for recipes that are quick (but still wholesome) since I had my 11 month old, who also ate it all up 🙂 I think next time I’ll add extra veggies and maybe some snap peas! Thanks again!
So, I stumbled upon this recipe on Pinterest and decided to make it using what I already had at home. I used a pack of birds eye frozen pepper and onions as well as some fresh broccoli. I also used whole wheat linguini pasta and chicken broth instead of vegetable. It was great! I’ll be making this again. My stove did need a couple of minutes longer to absorb the remaining liquid, but I don’t think it affected anything.
My kids like this recipe and it’s so simple. I use shred carrots and add broccoli. Thanks for the great recipe!!
I made this tonight, it was so good!!!! I used whole wheat pasta and added broccoli and pea pods. Cooked up perfectly and the flavor was great. Thanks for the recipe!
Made this tonight and it’s so crazy easy and super good!! I do think next time I will add more veggies (carrots, celery, red peppers, green onions, mushrooms, baby corn, water chestnuts, zucchini). But thanks for the recipe and will try some other “one pot” recipes, yum 🙂
Delicious recipe! Made it with peanut butter and cashews. Thanks!
i have cooked noodles I need to use. Can the recipe be tweaked for those?
I made this last night, so easy and very good! The only change I made was to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, a personal preference. I will make this again, thank you for a great recipe!!!
Thanks Marla! I’m so glad you liked it!
My kids are extremely picky eaters and they just love this. Wonderful, tasty recipe!
Thanks LeeAnn! I’m so glad you and your family liked it!
I am making this tonight with asparagus,broccoli,red,yellow and green peepers,carrots sugar snap peas, I did not have the garlic powder it called for..I used fett. noodles. I should have realized the veggies would cook faster than the noddles and cooked them seperately. Lesson learned but still was yummy. I did not let the noodles absorb all the liquid because the broccoli and asparagas would have been mushy. Good flavor and even my child thats picky ate it.I will make it again,.
Thanks Theresa! I’m glad you and your family enjoyed it!
That’s a good point. If you like your veggies to stay a little crunchy, they could be added later in the cooking process.
I used whole wheat fettucine and followed the recipe, other than using a tablespoon of soy sauce. It was really, really good! The chicken broth was the perfect amount. I like so many of the ideas here such as using sesame oil, adding veggies and more chicken. Very versatile recipe. Thanks for your idea of baking to reheat leftovers.
Thanks Susan! I’m so glad you liked it!
I have a suggestion that might make the recipe taste a bit more “authentic”. Learned this from an old Asian Chef when I was at Culinary school. Take a whole onion and rough cut it into about 8 chunks. Take a 2 inch piece of ginger and slice it into 6 pieces. Place under the broiler and cook until the edges of the onion start to brown and char, and the ginger becomes very fragrant. The charring is good!, but do not burn them.
Throw these into the broth and let them simmer in the broth for 30 minutes, then remove them. Add 2 Tbs. soy sauce to the broth, the continue with the recipe. It will boost the flavor tremendously.
This is a favorite with the whole family. Best part is that it’s quick and easy. Love this recipe!!!!
Janet,
Thank you! I’m so glad you like it!
If anyone has successfully done this in the crock pot please share what you did. I tried and mine bombed. I hope there is some way to make it in the crock pot because that’s how we eat during soccer season. Thanks!!
Found you on Pinterest and tried this – loved it, whole family did, actually. 🙂 We substituted bok choy and cabbage for the carrots and celery and it was perfect. No extra liquid, noodles cooked just right. 🙂 The only problem was that it didn’t seem like enough chicken for a whole pound box of pasta – I’m thinking I’ll double the chicken next time, or half the pasta, either or lol.
Now, question if you don’t mind, do you think this will freeze & reheat well? Because a whole box of pasta really made a lot for my family of 3…lol.
Havan,
I’m so glad you liked it!
I do think it would be ok to freeze. But, I wouldn’t try to reheat it in a pasta pot. I find that when you freeze and reheat noodles or pasta, they become a little mushy and fall apart easily. I think the best way to reheat them is by baking them, so they don’t need to be stirred.
If I were going to try to freeze this, I would spoon the cooked product into one of those disposable aluminum casserole dishes. Cover it with aluminum foil; and freeze it. When it’s time to reheat it, I would bake it at 350 degrees F. for 45-60 minutes, covered (until heated through). Hope this helps.
Is the amount of fiber 53.9g correct in this one pot lo mein recipe?
Nancy,
There are 53.9 grams of carbohydrate in one serving of lo mein. There are 7.2 grams of fiber in each serving. That is, if you make the lo mein the same way that I did in the recipe, using whole wheat pasta.
I really enjoy the flavors that came from the dish. I did substituted 1 tsp of sesame oil as suggested, but followed recipe to T.
I found that after 10 minutes of cook time, all liquid was absorbed already and sticking to the bottom of the pot. At that point I did add more broth, but are there any other suggestions for what I could do for next time?
Lisa,
I’m glad you liked it!
If all the liquid was absorbed after 10 minutes, I bet that medium-low is warmer on your range than it is on mine. So, you could do a couple things to fix this.
1. Let it cook on low for the full 15 minutes the recipe calls for.
Or:
2. Cut the chicken into small pieces to ensure that it will be cooked through in 10 minutes. If the liquid was absorbed in 10 minutes, I would assume that the pasta was done. As long as the chicken is cooked through, there shouldn’t be any problems with only cooking this dish for 10 minutes. As far as sticking goes, the higher the heat used, the more frequently it needs to be stirred. If you decide to cook this over a higher heat, I would suggest stirring every 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
Hope this helps!
Hey can I use beef instead of chicken? Any suggestions of what cut of meat to use? Thanks!
I’ve been a little hesitant to use beef in this dish. If the cut of beef is too lean, it could be tough. If it’s too fatty, the whole dish will be greasy and the calorie count will soar.
Personally, I would try one of the leaner cuts like sirloin, top round, eye of round, or bottom round. Since these are lean cuts, I would thinly slice the meat against the grain to try to prevent it from turning tough as it cooks.
Hope this helps.
Looks great! As a vegetarian, I am going to take your tips to make this veg, but also add baked or fried tofu after it is done cooking!
Heather,
Adding prepared tofu to the finished product is a fantastic idea! That sounds great. Hope you like it!
Thanks.
I made this last night and it is SO good! I was running low on chicken broth so I used half chicken and half beef, which gave it a wonderful, meatier flavor. Mine took about 10 minutes longer to cook down than the recipe projected, but I think that’s because I used a frozen vegetable mix rather than fresh veggies. Thanks for the recipe! Will definitely be making this one again.
Chloe,
Good point! Using frozen vegetables would slow down the cooking process a bit.
I’m so glad you liked it. Thanks!
Sorry. That’s supposed to be “Lauren Graham”
LOL. No one has ever said that to me before. When I read this, I immediately googled her, and I do kind of see a resemblance. I will definitely take that as a compliment. Thanks!
Also, I’m very happy that you enjoyed this dish!
Wow, you look JUST like Laurent Graham in that video!! BTW, I LOOOOVE this dish! It’s such an easy way to have an “Asian” for dinner!!! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi, I would like to try this with teriyaki sauce I stead of soy. Do you think I should still us 1/4 cup?
Steph,
Yep. That’s what I would do. Hope you like it!
This was so good! My two year old ate it without balking and my husband went back for seconds-two of the highest compliments.
Thanks Rebecca! I’m happy to hear that your family enjoyed it!
I just made this tonight and it was AWESOME!!! I am so keeping this recipe and will use it often!!! Thanks so much for posting it! Yummo!
Katie,
Thank you! I’m so glad you liked it!
I can’t wait to try this! It looks so yummy. I just bought a gorgeous, very large, red pepper. I will use half of that and a bag of broccoli slaw, along with the other ingredients that you listed. Thanks!
Sheri,
Broccoli slaw is a great idea! I love using pre-chopped veggies for quick and easy cooking.
Since the veggies in slaw are shredded, you may want to add them halfway through the cooking process so that they retain some texture.
Hope it works out for you. Thanks!
I love this recipe, I’ve been adding sesame seed oil and oyster sauce to it. I believe it helps give more of an asian flavor. I’ve also been using beef instead of chicken. (For some reason I’m the only one who like chicken in my house)
Ashley,
I’m so glad you like it! You are the first person to mention adding oyster sauce to this dish. What a great idea!
What cut of beef you use? I like to know what substitutions work well in this dish to help out other readers.
Thanks!
I just made this tonight! It was great!! I LOVE the one pot dishes, being a mom and student, and everything else under the sun, it makes for easy clean up! I read all the comments and couldn’t understand why people were saying they put water in it, you must have edited it out because I didn’t see water on the list and the consistency was perfect!
Taj,
Great! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe.
You are correct. I did edit the recipe to remove the water that was in the original recipe. There is a note underneath the recipe stating that the recipe was updated to remove the water. The consistency of the final product seemed to be better without it.
Thanks for the comment.
Loved this!!! Per some comments I did sesame oil instead of olive oil, but followed the rest exactly. It was a great, easy dinner that I will definitely make again. Thanks for sharing!
Kelsey,
I’m so glad you liked it! For those of us who enjoy sesame flavor, sesame oil is a great substitution. Thanks!
I can’t find corn starch where I live in Mexico is it necessary? Can I substitute with something else? Thanks.
Hi Lety.
The cornstarch is in this recipe to act as a thickening agent. There is enough starch released by the pasta that you should get similar results without the cornstarch.
If you would like to use flour as a substitute, I would whisk the flour with 1/2 cup of the broth before adding it to the pot. This will prevent lumps of flour.
As a busy mom of two under two, anything with “one pot wonder” in the name sounds perfect to me. This recipe proved to be even MORE amazing than I anticipated! I did have to make a few tweaks just because I didn’t have all the exact ingredients but it worked out just fine for us. I thought I would share for others….
— I used about 2-3 handfuls of baby carrots that I quartered (to keep them bite sized) into strips
— Used yellow & orange pepper instead of red
— I had half a box of Rice noodles (from a Thai dish I tired) instead of linguine
— Used about 6-8 boneless skinless chicken tenders (not the breaded or seasoned kind)
After making it I made notes for my family for next time. I would have cut back a bit on the soy sauce. My husband thought it was a bit salty. I maybe only use a 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, since I felt it was a bit spicy. But overall an amazing dish and one I am sharing with my friends.
Meghan,
I’m glad you had a good experience using rice noodles in this recipe. Thanks for the comment.
This is delicious! My whole family loved it. I already got requests to make it again soon.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Joana! I’m glad your family enjoyed the recipe!
I tried this tonight and it was delicious! I’ll admit healthy skepticism as I’ve never tried a “one pot wonder” dish, but it was really as simple as it sounds. I omitted the veggies because my husband doesn’t like them and instead sauteed up a package of frozen stir fry veggies to add into mine. It worked out great! I’ll add too that I only used 2 cloves of garlic instead of 4 and it was plenty garlicky for our taste. Just thought I’d mention that for anyone who doesn’t love a strong garlic flavor. Thanks for posting this recipe! It’s so nice to have another quick, healthy(ish) meal in my arsenal!
Aleah,
I’m so happy that you and your husband enjoyed this recipe. Thank you!
This is settling as I type .I added water chestnuts, fresh mushrooms, and powdered ginger taste tested great I also did not add water as mentioned in previous post.Thank you for this one!
Jessica,
If I do another Asian inspired One Pot Wonder, I will probably add water chestnuts. It seems like they would add a nice crunchy texture. Sounds great! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you!
LOVE it! I’m definitely following your blog for more recipes!
Since my grandmother taught me never to follow a recipe ‘exactly,’ I added kale, 2 stalks of celery and tossed in a little extra pepper flakes since we like spicy food–but kept everything else the same.
AMAZING. Absolutely amazing. KUDOS!
Jessica,
You are the second person that has mentioned adding kale to this recipe. That would have never crossed my mind, but sounds fantastic. I’m so glad you liked it. Thank you!
I love this recipe! It has become a household standby!
Angela,
I’m so happy you have made this one of your go-to recipes. Thanks for the comment.
I rarely comment on recipes that I find on Pinterest, but this one blew me out of the water! I followed it exactly except that I added more chicken and it was absolutely perfect. The taste was there and it cooked perfectly. I was worried at first because it seemed like there wasn’t enough water in thw pot to cook the pasta, but after it hit the “rapid boil,” that all changed. I was able to stir it in a pot that I thought was too small (Paula Deen dutch oven). It was almost too easy to be true and I worried for nothing! The only thing I would change next time is doing all of the chicken/veggie prep the night before because it took quite a while. I think I will also add some ginger next time for some more depth. Thank you so much for posting! We will definitely be adding this to the monthly rotating menu!
Jenn,
Doing the prep work ahead of time would make this dish come together even quicker and easier. That’s a great idea for busy weeknight cooking. I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you!
Made this tonight and it was absolutely amazing!! Would make again in a heart beat. Thanks for posting this! I’m a recent love on my own girl and need these types of recipes. Thanks again!
Kristina,
Thanks for the comment. I’m so glad you liked it!
THANK YOU! I found your recipe on Pinterest and have made it several times. I have a 3 year old and 5 year old and they gobble it up. I leave out the red pepper flakes because of the kids and my husband and I use siracha to spice up our own bowls. I added 1 cup of torn kale pieces (stems removed) and it was so good that I’d probably add 2 cups next time. To save chopping time, I also like to use pre-shredded carrots. I add them the last 5 minutes of cooking time so they don’t get too soft. Thank you for a great recipe that is in our regular dinner rotation!
Claire,
I would have never thought to add kale. That sounds wonderful! I’m so happy to hear that you and your family enjoy this recipe. Thank you!
Hi, Amanda. As of March 21, I had not chosen a menu for March 23, a day that I am hosting dinner for 20. I was drawn to your one pot wonder at first glance. Although I very much enjoy entertaining, I am not a “cook.” I hope you can reply before I grocery shop for this recipe. The only hesitation I have is that it does not seem to be a make-ahead dish and should be served soon after cooking. I believe I would be too nervous preparing it while my guests are present. Put pot in oven on low heat after cooking? Please help. Thank you
Paulette,
Sorry I didn’t see this yesterday. I often take Saturdays off and avoid my inbox for one day.
This dish is definitely best as soon as it is made. But, I think it would still be good if you kept it warm in a low oven for a little while. I think the veggies and pasta would probably continue to cook a little bit making them a little softer. But the flavor should still be good.
Cooking for a crowd is always a challenge, even for an experienced cook. Good luck with whatever you decide to make. Have fun at your party!
I made this tonight and loved it! I accidentally thawed dark meat chicken instead of the chicken breast but it still turned out really good! My husband suggested maybe adding sprouts but otherwise my family enjoyed it. It really is super easy and tastes good. Thanks for the recipe!
Yum, sprouts would be a nice addition. I would probably add them at the end so they keep their crunch and give the dish a nice texture. I’m glad you liked the recipe. Thank you!
So good! Made this tonight according to directions but doubled the chicken, added half a head of shredded cabbage and one sweet onion cut into strips. I also used stir fry sauce in lieu of soy sauce. Left out the 1/4 cup of water after reading reviews. My husband loved it, great way to get in a lot of veggies!
Suzanne,
I love the idea of adding shredded cabbage. I’m so glad you and your husband liked it! Thank you!
I’ve been trying to cut back on using oil. Can oil be omitted or replaced with something healthier?
Jen,
Personally, I would not cut the extra virgin olive oil out of this dish for three reasons.
1. There are only 2 tsp. of oil being divided among 6 servings. So, the amount of fat in each serving is already pretty low.
2. There are lots of healthy vitamins and minerals in this dish. Some of the vitamins (A, D, E, and K) are fat-soluble. This means that they require some fat to be properly absorbed into the body.
3. Extra virgin olive oil is primarily monounsaturated fat, which is considered a “healthy fat”.
Having said that, if you still feel like you want to cut the oil out of this recipe, I think it would turn out the same. The oil helps keep the pasta from sticking together. So, if you cut the oil, you will want to stir it more often to try to keep the pasta from sticking. I would try stirring it every 2 minutes or so. Hope this helps.
I made this tonight and we LOVED it (and we are extremely picky eaters). I was worried there wouldn’t be much flavor because of some posts, but it was packed with flavor and we loved the heat of the red pepper flakes. We added broccoli & mushrooms and left out the fresh red pepper. I increased the chicken and decreased the noodles. I was left with about 1.5 too many cups of broth, so I drained most of it and turned up the heat to get rid of the the rest. No problem. Next time I will probably add the chicken later in the cooking time or maybe not put it on the bottom as it cooked too much for me and was a little dry. Thanks for a great recipe I will use for years to come!
Hilde,
I agree. If you cut back on the noodles, you would also want to cut back on the broth. I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you!
I always try to comment when I make a recipe from a blog. My husband made this a while back and we loved it! Everything was cooked perfectly. It was our first experience with a one pot wonder and we were really amazed. Tonight I made the italian one pot wonder that’s all over Pinterest and it was really good but I still love this one best and will make many more times!
Torrey,
Thanks! I’m so glad you’re having a good experience with one pot wonder cooking. You might want to try my two other one pot wonders, pasta con broccoli and southwest pasta.
This recipe was terrible!!! Sorry to say cuz we were really looking forward to it being easy and delicious!! I doubled the recipe, omitted the water like everyone suggested and it was a soupy, sticky, gooey mess!! I threw the entire pot out. The veggies were so mushy they fell apart. It looked absolutely nothing like the pics shown.
Amy,
I’m sorry that you had a bad experience. I’m not sure why your lo mein looked nothing like the pictures shown in this blog post. You may be interested in seeing the new YouTube video that I just posted to this page. The video shows exactly what the lo mein should look like through the entire cooking process.
I found this recipe after my daughter requested chicken lo mein. She loved it and requested it again. My whole family said that it is one of their favorites! I considered reducing the liquid, but my husband and daughter said they like it just the way it is. Thanks for sharing!
That’s great Shannon. I’m so happy your family likes this easy dish. Thank you!
I’ve made this twice, it’s great. If you take the lid of the pot at the end and bring it to a roaring boil the liquid quickly evaporates and soaks in to the chicken and pasta. I leave the red pepper and red pepper flakes out and let everyone add the spice to their preference. I made it the first time with chicken broth and the second with vegetable broth. I preferred the chicken broth it gave it a richer flavor.
Franki,
I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe. Thanks!
I was wondering if you could use beef with this? And beef broth? Also for a cornstarch substitute could you use tapioca? Wanting to try it tonight but realizing I’m missing a few ingredients!
Went ahead with my plan and it was AMAZING! I didn’t have a lot of fresh veggies other than squash and celery, so I diced that up and threw in the pot with whole wheat pasta, beef, a frozen bag of stir fry veggies and the other ingredients substituting one tablespoon of EVOO for sesame oil and it was delicious! Can’t wait to make again along with trying your other one pot wonders! Thank you for sharing!
Kendra,
I’m so glad the beef and tapioca worked out. You just gave me an idea for another one pot wonder 🙂 Thanks! What cut of beef did you use?
Also, I love the idea of using frozen stir fry veggies. That would really make this dish come together quickly.
If i dont have corn starch what can i substitute?
Victoria,
You could substitute some all-purpose flour for the cornstarch with a couple of other alterations. Flour doesn’t have exactly the same thickening capabilities as cornstarch. So, you will need to use a little more flour. Also, flour is more likely to become lumpy in a sauce if not well combined before the sauce is heated.
Here is what I would do. Use 1 tablespoon of flour (compared to the 1 tsp. in the recipe). In a small bowl, whisk the flour with 1 cup of the chicken broth until dissolved. Then add this mixture to the pot with the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil as the recipe states.
Hope this works out for you.
Made this last night. Didn’t read comments first and would have benefitted from leaving out the water. I doubled the chicken to a pound and will use even more chicken next time. My family loved it. I loved the one pot clean up.
Karen,
I’m so glad that your family liked it!
Yes, there have been a few comments about leaving out the water due to the consistency of the final dish being a little soupy. Due to these comments, I will be updating the recipe and providing an instructional youtube video within the next couple of days. Thanks for your feedback.
I have to say I tried this and it turned out terrible! The only change I made to the recipe was to use a Shandong style noodle, which I thought would be a little more authentic and I had it on hand. They are made of wheat as well. The end result was a dish SMOTHERED in a gravy like sauce, noodles that were stuck in clumps, and the flavor was pretty terrible as well, salty and nothing Asian about it. Sorry, but not impressed.
Jacqui,
I often get questions about making substitutions in this recipe. You know, would it work if I change this or that. I will keep Shandong noodles on the list of things that do not work. Good to know.
Wow, you sound a little bitter and angry. It’s a recipe, not a blueprint for life. : )
I am trying this tonight (inspite of your 5 or 6 derailing words when just 1 would suffice, lol). I AM using dried authentic Udon noodles, bok choy, leek, baby Asian corn, water chestnuts, red bell pepper, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, Chinese 5 spice, sesame oil, bean sprouts and shrimp with BBQ pork. I’ll report back, but sometimes you can just see and taste it all coming together.
Thanks for suggesting a very cool recipe. : ) found it on Pinterst!
This is very tasty although it could use a bit more seasoning for my taste. I would also reduce the liquid a LOT next time, as it came out more like a soup. But it was quick and easy and used things I have in my pantry already. Thanks!
I was wondering about the calories. Is it for the whole dish or per serving?
Hi Summer. The calories/nutrition info is for one serving (1/6 of the whole dish). Hope you enjoy it!
I made this for my two daughters and I tonight. I called it “fancy Chinese noodles” for them. Such a GREAT dish! My 8-year-old (who never raves about the food I make) said “mom, this is definitely your best homemade meal ever.” Music to a mommy’s ears :-). Thank you so much for the delicious and EASY recipe.
Came across your recipe on Pinterest!! I am cooking this as I type!!
Mine is on the stove right now. I added the sesame oil like someone suggested, some broccoli, and mushrooms. It smells soooooo good! Thanks again!
Keep the One Pot Wonder recipes coming! I, too, tried the tomato basil one and we loved it! I was psyched when I saw this one, and have now marked all of your OPW’s to try in the very near future. (Tonight we will have this one!)
Thanks so much!
This was pretty good- it was watery even without adding the water to the recipe. I drained off some of the liquid. I also added fresh cilantro to each dish as served!!
I made this last night and it was awesome! I added a ton of veggies and used 4 chicken breasts, sweet onions and water chestnuts. I kept everything else as you had instructed. Thanks for the recipe! I’ll be making this again for sure! My husband loved it too!
I made this tonight with Tinkyada Gluten Free Spaghetti. (didn’t have any linguine) Turned out well. Subbed the soy sauce with Bragg Liquid Aminos. Used 4c broth but no water. And I altered the veggies to what I had. Turned out good- we both liked it. If you use this pasta be sure to mix the noodles up well so they don’t clump together. It may have been a bit moist compared to the regular recipe.
I’m glad to hear that there is a gluten free pasta that works in this dish. Thanks!
I made this tonight for my picky husband and children and everyone enjoyed it! The best part was the ease of tossing everything in one pot and walking away! I took the suggestion of some and didn’t add the water. It was perfect! My husband suggested adding some bean sprouts or water chestnuts for a little crunch. May have to try that next time.
Awesome recipe! I did not add the water and I cooked it a little longer, but I did everything else the same. I’m hoping our Chinese exchange student likes it! Thanks!
This was delicious! I skipped the water all together after reading reviews and it turned out perfectly – will make again! Thanks for sharing this.
So this was fantastic by the end of the of the suggest cooking time it still looked soup so I have it changed for next time. However it was still amazing. I added ginger seeing as how I had it on hand. Will make it again
Boil the stock, add pasta. Cook by it self for about 5 minutes. Cook covered for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.Then add vggies and soy mix (soy,corstarch, sugar and sirarcha) remain coverred. Cook until most of the liquid is gone and the chicken is cooked through about another 5 minutes uncovered.
Hi! I was just wondering, did you put everything in at once or slowly add them in?? Really want to try but I don’t want to ruin it!
Just add all of the ingredients, then cook. No need to add things in stages.
Have you tried making this with rice at all? Do you think it would work out the same way, cooking the rice in with everything else?
I found this recipe on Pinterest and it looks really good! I love one pot recipies so I’ll be pinning it!
Yum! I am crazy for Asian food but rarely cook it myself. The title “One Pot Wonder” on Pinterest sure caught my eye!
Trying this tonight with Tinkyada rice linguini, as we are GF. I will let you know how it turns out! 🙂
Hi Erin, How did the Tinkyada pasta work? I’d like to try it with the same.
Can this be done with shrimp instead of chicken?
Yes. This would be great with shrimp! The only thing is, shrimp doesn’t take that long to cook.
If I were making this with shrimp, I would leave the shrimp out until the dish was almost done. I would add the shrimp during the last 4 or 5 minutes of cooking to keep them from turning rubbery and overdone.
I have seen several one-pot wonders, but have yet to try them because we are gluten-free. I use a quinoa/corn noodle that often leaves a very starchy, yellow-colored water when I drain the noodles. Do you know if these noodles would work in your dish? It looks delicious and we would love to try it.
Unfortunately, I don’t think it would work as well. One of my friends cooks with quinoa noodles a lot and tried using them in another one pot wonder pasta dish (the one that this recipe was based on) and it didn’t work for her. She said the liquid didn’t absorb into the quinoa noodles. I’m sure different types and brands of gluten-free pasta will behave differently, though. Maybe the type that you use will work better than the type my friend used.
This is amazing and my husband absolutely LOVES Asian dishes, so this one will be one we are trying for sure. Thank you so much for sharing.
Blessings,
Nicole @ WKH
Is a serving a cup? This recipe looks delicious! Thank you so much for posting.
That’s a good question. Honestly, I didn’t actually measure out the servings as I was plating this dish. I just divided the lo mein among 6 different plates. Just from eyeballing the serving that I had on my plate I would say that the serving size is probably just over 1 cup.
Would tofu work well in this instead of chicken? I haven’t cooked much with tofu, but whenever I buy a lo mein dish, I get it with with tofu instead of chicken. 🙂
Yes. Tofu should work.
Keep in mind that tofu becomes more firm as it is boiled. Personally, I think extra firm tofu might end up being too firm after boiling for 15 minutes. Also, I would avoid getting the soft or silky tofu because that would sort of disappear in the sauce. I think the best bet is probably medium or firm tofu depending on the consistency that you like.
would it work as well if you did use traditional lo mein noodles? I’m not avoiding egg. Found you on Pinterest, btw.
I have only made this with whole wheat pasta since it is something that I always have in my pantry.
But, you’re right. Why not try this with traditional lo mein noodles!?
Lo mein noodles should work the same way. Just make sure that you get dried lo mein noodles and not fresh. Also, keep an eye on the liquid levels as it cooks. If it looks like it is drying out, add a little water. If it looks like it is a little too wet after 15 minutes of cooking, crank up the heat a little and cook a few more minutes until the liquid is evaporated/absorbed.
If you try it, let me know how it turns out. Thanks!
I ended up using Vermicelli, it was wonderful!! I didn’t have the energy to get to the big grocery store where I surely would have found Lo Mein, but just made a stop at a local Mexican grocery and bought the best option possible. Our family enjoyed this recipe greatly and we’ll use it again. I subbed one teaspoon of the olive oil for sesame oil which was very yummy.
Sesame oil is a great idea! I’m glad you and your family liked it!
So I tried the vermicelli because I happened to have some but as soon as i stirred it the noodles seized up and clumped together into a goopy blob. I tried adding water which released more starch and the noodles disintegrated into a starchy soup consistency. Any recommendations?
I am wondering if this would work with rice noodles?? Or even angel hair pasta,not a big fan of lomein,thanks
I used angel hair pasta and it turned.out great!
I too think this would be an excellent crock pot dish! This looks wonderful!
Really delicious! When mine was done though, I felt like it was a bit soup-y. I think next time I would’t add the 1/4 cup of water right away. Instead, I’d let it cook and watch to see if it really needs more liquid.
Good tip. Thank you!
Have you tried this in the crock pot?
I have not made this in the crock pot. What an interesting idea! If you are going to try this in the crock pot I would suggest being around to occasionally check the liquid levels as it cooks. In my original recipe, everything cooks in 15 minutes. My concern is that cooking it low and slow for several hours may cause it to dry out. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out. Thanks!
Crock pot cooking is one of the very few methods where you end up with more liquid than you started with, rather than less. The juices from the meat and vegetables with increase your liquid. If I was going to try this in the slow cooker, I would add only 1/4 c. water and I would try throwing in the pasta for the last 30-60 minutes. I may just have to try it!… This recipe looks really great, by the way. Thanks!
I haven’t tried this–just saw it. I think I’m going to try it as well. I never add ALL those ingredients because I’m just one person here!!!! But, I bet there will be lots of flavor…………am making it in the crockpot 🙂
We really enjoyed this recipe! I doubled the soy sauce, by accident, and it was still really good. Thank you for sharing!
Crystal,
Thank you! I’m glad you liked it!