This healthy lo mein recipe is an easy, homemade take on your favorite takeout dish. Featuring tender chicken, vibrant veggies, and a sweet and savory sauce, it’s a family-friendly meal you can have on the table in just 15 minutes!
15 Minute Healthy Lo Mein Recipe
This is my go-to lo mein recipe when a craving strikes, and it never disappoints. Quick and easy, it comes together in less time than it takes to order takeout! Plus, it’s made with natural, nutritious, whole food ingredients you can feel good about.
I like to make this recipe with chicken. However, you can skip that to make this a vegetable lo mein. Or, substitute it with another protein source like beef or shrimp. No matter how you serve it, this homemade lo mein recipe is always a hit.
Jump to:
- 15 Minute Healthy Lo Mein Recipe
- What is Lo Mein?
- Healthy Lo Mein Ingredients
- How to Make Chicken Lo Mein (Healthy Recipe)
- Expert Tips
- Optional Variations
- What to serve with Homemade Chicken Lo Mein
- How to Store Healthy Lo Mein
- Lo Mein Noodles Recipe FAQs
- For more quick recipes, check out my:
- More Popular The Fit Peach Recipes
- Recipe
- Reviews
What is Lo Mein?
Lo mein is a popular Chinese food dish that is made with wheat noodles, stir-fried vegetables, and meat with a teriyaki-like sauce. The name “lo mein” translates from Cantonese to mean “tossed noodles,” which is exactly what this dish is!
What’s the Difference Between Lo Mein and Chow Mein?
Chow mein translates to “fried noodles,” and is made with thick noodles that are fried before being combined with vegetables and meat. As a result, the noodles are crispier and chow mein is slightly less saucy than lo mein.
Healthy Lo Mein Ingredients
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions for this healthy lo mein recipe are in the recipe card below.
For the sauce
- Coconut aminos - This adds a teriyaki flavor without the need for soy sauce, but soy sauce will also work.
- Sesame oil - Used to add a subtle nutty taste.
- Honey - Adds a sweetness to the sauce and helps create a crisp crust on the chicken.
- Sriracha - Used to add extra depth and a kick of heat. Hot sauce will also work.
- Ginger - Opt for freshly grated ginger instead of ginger powder for a strong, bright, slightly tangy flavor.
- Arrowroot starch - Used to thicken the sauce.
Meal ingredients
- Chicken breast - I highly recommend using boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe as they sear nicely and absorb the flavor of the sauce well.
- Olive oil - Used to cook and sear the chicken and veggies.
- Veggies - Broccoli florets, red bell pepper strips, and white onion add color, flavor, and nutrients.
- Lo mein noodles - Find these in the Asian aisle of your local grocery store. Rice noodles will also work.
Best Noodles for Lo Mein
- I used these Trader Joe’s thai noodles and loved them!
- Authentic lo mein noodles are also readily available in most grocery stores.
- Spaghetti noodles will also work!
How to Make Chicken Lo Mein (Healthy Recipe)
Step 1: Prepare the sauce. Add the coconut aminos, sesame oil, water, honey, sriracha, and ginger to a bowl, and whisk to combine.
In a separate bowl, add the cornstarch and a spoonful of the sauce. Stir until the mixture forms a thick paste. Then, add the paste to the sauce bowl, and stir until it dissolves. Set the sauce aside.
Step 2: Boil water. Fill a pot for the pasta with water, and heat it over high heat on the stove.
Step 3: Cook the chicken. Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper. Heat a large, deep skillet or wok with olive oil over medium heat.
Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken strips, spacing them out in a single layer. Cook until they’re white and about 70% cooked through. Add two tablespoons of the sauce to the chicken, and stir to coat.
Step 4: Add the veggies. Add the broccoli, red bell pepper, and white onion to the skillet. Gently toss to combine. Then, allow the chicken and vegetables to cook until the veggies are slightly soft, stirring occasionally.
Step 5: Cook the noodles. While the vegetables are cooking, reduce the boiling water to medium heat. Add the noodles, and cook to al dente according to the package instructions.
Step 6: Combine the ingredients. Strain the noodles, and add them to the skillet with the chicken and vegetables. Pour the remaining sauce on top, and toss to combine and coat the ingredients.
Step 7: Enjoy. Serve your healthy lo mein in bows topped with green onions.
Expert Tips
- Slice the chicken into thin bite-sized strips (I find ¼ of an inch thick is perfect).
- Only cook the chicken until it’s barely white. It will continue to cook with the vegetables once added.
- Combine the arrowroot starch with a spoonful of the sauce in a separate bowl before adding it to the entire sauce mixture. This allows the starch to fully dissolve into the sauce so you aren’t left with clumps of starch.
- If you time the noodles correctly, this meal can be made in about 15 minutes. Start boiling the water before you cook the chicken. The water will reach a boil right as the vegetables are added to the pan, which gives the noodles just enough time to cook.
Optional Variations
Feel free to mix and match different ingredients to make this recipe suit your flavor preferences and dietary needs. Some of my favorite variations include:
- Lo Mein Noodles: Authentic lo mein recipes are made with egg noodles. However, you can use any kind of long noodle you like best will work for this recipe.
- Chicken: Feel free to swap the chicken with shrimp, steak, scrambled eggs, or tofu.
- Veggies: Add to or swap out the veggies with mushrooms, water chestnuts, cauliflower florets, broccoli, or bok choy.
- Spice: Add more or less sriracha to the sauce to suit your spice preferences.
What to serve with Homemade Chicken Lo Mein
I typically serve this recipe as a complete meal on its own. However, if you want to add a side, try pairing it with edamame, roasted broccoli, brussels sprouts, or even a simple side salad.
How to Store Healthy Lo Mein
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. When ready to enjoy, warm up a serving in the microwave in 20-second intervals until warm. If needed, add a splash of water to help loosen up the noodles. I also like to drizzle some extra coconut aminos over top for added flavor.
Lo Mein Noodles Recipe FAQs
I find that rice noodles make the best substitute for lo mein noodles. However, any long noodles such as spaghetti or linguine noodles will work.
Lo mein is typically considered to be healthier than fried rice. This is because, rice not only packs quite a few carbs, but it’s also fried in oil. Meanwhile, lo mein features boiled noodles and lots of veggies.
This depends on your definition of healthy. However, lo mein noodles are egg-based noodles, which means that have a small boost of protein when compared to pasta.
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Recipe
Lo Mein (Healthy!)
Equipment
- 2 Mixing Bowls
- 1 Pot
- 1 Large, Deep Skillet
Ingredients
For the sauce
- ¼ cup coconut aminos - you can also use low-sodium soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- ½ teaspoon ginger - fresh
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
Meal ingredients
- 1 lbs chicken breast - sliced into thin strips
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil - or any neutral oil
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 red bell pepper - cut into strips
- 1 white onion - sliced
- 8 oz lo mein noodles - I used a brown rice soba rice noodle but you can also use egg noodles, bucatini, spaghetti, or other long thin noodles
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce by adding the coconut aminos, sesame oil, water, honey, sriracha, and ginger to a bowl. Whisk well to combine.¼ cup coconut aminos, ½ tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon water, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon sriracha, ½ teaspoon ginger
- In a small bowl, add the arrowroot starch with a spoonful of the sauce. Stir well to combine. This will be very thick, almost like a paste. Add the paste to the sauce bowl and stir until it’s dissolved into the liquid. Set aside.1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
- Fill a pot for the pasta with water and heat on high on the stove while you prepare and cook the chicken.
- Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper.1 lbs chicken breast, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- Heat a large deep skillet, or wok, with the olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken strips, spacing them out so they are in one layer, and cook until white all over and about 70% cooked through. Add 2 tablespoon of the sauce to the chicken and stir until the chicken is coated.2 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the broccoli florets, red bell pepper, and white onion to the skillet and gently toss into the chicken mixture. Allow the chicken and vegetables to cook for 3 - 5 minutes until the vegetables are slightly soft, stirring occasionally.1 cup broccoli florets, 1 red bell pepper, 1 white onion
- While the vegetables are cooking, reduce the boiling water to medium heat and add the noodles. Cook until al dente according to package directions (this should be about 5 minutes).8 oz lo mein noodles
- Strain the noodles and add them to the skillet with the vegetables. Pour the remaining sauce over top and gently toss the noodles, veggies, and chicken together until we coated.
- Serve the lo mein in bowls with green onions on top, if desired, and enjoy!
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