Healthy Chicken Lo Mein

This healthy Chicken Lo Mein comes together in less time than it takes to order take-out and is full of flavor. It makes a great dinner or side dish. If you love Asian noodles as much as we do, you will want to try these Spinach and Mushroom Lo Mein or Healthier Copycat Panda Express Chow Mein as well!

Who doesn't love lo mein? All that delicious pasta, drenched in yummy oil and sauce and sugar and salt? I mean, it TASTES absolutely divine. It's just not so great for the old waistline. 

I'm all for moderation, and if you want to eat more than half of your daily caloric intake in one meal, I guess who am I to judge? But just know that one serving of takeout chicken lo mein can pack in more than 900 calories and 50 grams of fat!

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So while lo mein will always remain a love of mine, I end up avoiding it when ordering out and opt for steamed veggies instead, which makes me kind of sad, I'm not going to lie.

Luckily, I can be happy at home, where I can make my own version of lo mein and significantly cut the calories and fat. And, I can add all kinds of veggies to make it more nutritious or adapt it to however I see fit for that particular meal. I consider that a win-win.

Side Dishes to Serve with Chicken Lo Mein

Although this lo mein is really a meal within itself, if you want to add a side dish, I can understand that. My suggestions would be to add veggies as a side, like:

• Wanting even more veggies? Consider making these Crispy Asian Brussel Sprouts on the side.
• If you are looking to recreate a restaurant style meal, consider making some of these Sesame Soy Edamame.
• Sesame Soy Broccoli pairs so well with lo mein, and keeps the Asian theme going strong.
• A simple side salad will do just fine with this dish, as well.
• If you want something other than veggies or salad, consider adding a cup of miso soup.

Ideas for Customizing Chicken Lo Mein

The great thing about this dish is that it is completely customizable. For example:

• If the thought of oyster sauce weirds you out, you can try fish sauce, teriyaki, or skip it altogether. However, remember that most oyster sauce doesn't actually contain any oyster at all. 
• You can double up the veggies you like, and skip the ones you don't.
• Cut asparagus, green beans, and summer squashes work well in this lo mein.
• You can swap out the chicken for lean slices of sirloin.
• You could use sesame oil instead of vegetable oil if you prefer (I don't recommend olive oil, though because most brands have a very low smoke point, and for most Asian dishes made in a skillet or wok, you'll be cooking them at high heat).
• Although I prefer spaghetti, you can use any longer, thinner pasta you like for this recipe.
• If you can't find high-fiber pasta, try whole wheat.
• Add in water chestnuts or crushed peanuts for a little bit of a crunch texture to your lo mein.
• Make the lo mein spicy by adding in chili peppers, red pepper flakes, Sriracha, or another hot sauce you like.
• Serve the lo mein in lettuce cups — it's fun and yummy!

What Kind of Sauce Is Used in Lo Mein?

For this lo mein, I used vegetable oil, oyster sauce, low sodium soy sauce, and chicken broth to make my sauce. A lot of lo mein recipes will also use sesame oil as well. My recommendation is to make it how a recipe suggests the first time around, then tweak it to your tastes the next time you make it.

What Is the Difference Between Lo Mein and Chow Mein?

Lo mein noodles are made according to package directions, then added to the sauce/stir-fry at the end.

Chow mein noodles are first boiled and then fried with the rest of the ingredients to create a more crispy, chewy texture to the noodle in the dish. They are often bigger and flatter (like egg noodles) as well.

What Other Protein Sources Can I Use in Lo Mein?

If you are not a fan of chicken, you can try:

• Add tofu to your lo mein (cook it ahead of time like the chicken and add it in at the end).
• Shrimp makes a great addition to lo mein.
• Thinly sliced pork or steak work well with this dish too.
• Make this completely vegetarian by adding tofu (or another non-mean, plant-protein source) and swapping out the chicken broth for vegetable broth.