Kimchi Chicken Lo Mein
Takeout quality Lo Mein, right here! I was drawn to this dish because it’s been too long since we’ve had some great Asian inspired noodles and I had Kimchi in my fridge (don’t forget to check out my scratch Kimchi) and boy did it satisfy! This dish delivered on so many different levels, funk and heat from the Kimchi, sweetness from the oyster sauce and SO MUCH delicious umaminess 😋!
I love that you can make lo mein at home that delivers “better than takeout quality.” Stop spending your money on takeaway and save this recipe for your next noodle fix! Oh and did I mention that this meal can be created in 30 minutes! Yup, that’s right 30 minutes!
I hope you like these spicy noodles, cheers 🥂!
Some Notes:
- Marinade – I suggest you allow your protein to marinade overnight, if not 2 or 3 days. This allows all the delicious flavors to develop on your protein.
- Protein – Tonight my protein is chicken, but this marinade would work with tofu, pork, beef and shrimp 👍!
- Oil – For my Asian inspired dishes, I usually sautee my protein and veggies in coconut oil. This oil has a sweetness to it, which I like for my Asian cooking!
- Veggies – As I shared in my other Chicken Lo Mein post, Lo Mein is one of those dishes where you can use any veggies you want; bok choy, carrot, broccoli, snow peas, white onions, green onions, red onion, red pepper, cabbage, the list could go on and on. Tonight, I opted for carrot and green onion because those veggies fit well with Kimchi.
- Kimchi – Kimchi is a fermented Korean vegetable dish and fits nicely with a veggie noodle stir fry. Most varieties of Kimchi are made from salted napa cabbage, spices and other vegetables like carrot, radish, onion, and garlic. Don’t forget to check out my homemade Kimchi!
- Noodles – I like to use fresh Lo Mein noodles, when I can find them. Usually you can find fresh noodles in the refrigerated section of your supermarket. If you’re unable to find them or would rather use other noodles, here’s some options – ramen noodles, rice noodles or vermicelli. Cook your noodles as directed and fresh Lo Mein noodles can be boiled or steamed.
- Heat – We love spicier dishes and if you’d rather a mild noodle, eliminate the chili garlic in the marinade and add some honey or agave to the noodles when you’re finishing them. My chili garlic sauce of choice is Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce.
- Garnishes – You know I like garnishing my plates and I do this because it helps deliver brightness and freshness to the dish. For these noodles, I used cilantro and it worked deliciously 😋! Green onions would also work well!
Kimchi Chicken Lo Mein
Ingredients
- 2 chicken thighs or breast, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 TBS coconut oil
- ½ cup kimchi, cut thinly
- 8 oz lo mein noodles, cook as directed on package
- 2 TBS oyster sauce
- 1 TBS soy sauce
- 1-2 TBS water, as needed
Chicken Marinade
- ½ inch ginger, chopped finely and turned into a paste with the side of your knife
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped finely and turned into a paste with the side of your knife
- 2 TBS soy sauce
- TBS chili garlic sauce
Veggies
- 2 carrots, sliced into thin matchsticks
- 4 green onions, cut diagonally, aka as sifflets
Instructions
- Begin by warming a wok or non-stick pan on medium heat. Once warm, add the coconut oil. When the coconut oil melts, add the chicken and saute until cooked.
- Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Reserve the fond and coconut oil for sauteing the veggies.
- Now add the veggies and cook slightly, ~3-5 minutes. Note, the veggies will cook quickly and if you want some crunch still, I wouldn't get beyond the suggested time.
- Add the kimchi, prepared lo mein noodles, oyster sauce and soy sauce to the veggies and toss together.
- Now add your cooked chicken and toss again. If the noodles look dry, add some water. At this point, taste the noodles and adjust the flavors as needed. This might include fish sauce to amp up the funk, citrus for brightness, honey or agave to reduce the heat level and add sweetness, or soy sauce for salt.
- Serve warm, garnished with cilantro. Enjoy & cheers 🥂!
