No need to order take out when you can make Gluten Free Chicken Lo Mein at home! These saucy, slurpy, healthier noodles really satisfy.
The other day I decided the first thing I’d eat if I ever got a temporary break from having to eat gluten-free would be Arby’s Curly Fries.
I KNOW.
As I’ve said before, there’s a gluten-free version of nearly every gluten-containing food these days, but good ol’ fashioned battered then fried curly fries? GIMME.
Those and Chocolate Munchkins from Dunkin’ Donuts, B-Bops Cheeseburgers with extra mayo, Papa Johns Pizza, OP breadsticks, a cinnamon roll the size of my head from literally anywhere, and BEER THAT TASTES LIKE BEER – but who’s keeping track?
While I find myself dreaming about doughy breadsticks, one thing I don’t have to miss out on is Chinese takeout…made at home, anyway! Beef and Broccoli and Chicken Pad Thai are a few of the ways I keep my take out cravings at bay, and now I’ve got another dish to add to the list – Gluten-Free Chicken Lo Mein.
Chicken Lo Mein was one of my very favorite Chinese take out dishes prior to having to go gluten-free. Greasy, twirly, greasy, chewy, did I mention greasy? It was SO good, but obviously not so good for you! No problem though, because by making Chicken Lo Mein at home, I’m able to control the amount of fat, sugar, and salt in the dish, plus make it gluten-free, too.
Cooked noodles are tossed with stir fried chicken and vegetables then tossed with a luscious sauce that’s savory from gluten-free Tamari, a little sweet from the addition of gluten-free oyster sauce and a pinch of sugar, then rounded out with sesame oil, chili sauce, and a hit of garlic. This dish is soooo good and you can feel way better about eating a big bowl or two (or three…or four!)
Recipe Notes
- I use Kikkoman Gluten-Free Oyster Sauce which I find in the regular Asian foods aisle at the grocery store. Oyster sauce is thick, a little sweet, and ultra concentrated in flavor. I think it’s what makes this dish “Chicken Lo Mein” versus if you just tossed the ingredients with gluten-free Tamari or soy sauce.
- Speaking of Tamari, be sure to use LOW-SODIUM gluten-free Tamari or gluten-free soy sauce for this dish, otherwise it will be too salty. I love San-J gluten-free Tamari.
- Customize your lo mein by adding any vegetables you want as long as they amount to 4 cups. I used broccoli, but other great options include red bell pepper, snow peas, carrots, celery, and baby bok choy.
- Be sure to have all the ingredients prepped and measured before turning on the heat. This dish cooks in 5-7 minutes, and on high heat, so there’s no time to chop once the ingredients start sizzling.
OK – ready to eat?
Start by dropping 8oz noodles in a large pot of boiling water then cook until al dente. I’ve used both gluten-free spaghetti and gluten-free ramen noodles in this dish, and they’re both great. I prefer the texture of GF ramen noodles (I like King Soba Gluten-Free Brown Rice Ramen Noodles,) but spaghetti noodles are more readily available, of course!
While the noodles are cooking, add 2 chicken breasts (14oz) that have been cut into thin strips, 1 Tablespoon gluten-free Tamari, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and a pinch of white pepper to a large Ziplock bag then squish to combine. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large wok or 12″ skillet over high heat then add the chicken and stir fry until cooked through. Remove to a plate then set aside.
Add 3 Tablespoons water to the wok then, once simmering, add 4 cups broccoli florets. Cover the pan with a lid then simmer for 1 minute.
Uncover then add another drizzle of oil along with 2 cups coleslaw mix, 3 chopped green onions, and 2 cloves minced garlic, then stir fry until the cabbage begins to wilt, 1-2 minutes.
Last step is to add the chicken and drained noodles into the wok then drizzle in an easy sauce recipe made from Tamari, oyster sauce, sesame oil, a pinch of sugar and white pepper, chili sauce, and some cornstarch to thicken things up.
Toss until the sauce has thickened and every noodle is coated in deliciousness.
Transfer into bowls or onto plates then grab your chopsticks, ditch the regret, and dig in! I hope you love this easy, healthier take out fake out dish – enjoy!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, ~1lb, cut into thin strips
- 1 Tablespoon gluten free reduced-sodium Tamari
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- pinch white pepper
- 8 oz gluten free spaghetti or ramen noodles
- high heat cooking oil
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 cups coleslaw mix
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
For the Lo Mein Sauce:
- 1/4 cup gluten free reduced-sodium Tamari
- 3 Tablespoons gluten free oyster sauce, Kikkoman brand recommended
- 2 Tablespoons chicken broth, low-sodium if possible
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 — 2 teaspoons chili sauce, like Siracha
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- pinch white pepper
Directions
- Add sliced chicken to a large Ziplock bag with tamari and cornstarch then squish to combine. Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Combine all sauce ingredients in a dish then set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil then add noodles and cook until al dente. Drain then set aside.
- While the noodles are cooking, heat a drizzle of oil in a large wok or 12” skillet over high heat. Once hot, add chicken then stir fry until cooked through. Remove to a plate then set aside.
- Add 3 Tablespoon water to the wok then, once simmering, add broccoli then cover with a lid and steam for 1 minute. Remove lid then add coleslaw, green onions, garlic, and another drizzle of oil then stir fry until the cabbage begins to wilt, 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken, noodles, and sauce to the wok then stir fry until the sauce has thickened, 1-2 minutes. Serve hot.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Thank you for such a delicious recipe. I’ve tried many teriyaki-like chicken recipes before but this is so much better. The flavor is fantastic and even my husband, who does not have to eat GF noodles, liked it. I couldn’t find the noodles you recommended so I went with a GF Stir Fry rice noodle and they were really good with this dish. I’m looking forward to trying your other recipes!
This was delicious! The flavor was just out of this world! The BF isn’t a noodle fan so I might try this with rice next time.
I’m so glad to hear it, Melissa! I think rice would be delicious too.
Hi! I was unable to find GF oyster sauce at my local grocery and my local Whole Foods. Can I just leave it out of this recipe, or can you suggest a replacement? Thanks!
Chicken Lo Mein was my all time favorite Chinese meal when I was a kid – it’s the only thing I ever ordered when my family went out! Since needing to go gluten and dairy free a few years ago, I’ve been missing some good ol’ Chinese takeout, so this recipe is perfect! My fiance and I made it this week and LOVE IT. Seriously, so so good. It was also fun to try a new recipe for the first time in awhile, but this one is definitely going in our rotation! I just had to let you know how great it is. Thank you!!!
This looks amazing! Where did you find the Kikkoman Oyster Sauce? I haven’t seen it at my Hy-Vee but maybe it’s at another one?
Thanks Tara! I found it in the regular Asian foods aisle of HyVee (vs the Health Market.) Where are you located?
We are in Ankeny. I checked both spots at the old Ankeny Hy-Vee. I’ll check out the new one and see if I can find it there!
Man this sounds good! We’ve tried to recreate real deal lo mein at home before and it just want right so we’ll have to give this a whirl!
LaChoy brand soy sauce is my favorite. And it has always been gluten free. It is not uncommon for you to find the bottle in my purse. Now if we could just get Panda Express to switch to gluten free…
Oh my, Arby fries sounds soooo good! I’ve made myself try to forget their curly, crunchy goodness. I love your recipes and can’t wait to try this one! Your butternut squash, kale, and sausage pasta dish is one of my ultimate favs, it’s almost time for it with fall coming!
Riiiight?? They are SO good!! ?
This looks yummy! Question: how does this recipe keep/reheat? I make GF recipes for my niece who also has celiac. She lives alone so this is a lot of lo mein just for her. PS.. She would kill for a real bagel and a “smear”, teehe
Haha, I hear that!! ;) This recipe does reheat well. GF pasta tends to fall apart once reheated (I don’t find it to be mushy, just falls apart a little easier) but the flavor is still good.
Papa John’s now offers gluten free crust.
I saw that! Unfortunately they don’t recommend it for people with Celiac Disease as it’s nearly impossible to prevent cross contamination when preparing it in their stores. Oh well, there are worse things! :)
Yes, and its really good too!
can you use something else besides oyster sauce? I currently have fish sauce but not oyster sauce.
Hi Lauren! I really prefer the oyster sauce in here – I think it’s what makes the noodles taste like Lo Mein vs just noodles and Tamari/soy sauce. It’s super thick and has a great savory/sweet flavor. You might try an extra teaspoon of sugar and splash of fish sauce to try and replicate the flavor, plus an extra teaspoon of cornstarch to help thicken the sauce up.
Hi Kristin, can I substitute hoisin sauce for the oyster sauce? I also have the potential to add fish sauce.
Have you ever tried making this dish (or a similar one) using cucumber or zucchini noodles? I’m curious if you could achieve a similar taste with less carbs… :)
That was on my list to test for this recipe, but I tested it so many times to get the sauce right that I couldn’t take one more bite! ? That said, I have made a similar dish with zucchini noodles and it turned out fantastic:
https://iowagirleats.com/2017/06/14/sweet-chili-sesame-shrimp-and-zoodles/. In this particular recipe, I’d probably omit the coleslaw mix otherwise the sauce would become too watered down if you had both the coleslaw and zucchini, as both release a lot of moisture as they cook. Let me know if you give it a try!
This sounds and looks great! I’m a big fan of Chinese food and am always searching for healthier versions, such as this one!
I hope you love it, Melissa!