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Be sure to pair this with some Chicken Fried Rice and Crab Rangoon!

Panda Express Chow Mein

I have dozens of copycat recipes at this point, and I think this chow mein recipe wins the award for the quickest one of them all.

It’s hard to believe that this recipe takes less than 30 minutes! Does it really get any better than that?!

I love all of the things that you can add to this recipe too. There are endless vegetable options as well as meat for added protein.

Types of Chow Mein Noodles

• Panda express uses Stir Fried Wheat Noodles similar to these.
• I used these Chow Mein noodles for this recipe. You can find them in your local grocery store where they have a dedicated section for Asian ingredients.
• You could also regular spaghetti noodles for this recipe, just adjust the cooking times for the noodles accordingly.

What You Can Add

• Seared chicken, shrimp, or steak
• Carrots, water chestnuts, green onions, bok choy, snap peas
• Chow Mein noodles, sesame seeds, roughly chopped peanuts

Chow Mein vs. Lo Mein

“Mein” is simply a Chinese word for noodles. The major  difference is simply how the noodles are cooked and what they are served with.

Lo Mein: Typically made with fresh egg noodles that are boiled for 2-3 minutes. They soak up sauce better than Chow Mein does and it’s not usually accompanied by add-on’s such as vegetables or meat.

Chow Mein: Made with fresh or dry egg noodles and boiled for 5-6 minutes and served with stir-fried vegetables and/or meat.

That’s the gist of it, but this source can tell you more!

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Print

Copycat Panda Express Chow Mein

This Copycat Panda Express Chow Mein recipe tastes just like the restaurant! These delicious noodles are ready in just 20 minutes and taste great with chicken, shrimp, or steak!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Chinese

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 275kcal

Author Stephanie

Ingredients

• 6 oz. dry Chow Mein stir fry noodles

Vegetables

• 1 onion diced
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• 2 cups cabbage shredded
• 2 Tablespoons peanut oil can sub canola

Sauce

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon oyster sauce* See Notes
• 1 Tablespoon garlic minced
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar packed
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Boil the Chow Mein noodles in a large pot for about 3 minutes. Drain, then rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside.
• In a large pot on medium heat, combine the onions, celery, cabbage, and peanut oil and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• In a small bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients and add to the vegetables. Stir in the Chow Mein noodles, and serve.

Notes

*Oyster sauce is not necessary,  I had it on hand and it gives it a nice flavor. A little goes a long way so don't overdo it.

Additional ingredient options: Carrots, Broccoli, Bean Sprouts, Water Chestnuts, Seared Chicken, Beef, or Shrimp.

Use leftovers as a cold work lunch!

Nutrition

Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1245mg | Potassium: 284mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 5470IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg