8ozbutton mushroomssliced (see notes for substitutes)
2pepperssliced (any color works; see notes for substitutes)
3spring onionssliced (see notes for substitutes)
1poundchicken breastdiced
4tablespoonssoy sauce
2teaspoonscornstarch
½cupchicken brothplus more as needed
8ozspaghetticooked according to package directions (spaghettini, Linguine or Ramen noodles all work, too)
Instructions
Cook vegetables: Place 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté mushrooms for a couple of minutes, then add the peppers and spring onions and sauté until softened. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Cook chicken: Add remaining tablespoon of oil to skillet. Increase heat to medium-high, add chicken and cook until browned. Push chicken to sides of skillet to make space in the middle.
Make sauce: Reduce heat to low. Whisk cornstarch into chicken broth, then pour into middle of skillet together with soy sauce. Stir well and simmer until starting to thicken, adding a few more tablespoons of chicken broth as needed in case sauce gets too thick/gloopy.
Finish: Add cooked spaghetti to skillet, along with set aside vegetables. Toss well until heated through and coated in sauce. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Ingredient notes
Pantry/freezer substitutes for vegetables:
4 ounces drained canned sliced mushrooms work well in place of the fresh
use 3 cups frozen onion and pepper mix in place of the fresh peppers and spring onions
use 20oz bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables in place of the fresh mushrooms, peppers and spring onions
Oil: Sesame oil really works best here. But if you don’t have it available, the sauce will still taste good with a neutral vegetable oil.Chicken: You can also leave out the chicken and replace it with more mushrooms, or use cubed tofu instead.Spaghetti: Traditionally, this dish would use egg noodles. If you’re not concerned about auheneitciy, most long, thin noodles work! I always have spaghetti in the pantry, so that’s what I use. Spaghettini are also delicious, but so are Ramen or actual Lo Mein noodles if you can get them.More flavor: Feel free to add fresh minced ginger and garlic along with the vegetables for more flavor. You can also use dried garlic powder if you don’t have fresh. I tried to keep this recipe very basic to have easily accessible ingredients in the current worldwide climate. But absolutely up the flavor if you want/have the ingredients on hand!
Recipe tips
Make sure to use medium heat when adding the soy sauce and cornstarch slurry, so the cornstarch doesn’t settle and burn on the bottom of the skillet.
A lot of the flavor in this recipe comes from the stir-fried onions, so please make sure to stir-fry the vegetables for long enough until they’re completely softened and starting to brown.
Cook the spaghetti until just done. If you overcook them, they’ll turn mushy in the sauce.
Cornstarch needs both time and enough heat to work, so if it doesn’t thicken at first try increasing the heat a little and continue stirring for a few minutes. If the sauce still doesn’t thicken to your liking, only add more cornstarch by stirring it into a small amount of cool water. Never add dry cornstarch directly into a hot liquid, it would clump.
How do you make lo mein noodles without sticking?
If you’re having trouble with the noodles sticking to the pan, here are a few tips:
Make sure there is plenty of sauce evenly covering the bottom of your skillet before you add the noodles.
Cook the noodles until they’re just done – overcooked, starchy noodles tend to stick more.
Finally, toss the drained noodles with a little sesame oil, then let them cool down before adding them to the stir fry.