Stir-fried noodles covered in a sauce bursting with umami, this keto chow mein will kick takeout out of the way and become your new favorite way to Friday night.
Looking for more noodle-themed? Check out my keto pad thai, keto ramen, and these keto drunken noodles!
In high school, I spent all my babysitting money on Chinese takeout. Literally, my parents would be so mad (if they knew). There was a Pick Up Sticks on the way home from practice, so 3 practices a week meant 3 chicken chow mein dinners a week. Man those were different times.
Today, our family craves THIS chow mein recipe, all the time. Let’s call it the grown-up-Lindsey version…
The main swap is the noodles. I find shirataki noodles to be an incredible substitute in Asian recipes — here they soak up all the keto chow mein flavors, you won’t even notice they’re not traditional noodles. I made a few adjustments to the sauce as well to remove refined sugar.
All that to say, when I eat this keto chicken chow mein for dinner, I feel more like I’ve had a salad than flavor drenched noodles. It’s so easy to throw together and great for weeknights. Reach for this recipe next time you’re craving some noodles to slurp! 🥡❤️ – Linds x
Keto Chow Mein Ingredients
If you’ve made keto Chinese food for dinner before, you’ll probably have most of this stashed in the pantry/fridge. Here’s what you’ll need to make keto chow mein, and why:
- Soy sauce – use coconut aminos for a gluten-free alternative.
- Fish sauce – this is the easiest way to add umami flavor to stir fry recipes.
- Rice vinegar
- Golden Swerve/Lakanto – These are my 2 favorite keto sweeteners, as they can both be used as a 1:1 swap with traditional sugar. If you’re using a different brand of allulose or erythritol, know that they’re 70% as sweet and you’ll want to increase the amount you add.
- Xanthan gum helps to thicken our sauce. In traditional chicken chow mein, cornstarch is used. However, xanthan gum can thicken sauces with 1/6th of the amount, adding way fewer carbs to a recipe!
- Sesame oil
- Chicken thighs, boneless+skinless – You can use chicken breast instead, however, I prefer thighs as they’re more flavorful, juicier, and are harder to overcook.
- Shirataki noodles, spaghetti shape – You can find these low carb noodles in the refrigerator section of the grocery store. They’re virtually flavorless, and their texture (which some don’t love) is made better when stir-fried, as the hot pan cooks out most of their liquid. They’re made from konjac fiber, and are virtually free of net carbs.
- Mild tasting oil – avocado or veggie oil are great
- Cabbage, shredded
- Carrot, shredded
- Bean sprouts – if you can’t find fresh, grab these in the canned section– just drain and rinse before adding in
- Green onions, thinly sliced. white + green part only
🥡 Serving Recommendations
This keto chow mein makes an awesome main course, but, you can serve it alongside other Chinese food classics for family style meal. Such as my cauliflower fried rice, keto beef and broccoli, and keto orange chicken.
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Easy Swaps + Variations
- Use other chow mein noodles. Make low carb chicken chow mein with cabbage noodles instead by skipping the shirataki or adding more shredded cabbage. You can also use edamame noodles, zucchini noodles, butternut squash noodles, or spaghetti squash.
- Swap the protein and make a keto pork chow mein or a shrimp chow mein.
- Or, go meatless.
- Add more keto vegetables like celery, bell peppers, ginger, or garlic.
More Asian Inspired Recipes
Low Carb Keto Chow Mein
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Sauce:
- 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (note 1)
- 1 Teaspoon Fish Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Brown Swerve or Lakanto (note 2)
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 1/4 Teaspoon Xanthan Gum (note 3)
Chicken:
- 1 Teaspoon Rice Vinegar
- 2 Teaspoons Soy Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 1 Pound Chicken Thighs boneless+skinless. Cut into 1" cubes. (note 4)
Stir Fry:
- 8 Ounces Shirataki Noodles spaghetti shape (note 5)
- 4 Teaspoons Avocado or vegetable oil
- 4 Cups Cabbage shredded
- 1 cup Carrot shredded
- 1 Cup Bean Sprouts (note 6)
- 1 Bunch Green Onions Thinly Sliced. White + green part only
Instructions
- Sauce. Whisk all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Chicken. In a large bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar (1 teaspoon), sesame oil (1 tablespoon), and soy sauce (2 teaspoons). Add the chicken (1 pound) and toss to coat. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add the chicken and sauce, making sure not to overcrowd (you may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan). Brown chicken on both sides (about 2-3 minutes on each side). Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Noodles. Place noodles (8 ounces) in a collander and rinse well. Allow most of the liquid to drip off. Then return the large pan to medium heat, and 2 teaspoons of oil. Add the noodles, and dry fry for 5 minutes. Stirring frequently.
- Veggies. Add remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the skillet, along with the cabbage (4 cups), carrots (1 cup), and bean sprouts (1 cup). Toss to coat, and cook until veggies have slightly softened. Add the sauce and chicken, and bring liquid to a boil. Toss to coat, and cook until the meat reaches and internal temp of 165 F. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.
- Assemble. Remove from heat, stir in green onions (1 bunch), and enjoy!
Fans Also Made These Healthy Recipes:
Lindsey’s Tips
- Soy sauce – use coconut aminos for a gluten-free alternative.
- Golden Swerve/Lakanto – If using a different brand, you may want to increase the amount added as they’re often 70% as sweet. Taste and adjust to your liking.
- Xanthan gum helps to thicken our sauce, don’t skip!
- Chicken thighs – Can be substituted for breast, however, chicken breast is easier to overcook.
- Shirataki noodles – You can find these in the refrigerator section of the grocery store. They can be substituted for your favorite low carb noodles (zoodles, edamame noodles, cabbage, etc.)
- Bean sprouts – fresh or canned are ok. Just be sure to drain canned bean sprouts.
I’d definitely try this! It looks delicious. I love that we have easy access to these sugar substitutes now, as well.
Hi, Beth! I can’t wait to hear what you think!
Haven’t had shirataki in ages, so this was a real delight to find!
Yay! Can’t wait to hear what you think, Erik!
I love that this is keto!! It looks incredibly delicious!! Can’t wait to try it!
Right, Katerina?! Can’t wait to hear what you think.
Such a fantastic meal! I am so excited to try it!! YUM!
Hi, Beti! Can’t wait to hear what you think!
This keto chow mein looks like a perfect Friday night dinner! Yum!
Can’t agree with you more, Erin!
This looks so inviting! My new favorite dinner!
Yay! SO glad to hear that, Catalina!
I am trying to have 2 to 3 meatless days per week. And I love chow main and stir fry’s. Can’t wait to buy the veggies and give this a try this week!! Thank you for the awesome recipe!!
Hello Lillian! Let me know how it goes, Enjoy!😊