Chow Mein Ramen Noodles is the FASTER way to make Chow Mein using a couple of cheeky shortcuts: pre shredded Coleslaw mix and instant ramen noodles. It’s the fastest of fast foods – a 12 minute recipe, including preparation!
Make ramen noodles better – faster!
Next time you’ve had a long day at work and you have to deal with the question that billions of people around the world face every day what’s for dinner??, here’s your answer: Chow Mein Ramen Noodles.
It’s everything you know and love about Chow Mein, except it’s faster to make:
- 12 minute recipe including prep
- one pan cooking
- simple, magic 5 ingredient Chow Mein Sauce
- veggie loaded – but you don’t even know it! This has half your daily recommended 5 serves of veg a day.
Handy shortcuts for this recipe
This is not one of those super quick dinner recipes like Jamie Olive 15 Minute Meals style where it’s a whirlwind of manic activity with food flying everywhere, the oven and stove going at the same time, mixing with one hand while flipping steaks with the other, then after all that you’ve got 45 minutes of clean up.
Nope.
This is an easy breezy 12 minute recipe, and here are the handy shortcuts I use:
- instant ramen or any other instant noodles cooked in the same skillet;
- store bought Coleslaw mix – shredded cabbage and carrots – rip the packet open and tip it in!
- 5 ingredient Chow Mein Sauce that doesn’t require cornflour/cornstarch for thickening (the starch from the ramen noodles thickens it)
Toss the ramen seasoning packs – we make our own sauce!
Any ramen or instant noodles!
This Chow Mein Ramen Noodles is the latest in a line up of “how to make ramen noodles better” series I started earlier this year (listed at bottom of post!). So I’m pretty sure I’ve made this recipe with every brand of instant ramen and instant noodles I’ve been able to get my hands on – and it works every time.
I have a theory that this recipe is impossible to stuff up because ramen noodles are MADE to be so foolproof that even inebriated college students can boil up some up after a late night out at the pub!😂
What Chow Mein Ramen Noodles tastes like
In terms of flavour, it tastes just like “real” Chow Mein. In fact, I recommend in my Chow Mein recipe to use ramen noodles if you can’t find Chow Mein noodles!
The main difference in the eating experience is the texture of the noodles themselves. While they are the same thickness, ramen noodles have a more slippery texture and are white, whereas Chow Mein noodles are yellow. But there’s no difference in the flavour of the noodles!
Faster and healthier than take out
This really is a “faster than take out” recipe for anyone.
Even if you’re one of those people who like to swan around the kitchen sipping a glass of wine, chatting on the phone to your friend with half an eye on the TV so you don’t miss a second of Real Housewives, rummaging around in your pantry to dig out sauces, dragging a chair over to reach up high into the back of the cupboard for that packet of ramen noodles you know is buried there somewhere.
Yes, even if that’s you, you will have this Chow Mein Ramen Noodles on the table, ready to eat, faster than ordering take out (or Uber Eats😂). – Nagi x
How To Make Ramen Noodles BETTER Series
Toss the seasoning packet! Be amazed what you can make with a packet of ramen – super quick!
Watch how to make it
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Chow Mein Ramen Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 200g/7oz chicken , sliced (thigh, breast)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 2 ramen or instant noodle cakes , discard seasoning (Note 1)
- 200g/7oz pre shedded Coleslaw mix , cabbage and carrot (Note 2)
- 3 green onion stems , cut into 5cm/2" lengths
- 1 heaped cup beansprouts
- 1 cup (250 ml) water
Chow Mein Sauce:
- 1.5 tbsp light soy sauce (Note 3)
- 1.5 tbsp Oyster Sauce (Note 4)
- 1 tbsp Chinese Cooking Wine or Mirin (Note 5)
- 2 tsp sesame oil , toasted (Note 6)
- 1 tsp white sugar (SKIP if using Mirin)
Instructions
- Mix Sauce in a bowl.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add garlic, cook 10 seconds.
- Add chicken and cook until mostly changes from pink to white, then add Sauce.
- Cook for 1 minute, then add Coleslaw mix and white part of green onions.
- Cook for 1 1/2 minutes until cabbage wilts, then push everything to the side to make room for the ramen (see video & photos in post).
- Add water then squidge the ramen cakes in side by side.
- When water simmers, leave for 45 seconds. Flip, then leave for 30 seconds.
- Loosen noodles, add bean sprouts and green onion, then toss energetically for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes until sauce reduces and coats noodles. (Note 7)
- Serve immediately!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
You know how you feel in those fancy chocolate shop? That’s how Dozer feels here – we’re in the warehouse of The Free Range Butcher where I bulk purchase offal for Dozer every few months.
I’ve been requested by a number of people to share Dozer’s diet. It’s in progress! I want to get it officially “signed off” by a specialist before going out officially with it. But for those who want a sneak peak of the post in progress, here it is. 🙂
We’ve cooked this several times. Very easy, quick and delicious.
Yum. Yum. So easy and definitely being added to the menu rotation. Added thinly sliced red pepper for extra color, bamboo shoots and cashews just because I like them.
This was really good and so quick! My whole family loved it and I plan to make it often when meal planning for lunches as it is good warm and cold. Thanks so much!
Perfect LCook!!
Hi Nagi. I made this dish last week and it was great. Another quick and easy to follow recipe. My daughter liked it as she normally have her ramen via the microwave. This my first taste of ramen as I don’t fancy the the idea of using packet flavoured season with noodles. Your recipe made this a wonderful version of delicious noodles……definitely will be making this again…it is now included in my quick meals repriotoire….thanks again Nagi another 5 stars
P.S. I didn’t have oyster sauce in my pantry so I sub with a vegetarian stir fry sauce…..just as delicious
I’m so glad you loved it Leisel!!
The ramen noodles are really good. Though it’s simple it’s really palatable.
Im so glad you love the recipe Ruby!! – N x
Hi! How many servings does this make?
Hi Mona, this serves 2 – N x
Have been craving this since you posted it last week. Finally made this delicious dish and it was well worth the wait!! I did make a small second batch of sauce and threw it in while tossing everything. Could not believe how quick and easy this was to throw together. It was so fast I kept thinking I forgot ingredients, lol. As so many of your recipes, this is going to be made quite often. I could not find light soy sauce at the store so I just used a little extra of the reduced sodium soy sauce. I love how easy it to throw in a bunch of different veggies!! I just want to thank you Nagi for your blog!! I absolutely love, love, love it!! There are many many things I enjoy and appreciate but one of the major things is how easy you make it for the every day cook. And you aren’t afraid to say you made a mistake while cooking, how refreshing that is!! If I commented on every recipe I’ve made from your site, you would probably think I’m a stalker, hahahaha!! So please take this thank you as an umbrella thank you for all the yummy things you’ve shared!! I can’t even get started on how fun it is to hear about Dozer!! As a fellow dog mom, I love hearing his stories and seeing his pictures!! Thanks again!!!
It’s so versatile isn’t it Jessica – I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the honest feedback, I truly appreciate it!
Yes i did last Sunday. Tasted great even though i used white cooking wine and ginger soy instead ….it still turned out wonderful
It’s such a versatile dish, that would have worked perfectly Leayanna!
Oops forgot to rate! Definitely five woofs (in honor of Dozer) 😁
😂 Thanks so much Nicole!
Made this last night, was absolutely delicious and very easy. I doubled the sauce quantity because we like saucy noodles (not trying for a double entendres there!!). Nagi, your site has become my mid week go-to for quick and delicious inspiration. Thank you!!
Thanks so much for the feedback Nicole – N x
Just made Chow Mein with ramen noodles. Fast , easy , and very good . Can’t wait to try green pepper steak in the croc pot . Thanks
I’m so glad you loved them Jim!
My 25 yo son who always replies with “alright” when I ask how a meal tastes actually came out with “I like it”. So thats a big thumbs up from me! Super quick to make. This will be on rotation. Maybe I’ll convince my son to have a go at making it as it’s so easy.
Oops! Forgot to leave a rating. Thanks Nagi for another great recipe.
Thanks so much Debbie!
Hi Nagi. Just dropped by to tell you that I did manage to get my son to cook this (with supervision from me).His father had a taste of the finished dish and exclaimed “this is nice”. High praise from the men of the family who usually only manage “alright”😀
Thanks for this recipe. What can I replace beansprouts with as it is difficult to get fresh beansprouts in my area.