This Shrimp Chow Mein recipe is super straight forward and so easy! Not only does it come together in just a few minutes, but it’s incredibly customizable and versatile. You can switch up the protein and vegetables to use up any leftovers, your preferred kind of protein, and any veggies that are starting to look a little sad in the fridge. 

Get creative and try different protein and vegetable combinations each time you make it and keep a running list of what is your favorite! The stir fry sauce is the only thing I wouldn’t change too much as it is already so delicious! 

Why This Shrimp Chow Mein Recipe Works 

  • Cooking the shrimp separately ensures that the shrimp is perfectly seared, not over-cooked, and not mushy. This is a key technique of any stir-fry.
  • Flexible ingredients! Use up all the odds ‘n ends of vegetables hanging out in the refrigerator. We’ll show you the BASE recipe, and you can customize based on the ingredients you have. 
  • Our stir-fry sauce is a nice balance of salty, sweet, tangy, savory and spicy (if you want) – use this same recipe for any stir-fry. 

While this is a Shrimp Chow Mein recipe, you can use any type of long noodle, even Italian style pastas! As long as it’s slurp-a-licious (yes, that’s a technical term)! The key is to follow the cooking instructions on the package cooking to just al dente.

noodle varieties.

Did you know that Asian noodles are made from tons of different ingredients like white flour, rice flour, and whole wheat flour like our chow mein noodles, but are all generally the same shape – long!  Though they are used for different purposes, Italian style noodles are typically made from the same ingredients, but come in all different shapes to accommodate the different type of sauces that are paired with them. 

different kinds of asian noodles

Tips for Shrimp Chow Mein Recipe 

  • You can use fresh chow mein noodles or dried and can be found at your local Asian grocery store. If you are unable to find chow mein noodles, Yakisoba noodles work great here too! 
  • Don’t overcook your noodles. You want them al dente and not mushy. 
  • We love our stir fry sauce so much we make a super big batch and keep it in the fridge at all times! We suggest you do the same because it is crazy delicious and then it’s ready for your next round of noodles or another stir fry. 
  • Optional ingredients include onions, scallions, bell peppers, snow peas, and bean sprouts. These are out favorite veggies to add to our Shrimp Chow Mein, but it’s flexible so add what you have on hand! 
  • If you are using a hardy vegetable, like broccoli, it will need a few minutes longer to get tender. 
  • If you are using already cooked protein, toss it in at the end with your cooked noodles, veggies, and sauce to just warm through. 

Check out some of our other favorite Chinese Noodle Dishes: 

shrimp noodle dish in a wok.

Shrimp Chow Mein

This quick and easy Shrimp Chow Mein recipe will be your favorite at-home chinese dish yet! Customize this recipe with your favorite proteins and vegetables. This is a perfect fridge-cleaning recipe. Add 1 teaspoon Asian chilie-garlic sauce (or sriracha) to the stir fry sauce if you would like it to be spicy.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 194 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound fresh chow mein or 12 oz package of dried chow mein noodles
  • 2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 2 stalks green onion cut into 1" lengths
  • 1/2 pound shrimp shelled and deveined
  • 2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds

Stir Fry Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar

Optional Ingredients

  • 1/2 onion sliced
  • 1 stalk green onion chopped
  • 1/2 bell pepper sliced
  • 1/2 cup carrots julienned
  • 1/2 cup snow peas
  • handful fresh bean sprouts

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the noodles Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook the noodles 1-2 minutes shy of the package instructions. We want the noodles al-dente. Drain immediately and toss with sesame oil.
  • Combine stir fry sauce in a small bowl.
  • Sear Shrimp: Heat a wok or large saute pan over high heat. When hot, swirl in just 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil. Sear the shrimp on both sides (but do not cook through). Transfer shrimp to a clean plate, set aside.
  • Stir Fry the Vegetables: Add in the onions (if using), and other vegetables. Stir-fry for 2-4 minutes, until vegetables are tender-crisp. Transfer vegetables to the shrimp plate, set aside.
  • Stir Fry the Noodles: Return pan to medium-high heat. When hot, swirl the remaining 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add in the green onions, and give it a good toss, and then add in the drained noodles. Stir fry for 2 minutes, until noodles are of desired texture (give it a taste). Turn heat to high. Pour in the stir fry sauce and the seared shrimp/vegetable mixture. Give everything a nice toss and heat everything through. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 194kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 14gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 992mgPotassium: 230mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 3362IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 147mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!