Marianne Martinez
Lo mein is a popular Asian takeout dish that can be easily made in a crock pot or slow cooker. This recipe is perfect for busy people who want a healthy, tasty, and quick meal without the expense of ordering takeout. The crock pot does all the work, leaving you with a delicious meal with minimal effort. The beauty of this recipe is that you can adapt it to your taste preferences, using your choice of meat, vegetables, and noodles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Dish | Lo mein |
| Cooking Method | Slow cooker/crock pot |
| Ingredients | Chicken, vegetables, noodles, sauce |
| Specific Ingredients | Chicken thighs, broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, mushrooms, onions, celery, snow peas, water chestnuts, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce, ginger, black pepper |
| Cook Time | 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low |
| Additional Notes | Can be made vegetarian by omitting meat and using tofu or more vegetables; can adjust spice level to taste |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- Chicken Lo Mein: use chicken thighs for juicier meat
- Sauce: whisk together soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, and sesame oil
- Vegetables: add broccoli, carrots, and celery
- Noodles: cook the noodles separately and add to the crock pot at the end
- Vegetarian option: omit the meat and add tofu or extra vegetables
Chicken Lo Mein: use chicken thighs for juicier meat
Chicken lo mein is a simple and tasty dish to make in a crockpot. Chicken thighs are a great choice for this recipe as they are juicier than chicken breasts and harder to overcook. You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breast, cutting the chicken into cubes before placing it in the slow cooker if you prefer.
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs
- Lo mein noodles (or spaghetti noodles/any type of pasta)
- Green onions
- Sesame seeds
- Broccoli
- Baby bok choy
- Matchstick carrots
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Green beans
- Brown sugar
- Hoisin sauce
- Sesame oil
- Soy sauce
- Garlic
Method
First, whisk together the sauce ingredients: soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and garlic. You can also add in hoisin sauce or extra sesame oil for added flavor. Layer the chicken thighs in the bottom of the crockpot and pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chicken shreds easily.
Remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred it, then stir it back into the crockpot with the juices and sauce. Add in your vegetables—broccoli, baby bok choy, matchstick carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and green beans are all great options. Cover and cook on high for 10-20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the lo mein noodles according to the package instructions. Then, stir the noodles into the sauce in the crockpot. Serve garnished with green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
The Perfect Pan Pouring Technique
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Sauce: whisk together soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, and sesame oil
Lo mein is a popular Asian takeout dish that can be easily made in a crock pot. To make the sauce, you'll need to gather the following ingredients: soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, and sesame oil. You can also add other ingredients like sambal oelek, oyster sauce, ginger, and hoisin sauce to enhance the flavour.
Start by measuring out your ingredients. The amount of each ingredient you'll need will depend on your personal preference and the size of your crock pot. Generally, you'll want to use more soy sauce than the other ingredients, as it serves as the base of your sauce. You can always taste and adjust your sauce as you go.
Next, add the ingredients to a small bowl and whisk them together until well combined. Make sure the brown sugar is completely dissolved so that your sauce has a smooth consistency. You can also add a little water to the sauce if it becomes too thick.
If you like your sauce on the sweeter side, feel free to add more brown sugar. Alternatively, if you prefer a less sweet sauce, you can reduce the amount of brown sugar or substitute it with a low-calorie sweetener. You can even add a dash of honey to the sauce for extra flavour.
Once you've achieved your desired taste and consistency, your sauce is ready to be used in your crock pot lo mein! Pour it over your chicken, vegetables, and noodles, and let the crock pot work its magic. Remember to reserve some sauce if you want to add it to your lo mein after cooking or use it for leftovers.
Chuck Steak: Crock Pot Cooking Time Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Vegetables: add broccoli, carrots, and celery
When preparing the vegetables for your crockpot lo mein, it's important to ensure they are chopped into bite-sized pieces. Broccoli, carrots, and celery are a great combination of vegetables to include in your lo mein. You can also add other vegetables such as bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, snow peas, and water chestnuts.
If you want to add a bit of crunch to your lo mein, you can lightly blanch the broccoli florets before adding them to the crockpot. To do this, simply boil some water, add the broccoli florets for about 30 seconds, and then plunge them into ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. This will help retain their bright green colour and crisp texture.
For the carrots, it is recommended to cut them into thin matchsticks or slices. This ensures they cook evenly and adds a nice texture to the dish. Carrots are a great source of vitamins and minerals, so they not only add flavour but also nutritional value to your meal.
When preparing the celery, remove the tough outer stalks and strings, and slice the tender inner stalks into thin pieces. Celery adds a refreshing crunch and subtle flavour to the lo mein.
Once all your vegetables are prepared, simply add them to your crockpot at the appropriate stage of cooking. Most recipes recommend adding the vegetables towards the end of the cooking process, allowing them to cook for around 15-30 minutes on high heat until they are tender.
Feel free to experiment with different types and amounts of vegetables to find your perfect combination. You can also try adding vegetables like baby bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, or green beans for extra flavour and texture.
Best Ways to Remove Stubborn, Burnt Bits from Pans
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Noodles: cook the noodles separately and add to the crock pot at the end
Lo mein is a popular Asian takeout dish that can be easily made in a crock pot. While there are many ways to cook lo mein in a crock pot, this response will focus on the step: "Noodles: cook the noodles separately and add to the crock pot at the end".
Firstly, select the type of noodles you want to use. Lo mein noodles are the most traditional option, but other types of noodles or pasta can also be used. Chinese egg noodles are the traditional variety used, and fresh noodles are ideal. However, dried varieties, spaghetti, or other long cuts of pasta can be substituted if fresh lo mein noodles are unavailable.
Next, cook the noodles separately according to the package instructions. Prepare the noodles to al dente, ensuring they are still slightly chewy, as this is a characteristic of lo mein noodles. Drain the noodles well after cooking to remove any excess water.
Once the noodles are cooked and drained, it's time to add them to the crock pot. Before adding the noodles, the sauce, meat (typically chicken or pork), and vegetables are cooked in the crock pot. The chicken is usually shredded and added back to the crock pot with its juices before the vegetables are added. The vegetables are then cooked until tender.
Finally, add the cooked noodles to the crock pot and stir well. It is recommended to let the noodles rest in the sauce for a few minutes before serving. This allows the noodles to absorb the flavours of the sauce. You can also add garnishes such as green onions and sesame seeds at this stage.
By cooking the noodles separately and adding them to the crock pot at the end, you ensure that they do not overcook and maintain their desired texture. This method also helps to prevent the noodles from becoming soggy and ensures that they retain their flavour and chewiness, characteristic of lo mein noodles.
Cast Iron Cookware: Bulletproof Protection or Just a Myth?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$89.99 $94.99
Vegetarian option: omit the meat and add tofu or extra vegetables
For a vegetarian crockpot lo mein, the process is very similar to the chicken version, with a few adjustments. Firstly, omit the meat and instead add tofu, or load up on your favourite vegetables. You can also add vegetarian oyster sauce and hoisin sauce as alternatives.
Begin by preparing your vegetables. You can use fresh or frozen veggies, and any types you like. Recommended vegetables include broccoli, carrots, water chestnuts, bell peppers, snow peas, baby bok choy, matchstick carrots, shiitake mushrooms, green beans, Chinese broccoli, spinach, onions, celery, and bean sprouts.
Next, prepare your tofu if you are using it. You can cut it into cubes and season it with the sauce before adding it to the crockpot. If you want to add extra protein, you could also add some cooked eggs to the dish.
Now, prepare your sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, seasoned rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, chili garlic sauce, garlic powder, ground ginger, and black pepper. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, you can add some honey or brown sugar. For a less sweet sauce, choose a sugar-free sweetener alternative. If you like your lo mein spicy, add some red chilli pepper flakes.
Grease your crockpot and pour in about a third of your sauce. Then, add your tofu, if using, and your vegetables. Cover and cook on high for one hour. If you are using eggs, you can add them now. Then, add your cooked noodles of choice and the remaining sauce. Stir well and serve.
You can prepare the noodles according to the package instructions, or, if you want to save time, you can buy pre-cooked noodles. Lo mein noodles are the most traditional, but any type of noodle or pasta will work. You can also use gluten-free or regular spaghetti.
Pasta Pot Too Small? Try This Easy Hack
You may want to see also
