Instant Pot Chicken Lo Mein - The Cookin Chicks (2025)

Published: May 7, 2024 by Kristin · This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. · 28 Comments

This quick and easy Instant Pot Chicken Lo Mein recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Made with tender chicken, crisp vegetables, and flavorful sauce, it’s a delicious one-pot meal that the whole family will love.

By now, you probably realize I have an obsession with my Instant Pot. Seriously, how did I do life without one?? Not only does it make dinner a breeze, but clean up is even easier! Talk about game changer! Whether I procrastinate thinking about dinner and have frozen meat, or if I am ready to go with thawed…..Instant Pot dinners can be ready in no time! I even find myself experimenting with new recipes more often because its simple and fun!

A few nights ago, I had a major craving for Chinese food. My typical go to is Chicken Fried Rice and Egg Rolls, but I was craving something new. After rummaging through my pantry and fridge, I found the ingredients for this Instant Pot Lo Mein meal and knew it was just the thing to make. In fact, my kids request this dish often and being that its a dump and go one-pot dinner, I happily oblige.

Chicken Lo Mein Instant Pot Recipe Ingredient Notes

This family favorite dish comes together in no time using a pressure cooker! For exact recipe ingredient amounts and step by step directions, see printable recipe card below.

• Oil– I use vegetable oil, however, canola oil or sesame oil will work too
• Chicken– boneless skinless chicken breasts are what I use, but you can also use skinless chicken thighs as they are a bit more tender
• Garlic– this adds lots of flavor, fresh minced is best versus dried
• Chicken Broth– I use low sodium chicken broth in this recipe, you can also use water and Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
• Soy Sauce– look for low sodium soy sauce as the regular type adds a bit too much salt to this recipe and overpowers the flavors
• Hoisin Sauce–it’s similar to an Asian BBQ sauce and can be found next to the other Asian foods at the grocery store
• Spaghetti– you can also use fettuccine or linguine noodles
• Cornstarch– this helps thicken up the sauce to fully coat the pasta
• Water– you will combine this and the cornstarch to make a slurry
• Carrots– I use matchsticks, however, you can use any type and cut them into small slivers
• Red Bell Pepper– feel free to use any other color or bell peppers as well
• Green Onions– fresh and chopped adds lots of flavor just before serving
• Sesame Seeds– although optional, I highly recommend as this is just the finishing touch the recipe needs

How to make Instant Pot Chicken Low Mein

1. Add the oil, diced raw chicken, minced garlic, chicken broth, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and uncooked spaghetti noodles to your instant pot. *Ensure the noodles are as submerged in the liquid as you can get them
2. Place lid on Instant Pot and ensure valve at top is in sealing position.
3. Set manual high pressure cooking time for 4 minutes, followed by a quick release of the pressure.
4. In a small bowl, combine the water and cornstarch.
5. Pour mixture into Instant Pot and stir to incorporate/break up pasta.
6. Add in the carrots and red peppers and place lid back onto Instant Pot to allow to “rest” for about 10 minutes.
7. Remove lid and stir in the green onions and sesame seeds.
8. Serve and enjoy! *You can also drizzle sriracha sauce on top if you want to add an extra kick.

One Pot Lo Mein Tips and Tricks

• If you don’t want to use fresh veggies, feel free to use frozen vegetables. They make Asian vegetable medley that is perfect in this recipe as well.
• Feel free to double, triple, or halve this recipe. Simply reduce or increase the ingredients keeping the cook time the same.
• Don’t use Chinese Lo Mein Noodles as they will get mushy and won’t hold up.
• If you have leftovers, allow to fully cool before storing in an airtight container in your refrigerator up to 5 days. You can also freeze this meal up to 3 months.To re-heat, toss the noodles with a few tablespoons of warm water and re-heat in microwave.
• If noodles have clumped together, run a fork through the noodleslengthwise

Variations of Instant Pot Chicken Lo Mein

• Feel free to swap out vegetables for your liking. Onion, snow peas, sugar snap peas, cabbage, bean sprouts, spinach, mushrooms, broccoli, and more make great additions.
• Adding in about 1 tablespoon brown sugar can add a sweetness to this Asian inspired meal. It is a great addition to try.
• To make this vegetarian, simply use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth and omit the chicken. You can use tofu cut into 1 inch pieces and add it AFTER pressure cooking.
• Thin spaghetti is best for this recipe, avoid using egg noodles or lo mein noodles with egg as they do not hold up well.
• Oyster sauce can be used in place Hoisin sauce if you cannot find it in your grocery store.
• Sprinkle some fresh Ginger on top just before serving.
• If you don’t want to use chicken, you can also use ground beef or shrimp.

What is the difference between Lo Mein and Chow Mein?

“Mein” simply means noodles so it is easy to mix the two up. The main difference lies in how they are prepared. Lo mein are tossed noodles while chow mein are stir-fried. Both are delicious!Chow mein noodles are first soaked in water before stir frying in oil until cooked and they tend to be crunchier. Lo Mein noodles are cooked completely in hot water before being added to the rest of protein, vegetables, and sauce at the end.

What if I don’t have an Instant Pot?

If you don’t have access to an Instant Pot, no worries! You can follow the simple instructions below to make this over the stove!

1. Prepare the noodles according to package directions.No need to rinse them once they are cooked.
2. Eliminate the chicken broth from the recipe
3. Cook the chicken in a hot pan with a dash of oil until cooked. Remove.
4. Add the vegetables to the hot pan and sauté until tender.
5. Add the chicken, noodles, and sauce into the pan. Toss to combine.

More Asian Inspired Recipes to try

Baked Honey Sesame Chicken–an irresistible Asian-inspired dish that surpasses takeout! Enjoy the delectable blend of crispy diced chicken, perfectly coated in a delightful sweet, savory, and tangy sauce.

Asian Ramen Coleslaw–fast and effortless salad that leaves everyone craving for seconds! This vibrant, zesty, and crunchy Asian Slaw recipe takes less than 10 minutes to prepare, making it an ideal choice for picnics, potlucks, BBQs, and beyond!

PF Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps–healthy, simple to make, and taste just like the classic signature recipe from PF Chang’s. Low carb and packed with flavor, these make a great dinner or appetizer option!

Teriyaki Chicken Casserole–simple yet flavor-packed casserole features an incredible combination of vegetable stir fry, rice, chicken, and a flavorful homemade Teriyaki sauce.

Crispy Oven Baked Egg Rolls– made by filling an egg roll wrapper with coleslaw mix and seasonings, then baked in the oven until crispy and golden brown. No need to pull out your fryer for this delicious appetizer, side dish, or snack option!