Shrimp Chow Mein Recipe - Better Than Takeout!

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This Shrimp Chow Mein recipe comes together super quickly and easily.  Boil the noodles, drain and give all the ingredients a quick stir fry with the sauce, and you’re all set.  Lunch, dinner or even a midnight snack in 15 minutes!

This Shrimp Chow Mein recipe is also super easy to customize, from the vegetables to the protein. Allergic to shellfish? No problem. Substitute with marinated sliced chicken, pork or beef.  Or omit the protein altogether and make it a vegetarian or vegan dish. 

What Type of Noodles are Best for Shrimp Chow Mein?

Chow Mein directly translates to "stir-fried noodles" in Chinese. While noodles are the star of the show, there really is no standard when it comes to Chow Mein. If you're in China, each region has their own standard and style of Chow Mein.

Egg noodles are generally a good variety for Chow Mein.  Egg noodles have a notable yellow color with a firmer texture that stands up to stir frying. They're readily available in grocery stores, fresh or dried.

Pancit noodles are another good option. In fact, the Lucky K.T. Brand of Pancit Noodles pictured below are typically my first choice for this Shrimp Chow Mein recipe. They're not too thick and not too thin and they have a really nice bouncy texture.

I always prefer to use fresh noodles instead of dried.  However, don't turn away from dried noodles. I've made Shrimp Chow Mein many times with dried egg noodles and it's delicious as well.  Also, since it's self stable, it means you can cook up Shrimp Chow Mein at a moment's notice.

While there are a few types of noodles that are preferable for this Shrimp Chow Mein recipe, what you use is truly up to you. As long as it's firm enough to stand up to stir-frying, there really is no right or wrong noodle to use. 

Be sure to prepare the noodles according to the package instructions before you stir-fry. Some require a quick boil, some need a soak and some are ready to use out of the package.

Which Vegetables are Best for Shrimp Chow Mein?

Not only is this a simple dish to make, it's fully customizable and it's an easy way to clear out your fridge. I often make Shrimp Chow Mein based on whatever vegetables I have.  

I love the texture that bean sprouts adds to this recipe. However, if you don't like bean sprouts, it can easily be swapped out. Add your favorite veggies. The options are truly endless. Here are some popular add-ins for Shrimp Chow Mein:

• onions
• scallions
• bean sprouts
• carrots
• cabbage
• bok choy
• napa cabbage
• mushrooms
• snow peas
• broccoli

To prep the vegetables, cut into thin strips 2" long, about the size of matchsticks. They should all be roughly the same size so that they cook quickly and evenly. The idea is for all the ingredients to be sized so that you get a little bit of everything in each bite.

How to Prepare Shrimp for Stir-Fried Noodles

The prep for shrimp is quite easy. They just need to be peeled and deveined. If you're using frozen shrimp, thaw them in the refrigerator or by submerging them in room temperature water.

Peel off the shell along with the legs. It's up to you if you want to keep the tail on or off.

Take a sharp paring knife and make a shallow cut along the back of the shrimp. Remove the dark vein and rinse the shrimp if necessary. Repeat with the rest of the shrimp then pat dry with paper towels.

For Shrimp Chow Mein, I like to use shrimp that's around 21/25 size. I always stock this size shrimp in my freezer since it works for so many different recipes, even Shrimp Tempura! I also find that this is the largest size that's still succulent and tender.

As shrimp go up in size, they tend to be firmer and tougher in texture. One size bigger would be okay but I wouldn't go any bigger than that. It would be better to go smaller than bigger for this Shrimp Chow Mein recipe.

21/25 refers to the shrimp count. It specifies the quantity of shrimp in each pound, meaning there are 21-25 shrimp per pound. The smaller the number, the larger the shrimp and the larger the number, the smaller the shrimp.

How to Make Shrimp Chow Mein

Prepare the noodles ahead of time, according to the package instructions. Drain the noodles well. Combine the Chow Mein Sauce ingredients and set aside.

Heat a wok or a large skillet over high heat and add a tablespoon of oil. If your wok or skillet isn't large enough, it's better to stir-fry the noodles in batches to allow room for tossing and to avoid overcrowding the pan.

Once the oil is hot, add shrimp, garlic, onion and carrots. Stir-fry until the shrimp begin to curl and turn pink. Don't cook the shrimp all the way through at this point.

Add noodles, scallions and bean sprouts and give it a good toss to incorporate all the ingredients. Continue stir-frying until the shrimp are fully cooked.

Drizzle in the Chow Mein Sauce and continue tossing until the noodles are well coated. Stir-fry for another 30 second and it's done. It's that easy! Your Shrimp Chow Mein is ready.

If you like a little kick, serve it with chili sauce or my personal favorite, homemade chili oil.