Some of the links below are affiliate links, so we may receive a commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Check our Disclosure in the Privacy Policy for more info.
King Prawn Chow Mein Recipe
Say hello to this delicious king prawn chow mein: egg noodles, prawns and vegetables tossed in a homemade chow mein sauce. What’s even better, is that you can make this dish in just 15 minutes!
Who can say no to takeaway style king prawn chow mein? Well, definitely not me; this recipe is an absolute crowd pleaser! It’s simple, easy to make and it’s a prawn noodle stir fry that’s packed full of flavour. You simply stir-fry each ingredient in the wok before adding the next ingredient – it’s that easy!
The best part is, you can swap and add whatever veggies and proteins that you have at the time. I sometimes swap the prawns and make chicken chow mein! That’s why I love noodle recipes, they are the best meal to make on busy weekdays and there’s no need to wait around an hour for delivery!
Another 15-minute meal is this king prawn fried rice, a delicious homemade recipe that also tastes just like the takeaway.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
First things first, prawns with noodles taste so good! Below are even more reasons why you’ll like this recipe:
- Packed With Vegetables: It’s a great way to add in loads of vegetables into one dish.
- A super quick recipe: The perfect recipe for when you’re in a rush.
- One-Pan Recipe: You only need one wok or frying pan to make this dish; it will save you heaps of washing-up to do!
- Great For Leftovers: You can completely customise this recipe by using leftover vegetables in the fridge. This recipe allows you to work with what you’ve got and with whatever vegetables you prefer.
Watch How To Make It
Recipe Ingredients
To make Chinese style prawn chow mein you’ll need the following ingredients below:
- Prawns (Shrimps): Tiger prawns, king prawns, large jumbo prawns or standard prawns are all fine to use. Make sure the prawns are peeled and cleaned, you can buy king prawns that have been peeled and cleaned beforehand or you can do this manually yourself.
- Egg Noodles: I used fresh egg noodles that I got from my local supermarket. You can also use dried egg noodles (boil the noodles before starting this recipe).
- Chow Mein Sauce: This super easy stir fry sauce is made from a mixture of oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, chilli sauce and salt. The sauce gives the chow mein and king prawns in this dish an authentic Chinese takeaway style taste.
- Vegetables: This recipe is packed with beansprouts, shredded cabbage and carrots like an authentic king prawn chow mein takeaway. I also added sliced spring onions and garlic for even more flavour.
- Prawn Marinade (Optional): For extra oomph, I like to marinade the prawns in a mixture of garlic and ginger paste, dark soy sauce, black pepper and salt.
Noodle Variations – Which Is Best?
Egg noodles are commonly used to make a prawn or shrimp chow mein, they’re the preferred choice and the best type of noodle to use. But if you can’t get your hands on fresh egg noodles, then you can use dried egg noodles that will need to be boiled in hot water for around 5 minutes to soften.
How To Make King Prawn Chow Mein
Ready to make prawn chow mein? Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make this easy prawn noodle stir fry. Full recipe instructions are on the recipe card at the bottom.
Step One:
Put the prawns into a mixing bowl and add the marinade ingredients: garlic paste, ginger paste, black pepper, salt and dark soy sauce into the mixing bowl. Mix until evenly distributed and the prawns are fully coated in the marinade. If you are not marinating the prawns skip this step.
Set the prawns aside for later use and chop your vegetables (carrots, cabbage, garlic and spring onions) for later use.
Step Two:
Make the chow mein sauce by mixing together oyster sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, chilli sauce and salt in a small bowl.
Step Three:
Heat the wok or frying pan on a medium to high heat and add oil. When hot, add the garlic and spring onions and stir fry for 30 seconds.
Add the prawns and stir-fry for 2 minutes before adding the vegetables and stir-frying for a further 1 to 2 minutes.
Step Four:
Add the egg noodles to the wok or frying pan and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the chow mein sauce over the noodles and stir until the sauce is evenly distributed.
And it’s done! That’s how to make Chinese takeaway king prawn chow mein.
Vegetables Perfect For Chow Mein
There are so many vegetables that you can add to this dish. I’ve listed a few perfect for stir-fry dishes like this:
- Tenderstem Broccoli (you can add it straight into the wok or roast them in the oven and serve it as a side)
- Mushrooms
- Bell Peppers
- Bamboo Shoot
- Baby Sweetcorn
- Onions
- Water Chestnuts
My Top Tips For Prawn Stir Fry Noodles
If you don’t have ginger paste or garlic paste, then that’s okay! Either finely dice raw ginger and garlic into small pieces or make the paste yourself. To do this, chop garlic cloves and fresh root ginger into small pieces. Then place it in a pestle & mortar with a drop of water and grind until broken down. It does take a little time and some elbow grease.
The biggest time saver is to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to cook. This includes chopping your vegetables and cleaning and peeling the prawns in advance. If you’re not using fresh egg noodles but dried noodles instead, you can boil it whilst you’re preparing the vegetables.
Make this dish vegetarian by taking out the prawns, you can replace it with tofu or leave out any protein replacement. Another variation to this recipe is to change the type of protein used to beef, pork, chicken or any other meaty alternative.
I remember making stir-frys at school, my teacher would always scream “it’s not stare fry it’s stir-fry, keep stirring!“ I remember this every time I’m making stir-fry dishes. Pay close attention and keep stirring to prevent any burning.
If you want king prawns with crispy noodles, then you can fry the noodles in a separate wok or frying pan before adding it to the prawns and vegetables.
What To Serve With Prawn Chow Mein
The great thing about chow mein is that you can have a big bowl of it, or dish out smaller potions and serve it with sides. I’ve listed a few of my favourite sides that I think go well with this prawn noodle stir fry:
- Chinese Crispy Beef
- Honey Chilli Chicken
- Salt And Pepper Chicken
- Sesame Prawn Toast
- Chinese Chicken Balls
How To Store & Reheat Prawn Chow Mein
Prawn (shrimp) chow mein will last in the fridge for around 3 days. Allow the chow mein to cool down completely before storing it in an airtight container. When reheating, place in a microwavable container with the lid loosely fitted. Microwave until piping hot throughout.
More Stir Fry Noodle Recipes
Below are even more Chinese style fakeaway recipes like this king prawn chow mein that you’ll love:
- Yaki Udon Noodles
- Char Siu Chow Mein
- Singapore Noodles
- Special Chow Mein
- Chicken Vermicelli
- Plain Chow Mein
