This Chicken Yakisoba recipe is a family fave, and it's so easy to make at home in just about 30 minutes!
I've always loved yakisoba noodles, but fell in love with them even more after traveling to Japan a little over a year ago. They're so easy to make at home, and it's a dish that kids and adults alike tend to enjoy!
With the Summer Olympics in Japan this year, I was inspired to share my family's Chicken Yakisoba recipe. It's a simple yet flavorful riff on some of our favorite take-out dishes.
Tools and equipment
- Wok
- Cutting board
- Knife
- 2 mixing bowls
To make this yakisoba dish, a wok does the best job. This is the wok that I use to make yakisoba, and other Asian recipes, like Beef Lo Mein and Filipino Pancit Bihon. If you don't have a wok, you can use any other heavy-bottom pan that has high sides.
Chicken Yakisoba Ingredients
To make the yakisoba sauce, you'll need:
- Yakisoba Noodles - You can use traditional Yakisoba noodles or instant noodles. Be sure to follow the package directions for cooking the particular noodles you choose to use.
- Chicken - I like to use skinless, boneless chicken thighs. They tend to be more flavorful. But you can use chicken breasts as well. Whichever cut you use, be sure to cut the chicken into similar size pieces for more even cooking.
- Ketchup - yes, ketchup! Ketchup adds a sweet, tangy flavor to Yakisoba sauce.
- Worcestershire Sauce - this fermented condiment made with a vinegar base adds even more tang to the sauce. It's classic sweet, savory, salty, tangy flavors help balance out the dish.
- Oyster Sauce - I love the richness that oyster sauce adds to Yakisoba sauce. We also use oyster sauce a lot in Filipino cooking.
- Sugar - a small amount of granulated sugar balances the sauce perfectly.
- Onions - I prefer the mild flavor of yellow onions, and like to slice the onion very thinly.
- Carrots - these add some nice crunch to the Yakisoba noodles and pops of color.
- Cabbage - you can use green or red cabbage, or a combination of both!
How to Make Chicken Yakisoba Noodles
First, make the sauce. In a large bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients. Then pour half into a second bowl and set that bowl aside. You'll use it at the end!
Next, cook the noodles according to package directions. While the noodles are cooking, start cooking the chicken.
Heat oil in a wok. Once the wok is hot, add the chopped chicken pieces, and pour in the sauce from one of the bowls. Stir constantly and coat all of the chicken pieces with the sauce. Cook until the chicken is cooked all the way through, about 4 to 7 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the wok and transfer to a bowl. Set it aside for later.
You should still have some cooking oil left in the wok. If not, add one tablespoon of oil. Add the carrots and onions to the wok and stir constantly, cooking until softened, about 2 minutes. Then add the cabbage and cook for one more minute, until softened.
Add the chicken back to the wok. Drain the cooked noodles and add them to the wok. Then pour in the remaining bowl of Yakisoba sauce. Stir all of the ingredients together until everything is well coated.
Serve immediately.
Time-Saving Tips
This is a very forgiving and adaptable chicken yakisoba recipe. It's already a fast dish, but if you want to save even more time, try one of these kitchen shortcuts.
- Use pre-cooked chicken.
- If you don't have time to chop veggies, you can use a coleslaw mix (without any dressing) of red and green cabbage and carrots.
- Use instant noodles instead of regular yakisoba noodles.
Storage Tips
Since this chicken yakisoba recipe makes a large amount, I like to serve some as a main course one night. Then, I save the rest and we serve it as a side dish on another night.
To help the yakisoba stay fresh longer, I use my FoodSaver VS3110 Food Preservation System along with my Preserve and Marinate Containers. I love these containers so much! They not only vacuum seal to lock in freshness, but they're also crack- and shatter-resistant AND they're stain- and odor-resistant too! That's a big plus, considering so many delicious dishes we cook are fragrant and have strong sauces that tend to stain regular old containers.
What to Serve with Chicken Yakisoba
Some of our favorite dishes to serve with chicken yakisoba recipe include:
- Instant Pot Filipino Chicken Adobo
- Wonton Noodle Soup
- Authentic Filipino Lumpia
- Grilled Honey Garlic Chicken Skewers
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can use real yakisoba noodles, instant yakisoba noodles, or even spaghetti.
Absolutely. This chicken yakisoba recipe is just as delicious with broccoli, red cabbage, and mushrooms. If using larger vegetables, like broccoli, be sure to sauté those along with the carrots first. Then add the other, thinner vegetables that cook faster.
Yakisoba sauce is a richer, more complex blend of flavors, whereas soy sauce is simply soy sauce. The combination of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and oyster sauce give this yakisoba sauce a nice depth of flavor which makes this dish absolutely delicious!
You can freeze cooked chicken yakisoba in a freezer-safe container - like FoodSaver's Preserve & Marinate Containers - or bag for up to one month. However, this dish is best eaten fresh, within five days. Freezing tends to diminish the flavors of the dish. If you do freeze yakisoba, allow it to that in the refrigerator overnight. You'll also want to add some yakisoba sauce, or even plain soy sauce or teriyaki sauce, to the dish when reheating in the microwave or stovetop.
More Family Favorite Recipes
- Pork and Peanut Dragon Noodles
- Instant Pot Moroccan Chicken
- Seared Scallops with Corn and Longganisa
- Garlic Butter Chicken Bites with Asparagus
- Thai Chicken Salad
Chicken Yakisoba
Ingredients
- 8 ounce yakisoba noodles
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Chicken
- 8 ounce boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil
Vegetables
- ½ small onion, sliced thinly
- 1 medium carrot, julienned about ¾ cup total julienned carrots
- 1 cup thinly sliced green cabbage
- 2 scallions, green parts, sliced thinly
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to package directions, drain and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar. Pour half into another bowl and set that half aside for later.
- Season the chicken on all sides with salt and pepper.
- Add oil to a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the wok is hot, add the chicken and one bowl of the mixed sauce, then cook, stirring constantly, for 5 to 7 minutes. Chicken is cooked when a meat thermometer reads 165°F. Remove the chicken from the wok and transfer it to a bowl or plate.
- There should be enough oil left in the wok to cook the remaining ingredients. But if necessary, add 1 tablespoon of additional oil to the wok. Add the carrots and onion and sauté for 3 minutes, just until the vegetables are softened. Add the cabbage and sauté for 1 to 2 more minutes, just until softened.
- Return the chicken to the wok, add the cooked noodles, pour in the remaining sauce that you set aside separately from the beginning, and stir together until the noodles are fully coated with sauce, about 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
Pin it:
This post is sponsored by FoodSaver. All opinions, recipes, and photos are my own.
Sara Welch says
Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it did not disappoint! Quick, easy and way better than take out; my whole family loved it!
Nathan says
Am I considering buying a wok just to make this recipe? Maybe! I'd love to be able to make dishes like this for myself, it looks so tasty. Noodles just make everything better!
serena says
I love that this is done within 30 minutes! So great for a weeknight meal! YUM
Tara says
Oh yum! One of my favorites! Love all the flavors in this yakisoba. Definitely perfect for weeknights too.
Andrea says
This looks exactly like what I get in a restaurant. Excited that I can now make it myself!