Whenever I go to a Chinese restaurant, I always order the Lo Mein instead of rice or fried rice. I just like the taste, texture, and flavor of the noodles and sauce so much better than the rice. However, I don’t have to request a different side anymore because I can make Instant Pot Lo Mein right at home! This recipe is for a Spicy Thai Lo Mein. Even though its got a little kick, its packed with more flavor than spice.

What is Thai Food?

Lo Mein is classically found at Chinese restaurants, but this recipe isn’t actually Chinese. Instead, this Spicy Thai Lo Mein is Thai. Thai food is one of the most popular dishes in the world. It is distinct for its strong flavors. Additionally, Thai food is packed with a lot of green vegetables and herbs so its pretty healthy for you as well. Thai food blends sweet, bitter, sour, and salty flavors into one dish jam packed with flavor.

Instant Pot Lo Mein Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. Oil
• 2 tsp. Garlic powder
• 1 tsp. Cayenne
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Black pepper
• 1 tbsp. Minced garlic
• 2 Red peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 cup diced fresh broccoli
• 1 large Carrot, sliced
• ¼ cup Green onions
• 1 pound Boneless skinless chicken tenders
• 12oz Lo mein noodles
• Fresh chopped cilantro

Spicy Thai Sauce Ingredients

• ⅓ cup Soy Sauce
• 2 tbsp. Rice wine vinegar
• 1 Lime juiced
• 1 tbsp. Sriracha
• 1 tbsp. Peanut Butter creamy
• ¼  cup Chicken broth

How are Lo Mein Noodles Different From Other Noodles?

Both Lo Mein and Chow Mein are made from a Chinese egg noodle called Lo Mein noodles. Low Mein noodles are made from wheat flour with egg added. Most dried pasta like spaghetti does not contain eggs. Eggs are the main difference between Lo Mein noodles and other kinds of noodles.

Can I Substitute Rice Wine Vinegar?

If you don’t have rice wine vinegar, and have no clue where to even get it, you can substitute it. For every 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar, you can use 1/4 of a tablespoon of water and 3/4 of a tablespoon of regular white vinegar. If you feel the meal is a bit tart, you can always add a pinch of sugar or salt to create a milder taste.

How to Make Instant Pot Lo Mein Spicy Thai

Making Instant Pot Lo Mein is pretty easy to do. The key to making Spicy Thai Lo Mein is all in the seasoning and sauce. Make sure to follow each step of the directions, below.

Step 1: Combine sauce ingredients

In a medium bowl, combine rice wine vinegar, Sriracha sauce, lime juice, peanut butter, chicken broth, and soy sauce. Stir with a whisk until well blended and set aside.

Step 2: Sauté the Veggies

Select the ‘Saute’ function and pre-heat the Instant Pot. Add oil to the inner pot and sauté the bell peppers, broccoli, minced garlic, and carrots until tender-crisp. Remove the mixture and set to the side.

Step 3: Sauté the Chicken

Add more oil as needed. Add the diced chicken and saute until almost done. Press ‘Cancel’ to turn Instant Pot off.

Step 4: Mix Chicken and Sauce

Add in the pepper mixture, seasonings, veggies, and sauce. Stir to combine.

Step 5: Pressure Cook

Close the lid. Hit the pressure cook or manual button and and pressure cook for 2 minutes.

Step 6: Do a Natural Release

Do a 2 minute natural pressure release (NPR 2). Then, turn the pressure valve to venting to release the rest of the pressure.

Step 7: Cook Your Noodles

While your food is pressure cooking, you could prepare your noodles as directed on the box.

Step 8: Add Noodles to Chicken

Press ‘Cancel’, open the lid and add the noodles, stir the noodles to combine. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Other Chinese Dishes to Try

If you aren’t in the mood for spicy Thai, there are other Chinese dishes you can make in your Instant pot as well. Plus, Chinese food is meant to be eaten with other Chinese dishes. Here are a few of my favorite Chinese dishes:

• Instant Pot Chicken Lo Mein
• Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
• Honey Chicken
• Chinese Sesame Chicken
• Instant Pot Pork Dumplings
• Sweet and Sour Chicken
• Instant Pot Chinese Pork

How to Store Instant Pot Lo Mein

You can easily store your Spicy Thai Lo Mein in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. To store it, place leftovers in a Tupperware container with a lid. Be sure to put it in the container when it has cooled.

Freezing is not recommended once you have made the entire recipe. This is because when you thaw and heat the meal, the noodles will be mushy and mostly disintegrated.

Don’t have time to make this Instant Pot Lo Mein? Pin it to Pinterest so you can find it later!