How Many Calories in Chicken Chow Mein?
By Chinese takeaway standards, chicken chow mein is a light order: 147 kcal per 100 g, and a typical 400 g takeaway box comes to 588 kcal, less than half of what doner meat carries gram for gram. If you're checking how many calories in chicken chow mein, the energy isn't the problem. The salt is.
You'd need to walk about 118 minutes to burn the 588 calories in a 400 g takeaway box.
How long does it take to burn off chicken chow mein?
A 400 g takeaway box is 588 kcal. Enter your weight and the amount you ate to see how long it takes you to burn that off:
lb
| Activity | Time to burn 588 kcal |
|---|---|
| Walking, brisk | 1 hr 58 min |
| Cycling, moderate | 1 hr 14 min |
| Swimming, moderate | 1 hr 24 min |
| Jogging | 1 hr 9 min |
| Weight training, moderate | 2 hr 11 min |
Times are for a 154 lb (11 st) adult at a steady pace; change the weight to see yours. The amount is set to the portion in the text (400 g); change it to what you actually ate. BodyPal works this out from your steps automatically.
On this page
- Chicken chow mein nutrition per 100 g
- How many calories in a takeaway box
- Beef, homemade and other versions
- How does chicken chow mein compare
- The real catch is the salt
- Most popular chow mein brands
- FAQ
Chicken chow mein nutrition per 100 g
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | % RI* |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 147 kcal / 615 kJ | 7% |
| Protein | 8.5 g | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 12.7 g | 5% |
| Fat | 7.2 g | 10% |
| Saturates | 1.17 g | 6% |
| Fibre | 1.5 g | — |
| Sugar | 0.3 g | <1% |
| Salt | 1.17 g | 20% |
*Reference intake of an average adult (8,400 kJ / 2,000 kcal). No RI is set for fibre; the NHS guideline is 30 g a day.
Verified nutrition data
Numbers on this page come from CoFID, the UK government’s Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset, and from manufacturer labels where a branded product is named. Last verified August 2026. How we verify our data →
For a takeaway main, that profile is unusually restrained. The noodles keep the carbohydrate moderate, the chicken brings a respectable 8.5 g of protein per 100 g, and there is almost no sugar in the dish at all. Fat sits at 7.2 g, most of it from the wok oil rather than the meat.
The number that should catch your eye is the last one. A fifth of your daily salt in every 100 g adds up quickly when the box weighs 400 g.
How many calories in a takeaway box
| Portion | Calories |
|---|---|
| Half a takeaway box (200 g) | 294 kcal |
| Full takeaway box (400 g) | 588 kcal / 2,460 kJ |
A standard foil container holds around 400 g, so the full box lands at 588 kcal. That is a legitimate dinner, not a blowout: plenty of curries and rice dishes from the same menu will beat it comfortably.
Portions do vary between shops. At 147 kcal per 100 g, every extra 100 g of noodles is another 147 kcal, so a generous 500 g box reaches about 735 kcal. The bigger trap is the extras: prawn crackers run 570 kcal per 100 g, and a bag on the side can quietly outweigh half the main.
Beef, homemade and other versions
Beef chow mein comes in slightly lighter at 136 kcal per 100 g, so a 400 g box is roughly 544 kcal. The difference is small enough that you should order the one you actually want.
Homemade chow mein is where the numbers change league. A home-cooked chicken and pork chow mein measures just 72 kcal per 100 g, half the takeaway figure. A big 400 g plateful comes to about 288 kcal. Same noodles, same vegetables, same meat; the gap is almost entirely oil. Cooked with a restrained hand, chow mein is a genuine diet dish.
How does chicken chow mein compare
| Dish | Calories per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Homemade chow mein | 72 kcal |
| Instant noodles | 135 kcal |
| Chicken chow mein (takeaway) | 147 kcal |
| Sushi | 148–170 kcal |
| Pizza | 272 kcal |
| Doner kebab | 377 kcal |
The verdict: for calories, chow mein and sushi are the safest orders on this list, while pizza is nearly double the density and doner meat two and a half times it. If you're choosing a takeaway with weight in mind, chow mein is one of the better boxes you can open; just treat the salt as the real price.
The real catch is the salt
A full 400 g box carries about 4.7 g of salt. That is 78% of the 6 g daily maximum the NHS recommends for adults, and nearly all of the under-5 g target the WHO sets, in one meal, before you touch the soy sauce on the table.
If you're watching salt, two moves help: stop at half a box (2.4 g) or make it at home, where you control both the oil and the sauce. The calories were never the issue with this dish; the sodium chloride is.
Most popular chow mein brands in the United Kingdom
Ranked by how widely each product appears among foods sold in the United Kingdom, from the BodyPal food database of over 3.3 million products. Calories are the figures printed on each label. Shop versions are lighter than the takeaway figure of 147 — less oil in the wok.
| Product | Calories (per 100 g) |
|---|---|
| Naked Noodle Chow Mein | 90 kcal |
| Blue Dragon Chow Mein Stir Fry Sauce | 106 kcal |
Brand popularity: BodyPal food database. Nutrition: manufacturer labels.
Chicken chow mein FAQs
How many calories in a chicken chow mein takeaway?
A typical 400 g takeaway box of chicken chow mein comes to 588 kcal. The dish itself measures 147 kcal per 100 g, so box size decides the total: a larger 500 g container reaches about 735 kcal, while half a box is 294 kcal.
How many calories in a full container of chow mein?
Around 588 kcal for a standard 400 g container. At 147 kcal per 100 g, every extra 100 g adds another 147 kcal. Sharing the box and bulking your plate out with steamed vegetables is the easiest way to bring the meal down without ordering differently.
How many calories in homemade chicken chow mein?
Homemade chow mein made with chicken comes in around 72 kcal per 100 g, roughly half the takeaway figure. A generous 400 g plateful is about 288 kcal. The difference is oil: a takeaway wok is far more liberal with it than most home cooks are.
Is chicken chow mein healthy?
At 147 kcal and 8.5 g of protein per 100 g, it is one of the more balanced takeaway mains, with barely any sugar. The weak spot is salt: a full box carries about 4.7 g, most of an adult's 6 g daily maximum. If salt matters to you, make it a homemade night.
Chow mein or fried rice – which has fewer calories?
Chow mein is usually the lighter order. Fried rice is cooked by frying the grains directly in oil, and rice soaks it up readily, while chow mein noodles take on less. Exact figures vary from shop to shop, but noodles with vegetables tend to win the comparison.
How many calories in beef chow mein?
About 136 kcal per 100 g, a touch under the chicken version's 147. A 400 g box works out near 544 kcal. The gap is too small to matter over a week, so pick the one you prefer and pay attention to the box size instead.
How much salt is in chicken chow mein?
1.17 g of salt per 100 g, which makes a 400 g takeaway box about 4.7 g – 78% of the NHS 6 g daily maximum. That is the dish's real weakness. Skipping added soy sauce and stopping at half a box both cut the figure sharply.
Is chow mein good for weight loss?
It can be. A 588 kcal box fits most calorie budgets as an evening meal, and the homemade version halves that to under 300 kcal per plate. The orders that undo people are the sides: prawn crackers alone run 570 kcal per 100 g.
Similar foods
- Chicken breast — 147 kcal per 100 g grilled
- Chinese takeaway — 147 kcal per 100 g chow mein
- Indian takeaway — 145 kcal per 100 g chicken curry
- Spaghetti bolognese — ~680 kcal a plate
- Turkey — 155 kcal per 100 g breast
- Chicken tikka masala — ~546 kcal the curry alone
Count it without the maths
BodyPal logs a box of chow mein – calories, protein and that 4.7 g of salt – from one photo.
