Make this easy takeout Chinese classic at home! This skillet of chicken, mushrooms, and a sweet sauce comes together in about half an hour. It’s as fast (or faster!) as the delivery.
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I spent most of my time in cooking school constantly hungry (ironically). Like most college students, I lived on pennies and most of my meals came from our Production 201 class – a class in which we prepared foods for mass consumption.
Video: How to Make Moo Goo Gai Pan
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Moo Goo Gai Pan
What is Moo Goo Gai Pan?
Unfortunately, it seems this once-popular chicken and mushroom stir-fry has fallen out of favor with the American mainstream. I don’t see it on Chinese restaurant menus as often as I would like anymore.
That’s a shame because it’s such a light yet flavorful dish and it comes together so easily. It’s basically a quick stir-fry made with mushrooms (“moo goo” in Cantonese) and chicken (“gai”). “Pan” means slices, hence the name means “chicken strips with mushrooms”. The addition of snow peas and carrots brings more flavor.
What’s more, Moo Goo Gai Pan’s chicken-based white sauce can be turned into a vegetarian or even vegan meal in just a few simple steps. Because I think a revival of the 1990’s Chinese takeout is in order, I decided to make my own version!
How to make a great stir fry
Once you start cooking, the stir-fries come together quickly. The key to a fresh-tasting stir-fry is getting your ingredients ready in the order they’ll be cooked, like on an assembly line. If you don’t prepare your ingredients properly, some of them can get overcooked while you struggle to chop or grab others.
Even slicing is also an important factor in great stir-fries. Be sure to slice both your chicken and veggies into thin and even slices to ensure they cook at the same speed.
Velveting technique for fried chicken
Moo Goo Gai Pan involves a great culinary technique used in many Chinese dishes called velvet preparation. It involves coating the chicken (or any other meat or seafood) in a batter made from beaten egg and cornstarch. This provides a light breading that also helps thicken the sauce and keeps the chicken from drying out when cooking over high heat.
I use a whole egg to avoid wasting the yolk, but normally you would just use the egg white. If you don’t mind the waste, omit the yolk, although I find there’s no difference in flavor if you use the whole egg. Just make sure to drain as much of the egg mixture from the chicken before cooking—otherwise it will become scrambled when it hits the pan.
Ingredients for the Moo Goo Gai pan
Canned water chestnuts and bamboo shoots can usually be found in the Asian food section of most major grocery stores, and you can definitely find them in Asian grocery stores. They’re great to have on hand for this recipe or other quick stir-fries.
Want a vegan version of Moo Goo Gai Pan?
To turn this dish into a vegan meal, use pressed, firm tofu and vegetable stock instead of chicken and chicken broth. Omit the oyster sauce and double the amount of hoisin — it’s sort of like a Chinese barbecue sauce. White pepper has a more subtle flavor and is more commonly used in Asian cuisine.
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More great wok recipes!
- Ginger beef stir fry
- Prawns with snow peas
- Roast pork with spring onions
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Chicken Sweet-sour
Moo Goo Gai Pan (Chinese Chicken and Mushroom Pan)
If you don’t have a wok or other large, deep skillet, cook everything in stages, removing the ingredients from the pan after each stage has cooked them. Toss all the ingredients together as you add the sauce and cook until the chicken is cooked through.
ingredients
- For the chicken:
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1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
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1 large egg
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1 tablespoon cornstarch
- For the wok sauce:
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1 1/2 cups chicken broth
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3 tablespoons soy sauce
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2 tablespoons cornstarch
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1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
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1 tablespoon oyster sauce
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1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
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Pinch of ground white pepper
- For the vegetables:
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1 tablespoon vegetable oil
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3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced diagonally
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3/4 cup (3 ounces) snow peas
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2 teaspoons grated fresh garlic
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1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
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2 cups (5 ounces) shiitake mushrooms (or white button mushrooms), sliced
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1/3 cup (4 ounces) canned water chestnuts, drained
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1/3 cup (4 ounces) canned bamboo shoots, drained
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Kosher salt to taste
- Serve:
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6 cups cooked jasmine rice
method
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Prepare the chicken:
Using a sharp knife, cut each chicken breast lengthwise into two long strips from the thin tip to the wider end. Cut each strip against the grain into bite-sized pieces.
The goal here is to create bite-sized pieces of chicken that are all roughly the same size and shape. However you end up with it, you’re good to go!
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Mix in the cornstarch and soak the chicken:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth. Toss the sliced chicken breasts in the egg mixture to coat thoroughly. Let the chicken soak in the mixture while you prepare your gravy.
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Make the pan sauce:
In a separate bowl, combine the chicken broth, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, soy, hoisin, and oyster sauces, five spice powder, and white pepper. Whisk the mixture and set aside.
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Preheat the wok and arrange your ingredients:
Start by preheating your wok or large, deep skillet over high heat and turning on your stovetop fan. Drain excess egg mixture from the chicken and return the chicken to its bowl.
Arrange your ingredients near the stove in the following order: vegetable oil, chicken, carrots and snow peas, garlic and ginger, mushrooms, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots, and mixed sauce. This is a quick way once you start cooking.
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Cook chicken:
When the wok is heated (a hint of water should evaporate on contact), carefully add the vegetable oil, followed quickly by the chicken. Stir-fry the chicken for 4 minutes, tossing occasionally with a wooden spoon.
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Fry vegetables:
Add the carrots and snow peas and cook for a further 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Make a well in the center of the pan and add the garlic and ginger. Cook in the center of the pan until fragrant, about 1 minute, then mix in the remaining ingredients.
Add the mushrooms, chestnuts and bamboo shoots. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Add sauce:
Make another well in the center of the pan and add the sauce. Simmer 2 minutes or until the sauce bubbles and thickens slightly.
Fold the pan ingredients into the sauce to completely coat. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cook a minute longer.
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Surcharge:
Remove from heat and serve immediately spoonfuls over jasmine rice with extra hoisin sauce on the side.
Leftovers are best stored separately from the rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for two days. Reheat in the microwave or in a pan on the stove.
