Moo Goo Gai Pan

Moo goo gai pan is a simple Chinese-American stir fry that directly translates to mushroom and sliced chicken in Cantonese. It’s usually loaded with vegetables such as carrots and snow peas, making for a tasty and healthy dish. It comes together quickly as well, making it perfect for a busy weeknight. As it’s a stir fry, everything cooks quickly over high heat, so make sure to have everything sliced and diced so it’s all ready to go!

Thanks to a technique called velveting, the chicken is beyond tender and will melt in your mouth. The stir fry sauce also leans into classic Cantonese flavors that are delicate and subtle as Cantonese dishes tend to use fewer spices and chilies than other Chinese regions. You will love how all the subtle flavors and textures of this dish come together to make a filling and satisfying dish.

If you’re in the mood for more Chinese take-out classics, try my orange chicken recipe, bourbon chicken recipe, and kung pao chicken recipe. However, if you would like something more authentic than my Americanized version of this chicken recipe, then perhaps try something from Woks of Life.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Chicken — I use chicken breasts for this recipe, but you can also use chicken thighs.

Cornstarch — making a cornstarch and soy sauce marinade will make your chicken tender, flavorful, and moist. Cornstarch also helps thicken the stir fry sauce as it cooks.

Oil — vegetable oil is perfect for this stir fry recipe as it’s neutral in flavor and has a high smoke point. You can also use peanut oil if you do not have vegetable oil.

Aromatics — this chicken and mushroom recipe uses garlic and ginger as aromatics. I highly recommend using fresh garlic and ginger for the best flavor.

Mushrooms — I like using cremini mushrooms but feel free to use what you have on hand, such as white button mushrooms.

Snow peas — I like using snow peas as they’re on the softer side, as the carrots, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots will provide a lot of crunch to the stir fry. However, if you want a crunchier texture, use snap peas.

Water chestnuts — water chestnuts add another crunchy component and also adds some sweet and nutty flavor to the stir fry.

Bamboo shoots — if you’ve never used canned bamboo shoots before, they are a salty and savory vegetable that has a crunchy but meaty texture. They made for a great addition to any stir fry.

Chicken stock — low sodium chicken stock is the base of the sauce. However, vegetable stock makes for a great substitute. I like using low sodium stock to control the dish’s salt content.

How to Make Moo Goo Gai Pan

1. Mix together 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and cornstarch. Add the mixture to the chicken and mix to coat. Allow the chicken to marinate for 10 to 15 minutes. Combine the sugar, chicken stock, sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a measuring cup and set aside.

2. Add a tablespoon of oil to a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the mushrooms until browned on both sides, and then transfer to a bowl.

3. Add the carrots to the pan along with some water and cook while stirring often for about 3 minutes. Then, add the snow peas and cook for two minutes, season with salt and pepper, then transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms.

4. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and cook the chicken for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for 30 to 60 seconds before adding the vegetables back to the pan along with the water chestnuts and bamboo shoots.

6. Add the sauce and bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally, and cook until thickened, about a minute. Serve over rice.

Pro Tips for Making This Recipe

• Try to cut the vegetables into similar sizes, so they cook evenly.
• If you have trouble cutting the chicken into thin slices, place the chicken in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.
• For the most tender results, cut the chicken against the grain.
• Make sure the pan is hot before adding your components to the pan, so you get a beautiful sear on everything.
• Make sure to use a large pan to sear your ingredients easily. If your pan is small, stir fry in batches. If you tightly pack the chicken and vegetables, they will steam in the pan.
• Keep in mind that if you wash the vegetables beforehand, thoroughly pat them dry, so you don’t add moisture to the stir fry. Doing so will keep the stir fry from getting soggy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between moo goo gai pan and chicken with vegetables?

Moo goo gai pan literally means chicken and mushrooms, sliced chicken (gai pan/鸡片) and mushrooms (moo goo/蘑菇) so it must always contain those two ingredients whereas anything goes in a regular chicken stir fry where you can add whatever vegetables you like.

What else can I add to this?

Feel free to add more vegetables or swap the vegetables to whatever you have on hand. Vegetables such as shiitake mushrooms, baby bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas, bell peppers, or baby corn make for a tasty addition. I also like serving this with my Instant Pot brown rice to make the recipe even more filling.

What is “velveting” chicken?

Velveting is a Chinese cooking technique often used in stir-fry recipes to help tenderize meat. In this recipe, we velvet the chicken by coating and marinating it with soy sauce and cornstarch. Doing so helps create a barrier from the heat, which locks in the juices when the chicken cooks, leaving it super moist and silky. If you skip this step, you risk dry chicken.

How do I store leftovers?

You can store leftover stir fry in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop.

If you’ve tried this recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!