I love Chinese food, Orange Chicken, Bourbon Chicken, and Kung Pao Chicken are some of my favorites but what I love about Moo Goo Gai Pan is how fresh and healthy it is! It’s made with juicy and tender chicken, fresh vegetables and tossed in a flavor packed umami rich sauce. It’s light, healthy, and perfect for a quick weeknight meal. If you would like something more truly authentic than my Americanized version, then perhaps try something from Woks of Life.
To make sure the chicken is tender we use a process called velveting but don’t worry it’s not nearly as difficult as it sounds. All we do is marinate the chicken in a mixture of cornstarch and soy sauce which tenderizes and adds flavor. It’s well worth doing this step for at least 10-15 minutes before starting.
What you need to make this recipe
Chicken – I use skinless and boneless chicken breasts for this recipe but you can also use chicken thighs if you prefer.
Cornstarch – mixed with soy sauce to marinate the chicken it not only helps to thicken the sauce but it tenderizes the chicken making it extra delicious. In Chinese cooking, this is known as velveting.
Ginger & Garlic – these two ingredients are essential in Chinese stir-fries and they must be fresh. Dried varieties won’t give you nearly as much flavor, we need that bold freshness!
Chicken stock – this adds a ton of flavor to the sauce but make sure to use low sodium so you can control the amount of salt that’s added.
Mushrooms – I use crimini mushrooms thinly sliced but any kind of mushrooms will work well in this stir fry.
Snow peas – these add delicious sweetness, you can also use sugar snap peas which have more crunch.
Sesame oil – this is used to add flavor in Chinese cooking, it really does make a difference and gives a delicious nutty flavor to the sauce.
Vegetable oil – a neutral flavored oil for stir-frying, you can also use peanut oil which is widely used in Chinese cooking.
How to make Moo Goo Gai Pan
1. Marinade the chicken in a mixture of cornstarch and soy sauce. Combine all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl or jug and set aside.
2. Next, stir fry the mushrooms in a hot wok or skillet then transfer to a bowl.
3. Add the carrots with a splash of water and fry for a few minutes then add the peas and fry for a few more minutes, transfer to the same bowl as the mushrooms.
4. Next, stir fry the chicken until cooked through.
5. Add the garlic and ginger then add the cooked vegetables.
6. Pour in the sauce, bring to a boil and cook until thickened.
Pro tips for making this recipe
- You can replace the chicken with shrimp or other meats such as turkey, pork, or beef.
- Feel free to add in any vegetables you like, this stir fry is a great way to use up leftovers.
- Make sure to marinade the chicken which infuses it with extra flavor and gives it a juicy and tender texture.
- Try adding 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar to the sauce for added brightness.
- Cooking the mushrooms first allows them to brown and brings out more flavor.
- Make sure your skillet or wok is hot before stir-frying it’s the only way to cook everything quickly and easily.
- I recommend serving this stir fry over a bed of fluffy rice (for a healthier alternative check out my Instant Pot Brown Rice) or Chinese noodles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between moo goo gai pan and chicken mixed with vegetables?
Moo goo gai pan literally means chicken and mushrooms, chicken (gai pin in Cantonese) and mushrooms (mohgu in Cantonese) so it must always contain those two ingredients whereas anything goes in a regular chicken stir fry, you can add whatever vegetables you like.
Can I make this in advance?
I suggest marinating the chicken, preparing the sauce, and cutting up the vegetables all in advance. You can store them all in the fridge up to 1 day in advance then all you need to do is stir fry everything when you are ready to eat.
How long do leftovers last?
Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days and can be reheated in a hot skillet.
Can this be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze leftover stir fry in suitable containers. Make sure to thaw it completely before reheating and serving.
IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE TRY THESE OUT!
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Moo Goo Gai Pan
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts thinly sliced and cut into bite sized pieces.
- 3 tbsp cornstarch divided
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce divided
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil divided
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 cups of sliced mushrooms
- 1/2 cup of thinly sliced carrots
- 1 1/2 cups of snow peas
- 1 8- ounce can of sliced water chestnuts drained
- 1 8- ounce can of sliced bamboo shoots drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix 2 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp cornstarch into a slurry then add the chicken and mix to coat. Allow to marinate while you complete the prep, 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- For the sauce combine the sugar, chicken stock, sesame oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tbsp cornstarch in a bowl, or measuring cup then set aside.
- Mince the garlic and ginger, slice the mushrooms, cut the carrots and string and snap your snow peas.
- Add a tablespoon or oil to a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the mushrooms until browned on both sides then transfer to a bowl. Add the carrot slices to the pan along with two tablespoons of water and cook while stirring often for about 3 minutes. Add the snow peas and cook an additional two minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste then transfer the carrots and snow peas to the bowl with the mushrooms.
- Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and cook the chicken for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the chicken is cooked through mix in the garlic and ginger and cook for 30-60 seconds while stirring. Return the vegetables to the pan and pour in the sauce. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally and cook until thickened, about a minute. Serve over rice.
Notes
- You can replace the chicken with shrimp or other meats such as turkey, pork, or beef.
- Feel free to add in any vegetables you like this stir fry is a great way to use up leftovers.
- Make sure to marinade the chicken which infuses it with extra flavor and gives it a juicy and tender texture.
- Try adding 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar to the sauce for added brightness.
- Cooking the mushrooms first allows them to brown and brings out more flavor.
- Make sure your skillet or wok is hot before stir-frying it's the only way to cook everything quickly and easily.
- I recommend serving this stir fry over a bed of fluffy rice (for a healthier alternative check out my Instant Pot Brown Rice) or Chinese noodles.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days or frozen.
Made this last night. It was quite good. I followed the recipe as written. The textures were perfect and the seasoning was well balanced. Just as good as any restaurant version I have had.
One question: the recipe calls for water chestnuts and bamboo shoots but it doesn’t say where to add them. I added them when I added the veggies back to the pan after the chicken was cooked because that is what it looks like happened in the pictures above and it turned out well.
Thank you for this vegetable-heavy yummy dinner option!
I made the same mistake, only I didn’t realize I’d omitted the water chestnuts and bamboo shoots until my spouse said “hey, what’s this stuff for?” I decided not to add it (I was plating the food at that point) but saved it for the next time I make this recipe. It was delicious.