Moo Goo Gai Pan (Chinese Chicken and Mushroom Stir Fry) Recipe

Name: Moo Goo Gai Pan (Chinese Chicken and Mushroom Stir Fry)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: For the chicken:; 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast; 1 large egg; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; For the stir fry sauce:; 1 1/2 cups chicken stock; 2 tablespoons corn starch; 3 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce; 1 tablespoon oyster sauce; 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder; Pinch ground white pepper; For the vegetables:; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 3 carrots, peeled and sliced thinly on a diagonal; 3/4 cup (3 ounces) snow peas; 2 teaspoons grated fresh garlic; 1 teaspoons grated fresh ginger; 2 cups (5 ounces) shiitake (or white button) mushrooms, sliced; 1/3 cup (4 ounces) canned water chestnuts, drained; 1/3 cup (4 ounces) canned bamboo shoots, drained; Kosher salt, to taste; To serve:; 6 cups cooked jasmine rice

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I spent most of my time in culinary school perpetually hungry (ironically). Like most college students, I was living on pennies and most of my meals came from our “Production 201” class—a course in which we prepared food for mass consumption.

On the rare occasion when I had a few bucks to spare, I would indulge in Chinese takeout. Moo Goo Gai Pan—Chinese Chicken and Mushroom Stir Fry—was my go-to meal.

Moo Goo Gai Pan Chinese Food on a white plate with a platter — Marta Rivera

What Is Moo Goo Gai Pan?

Sadly, it seems as though this once-popular chicken and mushroom stir fry has fallen out of favor with mainstream America. I don’t see it as often as I’d like on Chinese restaurant menus anymore.

This is a shame because it’s such a light, yet flavorful dish and it comes together so simply. It’s basically a quick stir fry dish of mushroom ("Moo goo" in Cantonese) and chicken ("gai"). "Pan" means slices, so the name translates as "sliced chicken with mushrooms." The addition of snow peas and carrots brings more flavor.

And what’s more, Moo Goo Gai Pan’s chicken-based white sauce can be transformed into a vegetarian or even vegan meal with just a few tweaks. Because I think a 1990s Chinese take-out resurgence is in order, I’ve decided to make my own version!

Easy Moo Goo Gai Pan Recipe add the sauce — Marta Rivera

How To Make a Great Stir Fry

Once you start cooking, stir fries come together quickly, the key to a fresh-tasting stir fry is to set up your ingredients conveyor-belt style in the order in which they will be cooked. If you don’t prep your ingredients in an orderly manner, some of them may become overcooked while you scramble to chop or grab others.

Consistent slicing is also an important factor in great stir fry dishes. Make sure to slice both your chicken and your veggies thinly and uniformly to ensure they cook at the same rate.

"Velveting" Technique for Stir Fried Chicken

Moo Goo Gai Pan involves a great culinary technique used in a lot of Chinese cooking called velveting. This involves coating the chicken (or any other meat or seafood) in a batter of beaten egg and cornstarch. This provides a light breading which also helps to thicken the sauce and keeps the chicken from drying out during high-heat cooking.

I use a whole egg so as not to waste the yolk, but, typically you would just use the egg white. If you don’t mind the waste, leave out the yolk, although I find there’s no difference in taste when using the whole egg. Just be sure to drain off as much as the egg mixture from the chicken as possible prior to cooking—otherwise it will turn into scrambled eggs when it hits the pan.

Moo Goo Gai Pan Chicken on a white plate with rice — Marta Rivera

Ingredients for Moo Goo Gai Pan

Canned water chestnuts and bamboo shoots are usually found in the Asian foods section of most large grocery stores, and you can definitely find them at 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 transform this dish into a vegan meal, use pressed, firm tofu and vegetable stock instead of chicken and chicken stock. Omit the oyster sauce and double the amount of hoisin—which is kind of like a Chinese barbecue sauce. White pepper has a more subtle flavor and is more commonly used in Asian cuisines.

Meat Alternatives for Your Favorite Recipes

Moo Goo Gai Pan (Chinese Chicken and Mushroom Stir Fry)

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 35 mins

Servings 4 to 6 servings

If you don't have a wok or another large, deep saute pan, cook everything in stages, removing ingredients from the pan after they are cooked in each step. Toss all the ingredients together when adding the sauce and cook until the chicken is cooked through.

For the chicken:

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 large egg
1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the stir fry sauce:

1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder
1 pinch ground white pepper

For the vegetables:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 carrots, peeled and sliced thinly on a diagonal
3/4 cup (3 ounces) snow peas
2 teaspoons grated fresh garlic
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 cups (5 ounces) shiitake or white button mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup (4 ounces) canned water chestnuts, drained
1/3 cup (4 ounces) canned bamboo shoots, drained
Kosher salt, to taste

To serve:

6 cups cooked jasmine rice

Prep the chicken:

Using a sharp knife, slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise from the thin tip to the wider end, creating into two long strips. Thinly slice each strip against the grain into bite-sized pieces.

The goal here is to create bite-sized pieces of chicken that are all about the same size and shape. However you end up with that, you're good to go!
Mix the egg with cornstarch and soak the chicken:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch until smooth. Toss the sliced chicken breast in the egg mixture to coat thoroughly. Allow the chicken to soak in the mixture while you prepare your sauce.

Marta Rivera
Make the stir fry sauce:

In a separate bowl, combine the chicken stock, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, soy, hoisin, and oyster sauces, the five spice powder, and white pepper. Whisk the mixture together and set aside.

Marta Rivera
Preheat the wok and arrange your ingredients:

Begin preheating your wok, or a large, deep skillet, over high heat and turn on your stovetop’s ventilation fan. Drain the chicken of any excess egg mixture and return the chicken to its bowl.

Arrange your ingredients next to 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 will help things go quickly once you’ve begun cooking.
Cook the chicken:

When the wok has heated (a flick of water should evaporate on contact), carefully add the vegetable oil, quickly followed by the chicken. Stir fry the chicken for 4 minutes, tossing occasionally with a wooden spoon.

Marta Rivera
Stir fry the veggies:

Add the carrots and snow peas and cook for an additional 4 minutes, stirring often. Make a well in the center of the pan and add the garlic and ginger. Cook in the center of the pan until fragrant, for about 1 minute, and then mix them in with the rest of the ingredients.

Add the mushrooms, chestnuts, and bamboo shoots. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.

Marta Rivera

Marta Rivera
Add the sauce:

Make another well in the center of the pan and add the sauce. Cook for 2 minutes, or until the sauce starts to bubble and thicken slightly.

Fold the stir fry ingredients into the sauce to coat completely. Bring the sauce up to a simmer, and then reduce the heat to low. Cook for a minute longer.

Marta Rivera

Marta Rivera
Serve:

Remove from heat and immediately serve spooned over the jasmine rice with extra hoisin sauce on the side.

Leftovers are best stored apart from the rice in an airtight container in the fridge for two days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
305	Calories
8g	Fat
16g	Carbs
40g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	305
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g	11%
Saturated Fat 2g	9%
Cholesterol 129mg	43%
Sodium 820mg	36%
Total Carbohydrate 16g	6%
Dietary Fiber 3g	9%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 40g
Vitamin C 12mg	58%
Calcium 51mg	4%
Iron 2mg	13%
Potassium 649mg	14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.