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Mushroom Chicken has been one of my highly requested “Chinese takeout” recipes – and I knew I had to share the recipe so everyone could see how easy it is to replicate at home! With only a couple simple ingredients, you’ll be able to have this delicious Mushroom Chicken for dinner in less than it takes to order takeout (30 minutes)!
Watch the Mushroom Chicken Recipe Video Below!
Ingredient Tips for Mushroom Chicken
- CHICKEN – I used chicken breast for Mushroom Chicken but you can also use chicken thigh – regardless of which you use, what is important is that you cut these to 1/2″ pieces!
- MUSHROOMS – I like to use white button mushrooms, as they are mild in flavor and pairs well with the Mushroom Chicken sauce. They’re also the type of mushroom you most commonly see in this dish. However, you can sub with any other mushroom varietal you prefer, as long as you keep in mind that the flavor profile may change slightly.
- CORNSTARCH – Cornstarch is a key ingredient in Chinese cooking because it is used for velveting the meat. Velveting is a Chinese technique where protein is marinated in cornstarch and cooked quickly in hot oil, resulting in the meat becoming tender and silky. You’ll see this technique in a lot of my recipes because it’s one of my favorite ways to guarantee moist, tender protein!
- SHAOXING WINE – If you cannot or do not want to use wine, you can sub with sherry, mirin, or chicken stock!
- MSG – As always, this is optional.
- NEUTRAL OIL – My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil! I don’t use olive oil when cooking Chinese food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. I find that the flavor profile does not usually go with the dish.
Recipe Tips for Mushroom Chicken
VELVETING
- Velveting is a key Chinese cooking technique that involves marinating the protein in cornstarch and various seasonings (such as white pepper, salt, shaoxing wine, and oils) before quickly passing it through hot oil. It’s one of my favorite ways to guarantee moist and tender Mushroom Chicken, and it’s a trick that I don’t hear home chefs talk about often. I love incorporating it into my recipes because it’s one of the best ways to make restaurant quality Chinese food at home!
CUT YOUR VEGETABLES!
- I always recommend cutting your vegetables into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly – this little step makes a huge difference in your Mushroom Chicken!
Cooking With a Wok (Alternatives)
By now, you know that I LOVE cooking with my carbon steel wok! It is my #1 most recommended kitchen tool, as I believe it is perfect for high-heat cooking and results in restaurant quality Chinese food!
If it is your first time cooking with a wok, make sure to read my “How To Season a Wok” post. There is a video included that shows exactly how to season your brand new wok and how to maintain it so it lasts for years.
If you cannot or do not want to use a wok, you can use a large pan, cast iron, or even a dutch oven.
My KEY TIP would be to avoid crowding your pan – crowding can lead to your Mushroom Chicken not cooking thoroughly and becoming mushy. If you think your dish will be crowded, use a larger pan, cast iron, or dutch oven, OR cook in batches.
If you tried this Mushroom Chickenor any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Mushroom Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1" pieces
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp neutral oil, I used avocado oil
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 zucchini, medium, cut lengthwise and then into 1/2" half circles
- 8 oz white mushrooms, halved
- 1 inch ginger, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
Sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp msg
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
Oils
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 cup neutral oil, for frying chicken; I used avocado oil
- 2 tbsp neutral oil, for frying vegetables & aromatics; I used avocado oil
Instructions
- Cut chicken breast into 1" pieces and marinate with white pepper, salt, Shaoxing wine, avocado oil, sesame oil, and cornstarch for 30 minutes.
- Premix your sauce by combining soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper, sugar, msg, chicken stock, and cornstarch. Mix until combined and set aside.
- Chop garlic and ginger and set aside, then cut zucchini and mushroom to similar size pieces as the chicken.
- In a pot of boiling water, blanch zucchini for 10 seconds and remove and drain thoroughly.
- In a hot pan or wok over high heat, heat 1 cup of avocado oil until smoking (about 450F), then carefully drop the chicken in the oil and velvet for 1-2 minutes until pieces are cooked through. Remove and set aside in a bowl.
- Reserve 2 tbsp of frying oil, and sauté garlic and ginger for 15 seconds.
- Add the mushrooms, then stir fry for 1-2 minutes or until the mushrooms begin to brown, then add back the chicken.
- Add the premixed sauce and combine. The sauce will thicken after just a few seconds (refer to video for sauce consistency).
- Finally, add back your blanched zucchini and give it a final toss. Finish with a tsp of sesame oil, give it a final mix and serve with freshly steamed rice. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So delicious. This easily became a family favorite! Thank you for sharing your recipies with us.
Ultimate comfort food! Thank you CJ; I have made this multiple times and it always hits the spot. I wouldn’t consider myself a good cook but I have high standards because the rest of my family cook well and we all LOVE food!
I felt more confident after following the recipe and it was the taste I was looking for 🥹
CJ, you never disappoint. Since I discovered your recipes, I always default to your marinades, and tips on cooking asian cuisine. I was so proud if how this recipe turned out, and I quadrupled the recipe! I saw a recipe on pinterest for panda express copy cat mushroom chicken, I thought to my self “I’m going to see if CJ has a similar recipe and cook that.” So delicious! All 8 of us enjoyed it, and there’s leftovers to give to some older folks at our VFW.
Thank you so much for the kind words, Katie! I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying them! 🙂
Absolutely love this recipe, its easy to follow and the whole family loves it (even my picky kids lol)
Absolutely amazing! My family loved/s it!!! Thank You! My new go to website, so thrilled to make so many more of your recipes!
Thanks so much Angie! Lots more coming soon!
You changed my POV on cooking.
I always thought it was difficult to cook delicious asian recipes like this one. now it’s one of my favourite with the Black Pepper Beef. It’s a real pleasure to cook and I enjoy sharing it with my family. My dad even told me I’m in direct contention with his favourite asian restaurant 🤣. Thanks for making it so easy for us no matter the country
What a compliment – thank you Noris! I’m so glad you’ve been inspired to cook some of my recipes 🙂