Mushroom Chicken Stir-Fry – Take Out Style! (VIDEO)

Ingredient Tips for Mushroom Chicken

Chicken

• chicken breast – I used chicken breast, cut into 1″ pieces. Make sure the chicken is cut into similar sizes so it cooks evenly. Substitute with chicken thighs if you prefer.
  • Sweetfire Chicken Breast and Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry are two other delicious recipes that uses chicken breast!
• white pepper – I love white pepper and it’s used very commonly in Chinese cooking (another “secret ingredient” for cooking restaurant quality Chinese food at home). It has an earthier flavor than black pepper. I recommend having some in your pantry but if you can’t find it, you can always substitute with black pepper.
• salt
• shaoxing wine – This is one of my favorite Chinese pantry staples. It adds a depth of flavor and complexity to the sauce and truly one of my “secret ingredients” for making restaurant quality Chinese food. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with mirin, sherry, or even chicken broth.
• 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.
• sesame oil
• 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!

Vegetables & Aromatics

• zucchini
• white mushrooms- I like to use white button mushrooms, as they are mild in flavor and pairs well with the 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.
  • Other recipes I love that use mushrooms are Creamy Mushroom Udon, Mushroom Fried Rice, and Hot and Sour Soup!
• 1 inch ginger, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped

Sauce

• 2 tbsp soy sauce – this is “light” or “all-purpose” soy sauce; do not substitute with “dark” soy sauce, as it will overpower this dish.
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp msg – as always, this is optional.
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 tbsp cornstarch – mixing cornstarch into the sauce is one of my favorite cooking hacks – it helps thicken the Mushroom Chicken Stir-Fry sauce, similar to a cornstarch slurry!

Oils

• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 cup neutral oil, for frying chicken – 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.
• 2 tbsp neutral oil, for frying vegetables & aromatics; I used avocado oil

Recipe Instructions for Mushroom Chicken Stir-Fry

1. Marinate the Chicken and Pre-Mix the Sauce

Cut chicken breast into 1″ pieces. In a bowl, marinate cut chicken breast with white pepper, salt, Shaoxing wine, avocado oil, sesame oil, and cornstarch for 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, pre-mix the Mushroom Chicken Stir-Fry sauce by combining soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper, sugar, msg, chicken stock, and cornstarch. Mix until combined and set aside.

2. Prepare the Vegetables

Chop garlic and ginger and set aside.

Cut zucchini and mushroom into similar size pieces as the chicken breast. Cutting the vegetables and chicken into similar size ensures everything cooks evenly and also makes for a better mouthfeel.

In a small pot, boil water – blanch zucchini for 10 seconds, then remove and drain thoroughly. Set aside.

3. Cook the Chicken

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.

4. Sauté the Vegetables

In the same pan or wok, 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.

5. Stir-Fry Together to Finish

Add back the chicken to the mushrooms. Next, add the pre-mixed 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. The zucchini is added at the final step in order for them to be as crisp as possible once the dish is ready!

Finish with an optional drizzle of sesame oil (1 tsp), give it a final mix and serve your fresh Mushroom Chicken Stir-Fry with freshly steamed rice. Enjoy!

Storage and Reheating

You can store Mushroom Chicken Stir-Fry in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Because Mushroom Chicken Stir-Fry is not coated in a batter, you won’t have to worry about trying to restore the crispy texture of the dish – I recommend reheating this in the microwave or in a hot pan/wok for a couple minutes (add a little bit of water if you want to loosen up the chicken pieces that stuck together in the refrigerator).

What to Serve with Mushroom Chicken Stir-Fry

Love Chinese takeout and want to make a take-out inspired meal with your Mushroom Chicken Stir-Fry? You have to start with Panda Express Chow Mein and Egg Fried Rice. Add another protein, like Beef and Broccoli, Orange Chicken or the discontinued Sweetfire Chicken Breast. You could even add String Bean Chicken and Honey Walnut Shrimp! Don’t forget the Egg Rolls and you got yourself a perfect meal!

It’s not Chinese takeout without a good Egg Drop Soup (or Chicken Corn Egg Drop Soup, if you want a heartier version) or Hot and Sour Soup!

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 Stir-Fry 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 Chicken Stir-Fry or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!

5 from 16 votes

Mushroom Chicken

By: Chris Joe

Servings: 4

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

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Equipment

• Wok

Ingredients 

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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

US Customary – Metric

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!

Notes

Key Tips!

Cut Chicken and Vegetables into Similar Sizes: Make sure the chicken is cut into similar sizes so it cooks evenly. Substitute with chicken thighs if you prefer. Cut the zucchini and mushrooms into a similar shape/size as the chicken – this allows for the dish to cook evenly, look more cohesive, and allow for better mouthfeel. You can adjust the size of the chicken and vegetables to your preference (smaller or larger) – just make sure to adjust the cooking time so your Mushroom Chicken Stir-Fry is ‘done’ to your liking!

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 meat and make restaurant quality Chinese food at home!

Don’t Skip Blanching the Zucchini: Blanching your zucchini is a quick and simple way to keep them crisp and delicious in your Mushroom Chicken Stir-Fry! It tenderizes without making it mushy, and eliminates any bitterness. It also helps prevent loss of color.

Success is in the Prep: Mushroom Chicken Stir-Fry is one of those recipes that comes together extremely quickly – the key is having your ingredients prepped and in bowls right next to your wok or pan! Have your chicken, broccoli and aromatics, seasoning and pre-mixed sauce ready and easily accessible during the cooking process.

Storage and Reheating

You can store Mushroom Chicken Stir-Fry in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Because Mushroom Chicken Stir-Fry is not coated in a batter, you won’t have to worry about trying to restore the crispy texture of the dish – I recommend reheating this in the microwave or in a hot pan/wok for a couple minutes (add a little bit of water if you want to loosen up the chicken pieces that stuck together in the refrigerator).

Nutrition

Calories: 221kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 28gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 1099mgPotassium: 801mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 133IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Tried this recipe?Mention @cj.eats_ or tag #cjeatsrecipes!