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Moo Goo Gai Pan is a classic Chinese-American stir-fry made with chicken and mushrooms stir fried in a light and savory sauce. In this post, I’ll show you how to make restaurant-quality moo goo gai pan at home in 40 minutes or less!
5-Star Reader COmments
This was one of the most successful Asian recipes I have made. It was as good as the best restaurant version we have had. I did not have water chestnuts and used some celery. At this time of year I was able to have snow peas and bok choy from our garden. I marinated the chicken for an hour and it was as tender as could be. This recipe is a keeper.
- Leroy WrightI’m an executive chef for a high-end players club at a casino where we serve many guests lunch and dinner every day. A patron requested MGGP and I’ve never made it, so I found your recipe and made it for 350 people! It turned out fantastically. I love MGGP myself and this tasted just like it does at my favorite Chinese restaurant. Thanks for the help!
– Chef James
Table of Contents
What is Moo Goo Gai Pan?
Moo Goo Gai Pan (móh-gū gāi-pin) translates to “mushroom chicken slices” and comes from the Cantonese names of its primary ingredients.
- moo goo (mòhgū) – mushroom
- gai (gāi) – chicken
- pan (pín) – slices
It is a Cantonese-inspired Chinese-American stir-fry made with sliced chicken and mushrooms in a light stir-fry sauce. What I love most about this recipe is that it is considerably healthier than other popular stir-fries made with deep fried meats or sugary sauces.
Key Ingredients
There are two parts to this recipe, the ingredients for the stir fry and the ingredients for the sauce. It’s easy to make and I’d bet that you probably have many of the ingredients in your pantry already.
Stir-Fry Ingredients
You can slice your chicken breasts into thin strips or chop them into 1-inch chunks. Remember that chicken breast meat is lean and overcooks quickly if you’re not careful.
- Chicken Breasts
- Vegetable Oil
- Cornstarch
- Garlic
- Green Onions
- White Button Mushrooms
- Carrots
- Snow Peas
- Bamboo shoots + Water chestnuts
Moo Goo Gai Pan Sauce
The sauce is the most important part of this recipe. It’s a light and savory sauce that’s super easy to make. If you like having extra sauce to serve with rice, consider doubling the sauce ingredients.
- Sesame Oil
- Chicken Broth or (homemade chicken stock)
- Soy Sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Shaoxing cooking wine
- Cornstarch
How to Make Moo Goo Gai Pan
For best results, prepare and chop all of the ingredients before you start cooking. You will need the following tools and equipment: a large wok or saucepan, mixing spoons or spatula, mixing bowls, chef’s knife, and cutting boards.
- Marinate the chicken: Slice your chicken against the grain into pieces approximately 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to a medium-sized mixing bowl and combine with the oil, cornstarch, and salt. Coat the entire surface of the chicken. Marinate the chicken for at least 15-30 minutes.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a medium bowl whisk together all ingredients for the sauce.
- Sear the chicken: You’re going to very quickly sear the chicken for approximately 30 seconds on each side before cooking any of the vegetables or the sauce. The chicken will still be raw on the inside after this quick sear – that’s ok. It will be going back into the pan to finish cooking in approximately 10 minutes.
- Cook the aromatics and vegetables: Scrape off any burnt pieces stuck to the bottom of your wok or skillet and return to medium heat. Saute the garlic and green onions for approximately 30 seconds, then add the carrots and mushrooms, mixing well to combine. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables start to turn soft, approximately 3 minutes. Add the snow peas, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts, mixing well to combine. Continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes or so.
- Add the sauce and return the chicken: Give the sauce a final stir and pour it directly into the pan with the vegetables. Return the chicken to the pan and mix well. Continue to cook until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through (3 minutes or so).
- Serve: Enjoy with steamed jasmine rice, brown rice, or simple fried rice. Cooked cauliflower rice is a great low carb alternative.
Cooking Tips
Use thinly sliced chicken: If you’re struggling to get thinly sliced chicken pieces, place the chicken in the freezer for 20-30 minutes, or until partially frozen. It makes slicing so much easier.
Prepare all of the ingredients before you start cooking: Stir-frying happens fast, so have everything chopped, measured, and ready to go before turning on the heat. This includes the chicken, vegetables, and sauce.
Make it vegetarian: Add a vegetarian oyster sauce (made from mushrooms so you still get that umami flavor), swap chicken for tofu (or leave out altogether), and skip the chicken broth.
Cook over high heat: A very hot wok or skillet helps sear the chicken and vegetables quickly, preserving their texture and flavor.
Velvet the chicken for restaurant-style texture: “Velveting” is a Chinese cooking method often used in stir-fry recipes to help tenderize meat and lock in their juices. It is most commonly used with chicken breast due to its low-fat content. Velveting chicken can be done in two ways: water velveting (most traditional) or oil velveting (aka flash frying). For moo goo gai pan, I recommend water velveting.
- Marinate the thinly sliced chicken pieces in a mixture of egg whites, cornstarch, and rice vinegar (or soy sauce). For every one pound of chicken, you will need 1 whisked egg white, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, and a splash of rice vinegar.
- Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- At the same time, bring a large pot of water to a gentle simmer with 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil.
- Add the chicken and stir gently for 30 to 60 seconds, until it turns opaque, but not fully cooked. Remove and set aside. The chicken will finish cooking in the stir-fry.
More Easy Stir Fry Recipes
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Moo Goo Gai Pan Recipe
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 teaspoon oil
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon Oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, (substitute with dry sherry or additional broth)
- 3 teaspoon cornstarch
For the Stir-Fry
- 2 tablespoon oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 stalks green onions, chopped and divided
- 10 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 1 cup snow peas
- 1 (5 ounce) can bamboo shoots, drained
- 2 (5 ounce) cans water chestnuts, drained
- sesame seeds, to garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken– Slice the chicken against the grain into pieces approximately 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to a medium-sized mixing bowl and combine with the oil, cornstarch, and salt. Use your hands to coat the entire surface of the chicken with a thin layer of cornstarch.
- Mix the sauce– Add all ingredients for the sauce (sesame oil, low-sodium chicken broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, and cornstarch) to a small mixing bowl. Whisk well to combine. Set aside.
- Cook the chicken– heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces in a single layer and cook for approximately 30 seconds, or until the bottom is golden. Carefully flip each piece of chicken over and cook the other side for an additional 20-30 seconds. Immediately remove to a clean plate (the chicken will still be raw in the middle- that’s ok).
- Sauté the aromatics– return the skillet to medium heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Once hot, add the minced garlic and half of the green onions to the pan. Mix to combine and sauté for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Cook the remaining vegetables– Add the carrots and mushrooms to the skillet, mixing well to combine. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables start to turn soft, approximately 3 minutes. Add the snow peas, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts, mixing well to combine. Continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes or so.
- Add the sauce and return the chicken. Give the sauce a final stir to dissolve the cornstarch and pour directly into the skillet with the vegetables. Add back the chicken and the remaining half of the green onions. Mix well to combine and continue to cook until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve immediately with a side of rice and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, if desired.
Notes
- White button mushrooms are the classic, traditional mushroom used in moo goo gai pan recipes. If you can’t find this particular mushroom variety, that’s ok. Feel free to substitute with whatever you can get your hands on (cremini mushrooms are a popular, easy-to-find, variety).
- Bamboo shoots + Water chestnuts – These fun stir fry additions are actually found in the canned food section of your supermarket.
- Oyster sauce – Dark brown, thick, and not exactly delicious on its own, oyster sauce is one of those condiments that really helps tie a dish together. With a strong umami flavor, oyster sauce gives moo goo gai pan an extra layer of flavor.
- Shaoxing cooking wine – A wine frequently used in Asian and Chinese cooking, this is probably the only ingredient that can be somewhat difficult to get your hands on. Substitutes include dry sherry or additional chicken broth.
- Feel free to add your favorite vegetables. Other delicious veggie examples include baby bok choy, Chinese cabbage, celery, or bell peppers.
- Allow your chicken to marinate for 30 minutes or so (time allowing). This allows your meat to tenderize.
- Struggling to get your chicken thinly sliced? Pop your chicken breasts in the freezer for 15-20 minutes, or just long enough to solidify slightly. Remove from the freezer and slice!
- Make it vegetarian! Add a vegetarian oyster sauce (made from mushrooms so you still get that umami flavor), swap chicken for tofu (or leave out altogether), and swap the chicken broth for veggie broth or water.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great recipe! However, I varied from this recipe a tiny bit. I just used a couple different flavors I know or use, like I added about a tbs of dijon mustard in the sauce along with about a tsp of sugar as well. I added a little ground ginger too. Marinated chicken in egg white mixture, then dumped it all in a pot of water to “velvet” as the author calls it and BAM. I also thawed & added large cooked frozen shrimp towards the end as to not overcook the shrimp, but finding your recipe was a great place to start – or finish for anyone! The chicken was sooo tender! I’ll always cook it that way with Chinese meals!
This is also very healthy.
Thank you, it will definitely be a regular dish in my kitchen!
Thank you so much for sharing your version! I love the idea of adding Dijon, sugar, and a touch of ginger – it sounds like such a flavorful twist. Velveting the chicken really does make it unbelievably tender, and I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Adding shrimp at the end is a fantastic way to make it a seafood version without overcooking them. I’m thrilled to hear this will be a regular in your kitchen!
Delicious!
Thanks!
I am trying to make this recipe tonight and it’s a complete disaster. Cooking the chicken, coated in corn starch, etc., just stuck to my wok and all of the coating came off. I now have naked chicken and burned coating on my wok. I have to soak and scrub it to get the coating off before I can continue cooking. (And for the record, I have an excellent wok that has never failed.) I’m very disappointed in the process of creating this dish.The sauce, fortunately, saved the dish. I would definitely make again, but totally scrap the process you put forth and use my own trustworthy technique for stir fry.
Thank you so much for trying the recipe and for your honest feedback. I’m sorry to hear about the trouble you experienced with the chicken sticking and the coating coming off in the wok. This can sometimes happen if the wok isn’t hot enough or if there isn’t sufficient oil to coat the bottom. It’s also possible that the cornstarch on the chicken absorbed moisture before it hit the wok, which can cause sticking.
I appreciate your input on the cooking process and am glad to hear the sauce still made the dish enjoyable.
Thank you so very much for this superb and simple recipe for MGGP, it is exceptional and will make again. I used Chardonnay in place of the cooking wine.
Can you substitute skinless boneless chicken thighs for the chicken breast?
Absolutely 🙂
Thank you so much!
I have made this countless times and it is SOOOO delicious! I always double it! Also, I omit the onion and garlic for low FODMAP and it is still so delicious. The oyster sauce and Chinese cooking wine make this 👌. Incredible staple recipe in my life. Thank you so much!
I really appreciate your incredible feedback, Carlan 😀
I’m an executive chef for a high-end players club at a casino where we serve many guests lunch and dinner every day. A patron requested MGGP and I’ve never made it, so I found your recipe and made it for 350 people! It turned out fantastically. I love MGGP myself and this tasted just like it does at my favorite Chinese restaurant. Thanks for the help!
Thanks for the wonderful feedback and rating, Chef James.
I am happy to hear that you were able to scale this up to that size successfully – well done 🙂
Looks delicious. Planning to make tonight. What do you marinate the chicken in ahead of time?
Thank you.
With the oil, cornstarch, and salt 🙂
This is such a tasty recipe. I did double the sauce because I like a lot of sauce over the rice. I added a lot of veggies, too. This is a tasty dinner.