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    Home » Real Food » Moo Goo Gai Pan

    Moo Goo Gai Pan

    By Kristen Chidsey | 9 Comments | Published February 21, 2022 | Updated February 18, 2022 *This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Moo Goo Gai Pan is an easy recipe for a stir-fry made with chicken and mushrooms in a richly seasoned sauce. This copycat recipe is tastier and better for you than take-out, yet comes together with minimal effort.

    Moo Goo Gai Pan is an easy recipe for a stir-fry made with chicken and mushrooms in a richly seasoned sauce. This copycat recipe is tastier and better for you than take-out, yet comes together with minimal effort.

    Moo Goo Gai Pan served on top of rice with hot sauce.

    When it comes to fast and flavorful meals, I love to turn to stir-fries.

    Not only do they cook up extremely fast, but they are often filled with lean protein, tons of veggies, and a flavorful sauce.

    From Stir-Fried Chicken and Bok Choy to Chicken Asparagus Stir Fry to this Chicken and Mushroom stir fry, dinner can be easy, wholesome, and delicious! What more can we ask for?!

    What is Moo Goo Gai Pan?

    Moo Goo Gain Pan is an Americanized version of a Cantonese Stir-Fry.

    The signature ingredients in this recipe are chicken, mushrooms, and a savory sauce made with oyster sauce.

    It is a popular take-out dish that is incredibly simple to make at home.

    Not to mention, Homemade Moo Goo Gai Pan is more affordable and better for you than take-out.

    Notes On Ingredients

    Ingredients for Moo Goo Gai Pan on counter labeled.
    • Chicken: Both boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs work in this recipe for Moo Goo Gai Pan. Regardless of the type of chicken you opt to use, it needs to be thinly sliced. I share with you exactly how to get restaurant-quality thin slices in the directions.
    • Cornstarch: Cornstarch is used to thicken the sauce and to marinate the chicken. Using cornstarch in the marinade may sound odd, but it is a trick that will help the chicken stay tender.
    • Egg White: An egg white is also another key ingredient to creating restaurant-quality stir-fried chicken.
    • Vegetables: The only vegetable that is considered a must when making Moo Goo Gai Pan, is mushrooms. After all, it is a recipe for a chicken and mushroom stir-fry. Along with the mushrooms, I like to include carrots and snow peas for added nutrition, flavor, and crunch. Feel free to use any vegetables that have similar cooking times to the mushrooms, such as peppers, onions, edamame, or green beans.
    • Bamboo Shoots: Bamboo shoots are a fairly traditional addition. They add a nice crunch and flavor to the dish. You can find canned bamboo shoots in the Asian section of your grocery store.
    • Oyster Sauce: The key ingredient in Moo Goo Gain Pan sauce is oyster sauce. It has such a rich punch of flavor, but if you don't have it on hand, you can use Hoisin. Keep in mind that some brands of oyster sauce contain MSG. If you need/want to avoid MSG, Kikkoman Oyster Sauce is made without added MSG.
    • Mirin: If you don't have mirin, feel free to use rice wine vinegar.
    • Chicken Broth: Be sure to use low-sodium chicken broth/stock to control the level of sodium in the sauce.
    • Peanut Oil: For stir-fries, peanut oil is a great option as it can handle a high smoking point. If you don't have peanut oil, use vegetable oil.

    How to Make Moo Goo Gai Pan

    Prepare the Chicken

    The secret to making restaurant-quality Moo Goo Gai Pan is to very thinly slice the chicken and marinate it in an egg white and cornstarch. This is called a velveting technique which makes the chicken melt in your mouth tender.

    • To make the chicken easier to slice, place it into the chicken into the freezer for 10-15 minutes to make it easier to thinly slice.
    • While the chicken is in the freezer, whisk together an egg white with a bit of soy sauce and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved.
    • Remove the chicken from the freezer and thinly slice the chicken against the grain into very thin slices.
    • Place the chicken slices into the cornstarch mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes, 30 minutes is best, to marinate the meat.
    Side by side photo of chicken marinade next to chicken in marinade.

    Prepare the Sauce

    It is best to prepare the sauce before stir-frying the chicken and vegetables, as the stir-fry comes together quickly, leaving you little time to whisk together the sauce.

    • In a small bowl, mix together the chicken broth, mirin, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, sugar, and cornstarch together until the cornstarch and sugar are dissolved.
    • Set aside until needed.
    Side by side bowl before and after mixing together moo goo gai pan sauce ingredients.

    Stir-Fry the Chicken and Vegetables

    • Heat a bit of oil over high heat in wok or large skillet.
    • Once the oil is heated and glistening,remove the chicken from the marinade and add to the heated pan. Stir fry the chicken until just nearly cooked through. It should only take about 2 minutes, as the chicken is super thin.
    Side by side photo of saute pan before and after browning chicken breast.
    • Remove the browned chicken from the pan to a clean plate.
    • Wipe the pan out with a paper towel and return to the heat. Add a bit more oil to the same pan and heat until shimmering again.
    • Add in the mushrooms and stir fry for 1 minute. Add in the carrots, and snow peas and stir-fry until crisp-tender.
    Side by side photo of saute pan with mushrooms and with mushrooms, carrots, and snow peas.
    • Give the reserved sauce a good whisk again and add to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil.
    • Once bubbling, add the chicken back into the pan and simmer until the sauce is thickened. Add in the reserved sauce and bring to a boil. Add in the cooked chicken and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.
    • Turn off the heat and stir in the bamboo shoots.
    Side by side photo of saute pan before and after adding bamboo shoots.
    • Serve with rice or cauliflower rice as desired. I personally love to serve over Instant Pot Brown Rice and with a drizzle of Sriracha hot sauce. Delish!
    Bowl of Moo Goo Gai Pan served with rice and hot sauce.

    Storing Leftover Moo Goo Gai Pan

    If you happen to have any leftover Moo Goo Gai Pan, allow it to cool slightly. Store the cooled stir-fry in an air-tight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. To reheat, microwave individual servings or heat in a dry skillet over medium heat until warmed through.

    I don't recommend freezing Moo Goo Gai Pan, as the vegetables do not retain their texture when defrosted and reheated.

    Recipe Modifications

    • Egg-Free Modification: Coating the chicken in egg white will help keep the chicken tender. However, if you have an egg allergy, omit the egg and add 2 tablespoons of water to the marinade to thin.
    • Gluten-Free Modification: To make this Moo Goo Gain Pan gluten-free, use Tamari in place of the soy sauce and be sure your broth is gluten-free. Oyster sauce also can be a source of gluten. Be sure to check the label closely.
    • Soy-Free Modification: In place of the soy sauce you can use Coconut Aminos. However, the oyster sauce also contains soy. You can opt to use a vegetarian mushroom "oyster" sauce or additional coconut aminos.

    More Copycat Take-Out Recipes

    • Homemade Ramen
    • Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
    • Vegetable Fried Rice
    • Homemade Orange Chicken
    • Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli
    • Chicken Katsu
    • Hunan Beef

    Need more inspiration for planning meals that your family will love? Sign up for my FREE Meal Plans and each week you will get a meal plan with a shopping list.

    If you tried this recipe for Moo Goo Gai Pan, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

    Bowl of Moo Goo Gai Pan served with rice and hot sauce.

    Moo Goo Gai Pan

    An Americanized version of a Cantonese Stir-Fry made with chicken, mushrooms, and a delicious, savory sauce.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American, Asian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Marinate: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 244kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
    • 1 egg white
    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce divided
    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch divided
    • ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
    • ¼ cup Mirin
    • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
    • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
    • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon peanut oil divided
    • 8 ounces button mushrooms sliced
    • ½ cup sliced carrots
    • ½ cup halved snow peas
    • 8 ounce can of bamboo shoot strips drained and rinsed
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    • Place the chicken into the freezer for 10-15 minutes to make it easier to thinly slice.
    • While the chicken is in the freezer, whisk together the egg white, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved.
    • Remove the chicken from the freezer and thinly slice the chicken against the grain into very thin slices.
    • Place the chicken slices into the cornstarch mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes to 1 hour. I find that 30 minutes is best.
    • Meanwhile whisk together chicken broth, mirin, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch together until the cornstarch has dissolved. Set aside until needed.
    • After the chicken has marinated, heat ½ tablespoon of the oil in a large wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering.
    • Once the oil has heated, remove the chicken from the marinade, discard the marinade, and add the chicken to the heated pan. Stir fry the chicken until nearly cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan to a clean plate and wipe out the pan with a paper towel.
    • Add the remaining tablespoon of the oil to the same pan and heat until shimmering. Add in the mushrooms and stir fry for 1 minute. Add in the carrots, and snow peas and stir-fry until crisp tender, about 2-3 minutes.
    • Add in the reserved sauce and bring to a boil. Add in the cooked chicken and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.
    • Turn off the heat and stir in the bamboo shoots.
    • Serve over rice, cauliflower rice, or in lettuce wraps.

    Notes

    Storage: Store leftover, cooled stir-fry in an air-tight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. To reheat, microwave individual servings or heat in a dry skillet over medium heat until warmed through. 
    Vegetables: Feel free to use any vegetables that have similar cooking times to the mushrooms, such as peppers, onions, edamame, or green beans.
    Mirin: If you don't have mirin, feel free to use rice wine vinegar.
    Peanut Oil: Peanut oil has a high smoking point, so it is perfect for this stir-fry. If you don't have peanut oil, use vegetable oil.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 807mg | Potassium: 744mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2840IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
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    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Toni

      February 28, 2022 at 10:19 am

      5 stars
      Oh, I love it!! Really good and easy to make! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

      Reply
    2. Allyssa

      February 28, 2022 at 7:04 am

      5 stars
      Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It's really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!

      Reply
    3. Caryn Darts

      February 27, 2022 at 8:52 am

      5 stars
      This is so flavorful and delicious! I can't believe my picky youngest son even loved it so thank you so much!

      Reply
    4. Debbie

      February 22, 2022 at 5:46 pm

      Do you happen to have a corn free modification? Moo goo gai pan is one of my favorites, but I can't eat corn.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        February 22, 2022 at 7:33 pm

        Hi Debbie! I would use arrowroot for the cornstarch. Enjoy!

        Reply
      • Debbie

        February 24, 2022 at 4:44 pm

        I dont have oyster sauce, but I do have fish sauce. Will that sub out okay?

        Reply
        • Kristen Chidsey

          February 25, 2022 at 6:43 am

          Hi Debbie, yes fish sauce will work as a decent substitute. I hope you enjoy!

          Reply
      • Debbie

        February 24, 2022 at 7:00 pm

        The chicken sticks to the bottom of the skillet. Should I have used cast iron?

        Reply
        • Kristen Chidsey

          February 25, 2022 at 6:44 am

          Hi Debbie, I recommend using a nonstick skillet, and be sure you add the oil first to the pan. That should prevent sticking.

          Reply

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