Moo goo gai pan, literally mushrooms with chicken slices, is one of the healthiest stir-fries out there. It’s also one of the most popular Chinese takeout foods in America.

Moo goo gai pan is mostly crisp vegetables with some soft mushroom and chicken pieces mixed in. This Cantonese moo goo gai recipe is layered with amazing textures and tastes just as good as Panda Express (or better).

Why Is Moo Goo Gai Pan So Amazing?

Moo goo gai pan is surprisingly quick and simple to make. And I bet you have most of the ingredients in your pantry already. You can even use whatever vegetables you have at hand instead of the traditional ones used in this recipe.

It’s full of vegetables and is relatively low in sugar and fat compared to other stir-fries where the meat is breaded and deep fried and then coated in a sweet and sticky sauce. But that doesn’t mean it’s not one of the yummiest stir-fries.

What makes this dish so amazing are the varied textures and the freshness. I mean, it’s one of the most popular Chinese takeout orders for a reason. It’s super tasty but doesn’t give you that icky feeling that deep-fried foods can after eating.

Moo goo gai pan is easily gluten-free and naturally dairy-free. Traditional Chinese cuisine is usually dairy-free because most of the population is lactose intolerant. And you can also find gluten-free soy sauce and oyster sauce for those with gluten intolerances.

What Is Moo Goo Gai Pan Made Of?

Although moo goo gai pan translates to button mushrooms (moo goo) and chicken slices (gai pan), the dish mainly consists of veggies. Here are the ingredients to make the beloved Chinese-American version of moo goo gai pan:

For the stir fry:

14 oz. boneless chicken thighs (or chicken breast)
10 oz. sugar snap peas
3 garlic cloves
1 large carrot
½ can sliced bamboo shoots
½ can water chestnuts
12 oz. button mushrooms
7 oz. baby corn
1 bunch of spring onions, diced (optional)
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

For the marinade:

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp. light soy sauce
1 ½ Tbsp. cornstarch
Pinch of sugar (optional)

For the sauce:

2/3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
1 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine

How Is Moo Goo Gai Pan Made?

In this recipe, we’re using a large wok to build that wok hei for an authentic Chinese takeout flavor. But you can use a large non-stick skillet if you don’t have one. Just remember that the ingredients will take a bit longer to cook.

Step 1: Blanch & Prepare the Bamboo Shoots

Blanch the bamboo shoots for 5 minutes in boiling water, then drain while rinsing them under cold water. Repeat the process with the water chestnuts the same way, and cut them in half to maintain their crunch.

Blanching helps remove the metal taste from canned foods and also pre-cooks them halfway.

Step 2: Slice the Garlic, Carrots & Mushrooms

Bash and slice the garlic, slice the carrots, and cut the mushrooms in half. Don’t cut the carrots too thin and keep the mushrooms in big chunks since they reduce when cooking.

Step 3: Prepare the chicken slices

Slice the chicken into thin pieces, removing the big pieces of the skin and fat, but not all of it. Place the chicken slices in a bowl and add the marinade ingredients (sesame oil, light soy sauce, cornstarch, and an optional pinch of sugar).

Step 4: Coat the chicken with marinade

Massage the chicken with your hands to coat it evenly in the marinade. Wash your hands.

Step 5: Create the flavorful sauce

To make the sauce, whisk all of the ingredients except the chicken broth (light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine) together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Step 6: Sear the mushrooms

Assemble your ingredients before heating the wok. You can place your vegetables and garlic on a plate clockwise for easy access. Heat the wok over medium-high (without oil) and sear the mushrooms. Add a tablespoon of the chicken broth if needed (to bring out the moisture and help them brown). Once they’ve browned, remove the mushrooms from the wok so that it’s clean.

Step 7: Perfectly sear chicken in a smoking hot wok

Heat vegetable oil until the wok begins to smoke. Add chicken pieces and cook on one side for 30 seconds to 1 minute, pressing down and separating the pieces with your spatula.

Once white on the edges, flip pieces to the other side and cook for another 30 seconds. You don’t want to overcook the chicken – remember that it’ll continue cooking with the vegetables.

Step 8: Stir-Fry a Medley of Vegetables

Turn the heat to medium-high and add the remaining vegetables in the following order, tossing to combine after each vegetable: garlic, carrots, sugar snap peas, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, baby corn, and pre-seared mushrooms. Toss and cook for about 2 minutes.

Step 9: Coat the stir-fry with a thickened sauce & chicken broth

Bring the wok to smoking by turning the fire on high for a moment. Pour the sauce around the edges. Toss to coat all the vegetables and chicken and let the sauce thicken.

Add the chicken broth around the edges and bring it to a boil. Let cook for another minute.

Serve immediately with optional spring onions on top and a side of fresh fluffy rice, fried rice, or noodles.

Notes & Substitutions

If you were wondering, “is moo goo gai pan spicy?”, it’s not! This may also be one of the main reasons it’s so popular. But if you want to add some heat, you’re welcome to add some fresh ginger along with the garlic and even toss in some sliced chilis.
I don’t recommend freezing this dish since the vegetables will lose their crisp texture and the chicken will dry out. But you can store cooled moo goo gai pan leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Moo goo gai pan from restaurants is usually pretty high in sodium, but this homemade version uses low-sodium soy sauce and chicken broth to make it healthier for you and your heart.
To make a keto or low-carb moo goo gai pan, replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos and cornstarch with tapioca starch. Also, omit the Shaoxing wine and the pinch of sugar. The flavors will still be delicious, but maybe not as intense.
This moo goo gai pan recipe calls for some of the popular vegetable additions. Some other typical veggies include bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, and Chinese cabbage. You can also steer from tradition and add broccoli, bell peppers, bean sprouts (towards the end), celery, or green beans.
I would avoid using other water-dense vegetables such as zucchini, eggplants, tomatoes, or cauliflower. You want to stay away from root vegetables as well.
If adding more leafy greens, make sure to pre-cook them before like the mushrooms in this recipe so that they can release excess water.

Cantonese Moo Goo Gai Pan

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 20

Servings:

Calories: 439kcal

Ingredients

14 oz. boneless chicken thighs or chicken breast
10 oz. sugar snap peas
3 garlic cloves
1 large carrot
½ can sliced bamboo shoots
½ can water chestnuts
12 oz. button mushrooms
7 oz. baby corn
1 bunch of spring onions diced (optional)
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

For the marinade:

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp. light soy sauce
1 ½ Tbsp. cornstarch
Pinch of sugar optional

The sauce:

⅔ cups low sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
1 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine

Instructions

Blanch the bamboo shoots for 5 minutes, drain and run under cold water. Blanch the water chestnuts, cool them, and cut them in half.
Bash and slice the garlic, slice the carrots, and cut the mushrooms in half.
Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
Slice the chicken into thin pieces, place it in a bowl and add the marinade ingredients. Massage with your hands to coat evenly.
Assemble your ingredients before heating the wok.
Heat the wok over medium-high and sear the mushrooms. Add a tablespoon of the chicken broth if needed (to bring out the moisture and help them brown).
Remove mushrooms once browned and heat vegetable oil until smoking.
Add chicken pieces and cook on one side for 30 seconds to 1 minute, pressing down and separating the pieces with your spatula. Once white on the edges, flip pieces to the other side and cook for about 30 seconds.
Turn the heat to medium-high and add the rest of the vegetables in the following order, tossing to combine after each vegetable: garlic, carrots, sugar snap peas, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, baby corn, and pre-seared mushrooms. Toss and cook for about 2 minutes.
Bring the wok to smoking and add the sauce around the edges. Toss to coat all the vegetables and chicken and let the sauce thicken.
Add chicken broth around the edges and bring to a boil. Let cook for 1 minute.
Serve immediately with optional spring onions on top and a side of fresh rice.

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