This homemade moo shu chicken is a hundred times better than takeout! Serve it once, and your family will beg you to make it again and again.
This colorful Chinese stir fry is fully loaded with crunchy vegetables, juicy chicken, and fluffy egg strips.
Then everything is tied together by an irresistibly sweet and umami-rich sauce.
So, in short, it’s one phenomenal dish.
The contrast between the healthy ingredients and the indulgent sauce is *chef’s kiss.*
Whether you serve it with hearty white rice or tender Mandarin pancakes, you can’t go wrong.
So, if you want to give your favorite Chinese restaurant a run for its money, you have to try this easy and delicious moo shu chicken recipe!
Easy Moo Shu Chicken Recipe
Why order in when you can make your very own moo shu chicken at home?
A simple yet flavor-packed stir fry made of chicken, vegetables, and eggs, this Chinese dish is a lot easier to make than you think.
I mean, you know how to make eggs, right?
And sure, you’ll also slice and chop a handful of ingredients, but there are ways to get around it.
Hello, coleslaw mix.
Hi there, pre-sliced shiitake!
Once all the ingredients are prepared, it’s just a matter of tossing them together in a skillet.
If you’re still hesitant about trying this, here’s something that might convince you: moo shu chicken is mind-blowingly delicious!
A medley of sweet, salty, and umami flavors, this is the only stir fry recipe you’ll ever need.
What is Moo Shu Chicken?
Moo shu is a Chinese stir-fry with vegetables, eggs, and meat in a savory broth. Classic moo shu calls for cucumbers, lily flowers, and ear mushrooms stir-fried with a light sauce and served over rice. Its Western counterpart contains cabbage and chicken with a thick, sweet, and savory sauce.
Traditional moo shu chicken tastes significantly different from its American-Chinese iteration, but both are highly delicious.
I happen to prefer the American version because it’s often wrapped in soft, paper-thin Mandarin pancakes, similar to a burrito.
Ingredients
I won’t lie, this roster is pretty lengthy. But the majority of these ingredients are common pantry staples.
You can find the rest at your local Asian supermarket.
Chicken and Marinade:
- Chicken Breast – lean meat means a healthy chicken dinner! Classic moo shu chicken uses chicken breast, but you can also use boneless thighs for an extra moist and juicy dish.
Pro-tip: make chicken breast easier to slice by freezing it for 20 minutes.
- Sesame Oil, Water, and Cornstarch – whisk these 3 together to give the chicken a mildly savory and nutty flavor. The cornstarch will help thicken the sauce once all the ingredients are cooked together.
Sauce:
- Hoisin Sauce – a staple Asian condiment made of fermented soybeans. It has a wonderful balance of sweet and salty flavors similar to BBQ, but better (in my opinion).
- Oyster Sauce – another Asian condiment with a sweet, salty, and umami flavor profile. It’s made of oyster juices, salt, and sugar.
- Soy Sauce – this glossy black liquid made of fermented soy bursts of salty and umami flavors.
Stir-Fry Mix-ins
- Eggs – cooked until fluffy and sliced into strips.
- Shredded Cabbage – try to get both green and purple cabbage for a lively color contrast. A bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix will work, too.
- Canned Shiitake Mushrooms – Get the one that’s already pre-sliced so you won’t have to slice anymore. You can also use dried shiitake for this recipe. Submerge the mushrooms in hot water for an hour to rehydrate them.
- Garlic and Green Onions – for aroma and bold flavors.
- Sherry – it amps the flavor of the sauce even more.
Tips for the Best Moo Shu Chicken
- Save yourself some time and just get a bag of coleslaw mix instead of chopping or shredding cabbage. Try to get a multi-colored slaw mix for a more appetizing dish.
- Button mushrooms and cremini mushrooms will work, too. You could even use portobello and leave out the chicken for a vegetarian dish.
- This article doesn’t include a recipe for Mandarin pancakes because there’s no need to make them from scratch! These paper-thin crepes are available at Asian grocery stores. And even if you can’t find them, you can always count on flour tortillas.
How to Serve Moo Shu Chicken
Authentic moo shu chicken is served with steamed white rice. Its Chinese-American version counterpart, however, is served in paper-thin Mandarin pancakes.
Moo Shu Wrappers
These pancakes are soft, chewy, and complement the textures and flavors of the moo shu chicken.
They’re very similar to those used with Peking duck.
You can find them at the frozen section of an Asian market, labeled “moo shu wrappers” or “duck wrappers.” These are already cooked and only need a bit of reheating.
To assemble, spread a thin layer of hoisin sauce over the Mandarin pancake. Fill the middle with moo shu chicken, and wrap it like a burrito or a taco.
Crepes
Crepes are the next best thing to Asian moo shu wrappers.
They have a very similar chewy texture, and if you make them yourself, you can ensure they’re perfectly thin.
Of course, if you want to save time, you’ll often find pre-made crepes in the grocery store.
Just keep in mind that they’ll likely be a lot bigger, so you might need to cut them in half.
Flour Tortillas
If you can’t find Mandarin pancakes or crepes, your next best option is flour tortillas.
The texture is completely different from the tender pancakes, but they make an awesome substitute.
Just take note that because flour tortillas are thicker, you just need to garnish the chicken with more hoisin sauce before wrapping for the flavor to shine through.
Lettuce Wraps
Here’s a healthier alternative if you’re trying to cut down on carbs: serve moo shu chicken on lettuce leaves and make wraps.
Whichever way you choose to serve it – with rice, in Mandarin pancakes, flour tortillas, or lettuce – be sure to drizzle it with more extra hoisin sauce for more oomph.
More Asian Recipes You’ll Love
Moo Shu Chicken (Easy Recipe)
4
servings15
minutes35
minutes319
kcalThis homemade moo shu chicken is a hundred times better than takeout! Make it once, and your family will beg you to make it again and again.
Ingredients
6 tablespoons cold water, divided
3 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pound chicken breast tenderloins, sliced into thin strips
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
1 (4-ounce) can sliced shiitake mushrooms, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sherry
3 green onions, chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of water, 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, and cornstarch until dissolved. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 4 remaining tablespoons of water, the remaining 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, and soy sauce until well-combined. Set aside.
- Heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour the beaten eggs and cook for 3 minutes. Flip it over and cook for 3 minutes more, or until set. Slice the eggs into thin strips.
- To the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the chicken strips. Cook for 6 minutes on one side and flip. Cook for 6 more minutes, or until golden brown and juices run clear. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Heat the remaining teaspoon of vegetable oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shredded cabbage, drained shiitake mushrooms, garlic, and sherry. Cook, stirring regularly until the cabbage starts to wilt, about 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken, eggs, and sauce mixture. Stir until sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in the green onions and serve immediately. Enjoy!
This was so good!!! My family all loved it, including 3 kids ages 5, 7, and 9.
What do we change to make the alternate version with the cabbage?
All the recipes I have tried have been fabulous. I applaud your techniques to make things so simple to follow. Thanks so much.
Hi Carol! Just use cabbage instead of coleslaw mix for that version. And thanks so much for the kind words about my recipes!
I don’t care for mushrooms.
I am able to substitute cream of mushroom soup, but what do I do when the recipe calls for actual mushrooms?
Hi, Susan! It really all depends on the recipe as to what you can use instead of mushrooms. In many cases, you can simply leave them out without issue! In this particular recipe, the mushrooms add a nice bit of heartiness and texture to the dish. You could try substituting zucchini or diced eggplant in their place. If you like tofu, that could be another good option. If you try one of these substitutions, come back and let me know how it turned out!