Takeout Style Chinese Chicken and Mushrooms

Meals inspired by familiar takeout favorites don’t have to come from a paper menu. This Chinese Chicken and Mushrooms delivers bold, savory flavor in a simple homemade version that feels just as satisfying and even fresher.

The chicken is cooked over high heat with mushrooms and green onions, then finished in a rich Chinese-style brown gravy that coats every bite. It pairs beautifully with fried rice, noodles, or stir-fried vegetables for a fast and balanced family dinner.

This recipe is designed to be quick, straightforward, and dependable. It’s the kind of dish that works well for busy weeknights when you still want something flavorful and comforting.

One of the secrets behind tender Chinese-style chicken is a technique called velveting. It’s commonly used in Chinese kitchens to create soft, silky pieces of meat.

A simple method uses a small amount of baking soda to gently break down the chicken’s fibers. After a short rest, the chicken is rinsed thoroughly, patted dry, and then cooked, resulting in incredibly tender pieces that stay juicy in the pan.

Takeout Style Chinese Chicken and Mushrooms

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Meals inspired by familiar takeout favorites don’t have to come from a paper menu. This Chinese Chicken and Mushrooms delivers bold, savory flavor in a simple homemade version that feels just as satisfying and even fresher.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes

Marinating Time 15 minutes

Total Time 31 minutes

Ingredients

For the stir fry:

• 1 lb chicken breasts
• 1½ tablespoon bicarb of soda (Note 1)
• 2½ cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 green onions (Note 2)
• 1 tablespoon oil

For the sauce:

• ¾ cup cold chicken stock/broth (Note 3)
• 2 tablespoon cornstarch (Note 4)
• 2 tablespoon Chinese Cooking Wine (Note 5)
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 2 teaspoon sesame oil
• ¼ teaspoon pepper white is traditional
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

Step-By-Step Instructions

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Notes

• Baking soda may also be called bicarbonate of soda, bicarb soda, or sodium bicarbonate. Be careful not to confuse it with baking powder, as baking powder will not tenderize meat.

• Green onions are known as scallions in the U.S., and are often called spring onions in the U.K. and Australia.
• Be sure the broth is cold before mixing in the cornstarch/cornflour. Cold liquid helps it dissolve smoothly and prevents lumps.
• The sauce thickens fast into that classic Chinese takeout-style consistency. For a very thick, glossy sauce, use 3 tablespoons of cornstarch/cornflour. If you prefer a lighter sauce, reduce it to about 1 tablespoon.
• Chinese cooking wine is usually found in the Asian foods aisle. If it’s unavailable, dry sherry makes a good substitute.

• After tenderizing the chicken with baking soda, rinse it thoroughly to remove any residue. Baking soda works extremely well, but it leaves an unpleasant taste if not washed off properly.

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