Chinese Mushroom Chicken Stir Fry

Chinese mushroom chicken is very easy to make and perfect for a weekday dinner. The tender chicken bites are cooked in an aromatic savory sweet sauce with juicy mushrooms and crisp bamboo shoots. Serve it over steamed rice and you’ll have your dinner ready in no time. {Gluten-Free adaptable}

Since moving to the US, I’m often amazed at how trying American Chinese food can open my mind towards the food of my own culture. I’ve experienced and recreated some of the popular American Chinese dishes such as Orange Chicken, General Tso Tofuand Beef with Broccoli. I’d never seen these dishes growing up in China. But they use various Chinese ingredients to create a sensation that’s true to traditional Chinese cooking. I enjoy these dishes and they somehow remind me of the food from home.

There is a mushroom chicken dish in traditional Chinese cooking. It is made with bone-in skin-on chicken, chopped to bite-size pieces, then braised in a soy sauce based sauce with dried shiitake mushrooms. It’s a dish I often ate growing up.

But if you’re short on time, try out this stir fried mushroom chicken that is just as hearty and delicious.

Mushroom chicken ingredients

Chinese mushroom chicken is very easy to make and perfect for a weekday dinner. The tender chicken bites are cooked in an aromatic savory sweet sauce with juicy mushrooms and crisp bamboo shoots.

Which cut of chicken to use

I used chicken breast in this recipe, but you can also use chicken thigh for a richer taste, or use chicken tenders for a softer texture.

Bamboo shoots

Bamboo shoots are a fun ingredient that adds a crisp, crunchy texture to your mushroom chicken stir fry.

You can easily find canned sliced bamboo shoots at the ethnic section in many grocery stores. If you have access to a Chinese or Asian grocery store, try to find whole bamboo shoots. They are boiled bamboo shoots soaked in water. They have a nicer texture than the canned ones. You can usually find them in the refrigerated section.

Set up

I like to organize my ingredients in groups, so I can use fewer bowls. It also makes the cooking easier. Once you’re done prepping, your kitchen counter should have:

• Marinated chicken
• Mixed sauce with a spoon (to stir again during the cooking to fully dissolve the cornstarch)
• Chopped ginger, garlic, and green onion in a bowl
• Chopped mushrooms
• Bamboo shoots

How to cook Chinese mushroom chicken

What skillet to use

I’ve talked in previous posts about why NOT to use a wokand some of the best ways to set up your stir fry station if you’re using an electric stove. Long story short, the most convenient setup is to use your electric stove with a nonstick pan (such as the 12” OXO Frying Panwhich provides enough surface area against the heating element to heat up your pan well).

The benefit of using a nonstick pan is that it heats up faster on an electric stove or a lower output gas range than a traditional wok does. Plus, the nonstick surface prevents the food from sticking to the pan. Most Chinese stir fry dishes use cornstarch to coat the meat, which is very prone to sticking to the pan if you don’t use enough oil and heat the pan well.

On the other hand, if you prefer not to use a nonstick pan, I would recommend a cast iron or a carbon steel pan (Ignore stainless. They stick like hell). In this case, you will need to add more oil to prevent the meat from sticking.

Cooking process

The cooking happens very quickly once the pan has heated up.

1. Sear the chicken and transfer to a plate
2. Cook the aromatics
3. Stir fry the bamboo shoots
4. Cook the mushrooms
5. Pour in the sauce and cook to thicken it
6. Add back the chicken and stir everything together

It’s very important that you cook the chicken first, and take it out before adding the vegetables. This is the best way to prevent the chicken from overcooking. Plus, it helps the pan to keep a high temperature to sear the vegetables instead of steaming them.

If you’re using a cast iron or carbon steel pan, the chicken might stick to the pan. In this case, drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of Shaoxing wine and use a wooden spatula to deglaze it.

How to serve Chinese mushroom chicken stir fry

The best way to serve Chinese mushroom chicken is to top it on steamed rice. The rice soaks up the sauce and it accompanies the chicken so well. When I’m feeling under the weather, I also like to boil some noodles and throw the noodles in a bowl of hot chicken broth. Then I add the mushroom chicken along with the sauce into the hot noodle soup. The sauce will season the noodles and it makes a hearty one bowl meal for a chilly day.

If you prefer a multi-course dinner, consider adding these dishes to your menu:

More takeout style recipes

Want to Know More?Receive our 5-Day Chinese Cooking Crash Course & Recipe Updates! Subscribe

Chinese Mushroom Chicken Stir Fry