Description
This Panda Express Mushroom Chicken is a quick and flavorful stir-fry featuring tender chicken, zucchini, and mushrooms tossed in a savory garlic-ginger soy sauce. Perfect for a healthy weeknight meal, this dish comes together in just 30 minutes and tastes even better than takeout!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Marinade
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, sliced ½" thick
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
For the Stir-Fry Sauce
- ½ cup unsalted chicken stock or broth
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, brown sugar, or honey
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
For the Mushroom Chicken Stir-Fry
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 4 cups sliced zucchini, ½" thick slices
- 8 ounces white mushrooms, ½" thick slices (about 3 cups)
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- In a medium bowl, combine sliced chicken with soy sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil. Mix well to coat evenly.
- Let marinate for 10 minutes while you prepare the sauce and vegetables.
Make the Stir-Fry Sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together chicken stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, and ginger.
- Add cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
Cook the Chicken
- Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and sesame oil.
- Add the marinated chicken in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes without stirring to develop a golden crust.
- Stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes until fully cooked. Transfer to a plate.
Cook the Vegetables
- Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
- Add zucchini and stir-fry for 2 minutes until crisp-tender.
- Add mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes until they begin releasing moisture.
Thicken the Sauce & Combine Everything
- Give the stir-fry sauce a quick whisk before adding it to the pan.
- Make a well in the center of the pan and pour in the sauce.
- Stir continuously until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute.
- Return the cooked chicken to the pan and toss to coat everything evenly.
- Cook for another minute until the chicken is hot and the sauce fully coats all ingredients.
To Serve
- Serve immediately over steamed rice, fried rice, or noodles.
- Garnish with sesame seeds or chopped green onions for extra flavor.
Notes
- For extra heat, add red pepper flakes or chili sauce to the stir-fry sauce.
- Make it gluten-free by using gluten-free soy sauce and oyster sauce.
- Low-carb option: Serve with cauliflower rice instead of regular rice.
- For meal prep: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stir-Fry
- Cuisine: Chinese-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 65mg