Moo Shu Chicken is tender marinated chicken stir-fried with cabbage, mushrooms, and eggs in a savory sauce with the flavors of garlic and ginger. It is traditionally served with flour tortillas, Chinese pancakes, or rice. This recipe is so much better than takeout and easily made at home.
Learn how to make delicious and authentic moo shu chicken with step-by-step photos to guide you through the process. Impress your friends and family with this flavorful and easy dish.
In addition to flour tortillas, mandarin pancakes, rice, and Chinese noodles, you can serve it with egg drop soup, hot and sour soup, potstickers, ramen noodle salad, or wonton soup. Or you can go really simple and serve it with steamed mixed vegetables like broccoli, zucchini, carrots, and snow peas.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Hoisin sauce: often referred to as Chinese ketchup but more flavorful
- Soy sauce: low sodium is best
- Rice vinegar: is also used in my pork stir fry and vegetable stir fry. Substitute apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar.
- Grated ginger: Ginger paste works just as well as fresh ginger, and once opened, it lasts about one month in the fridge.
- Mirin: is sweetened sake. You can substitute sake or dry sherry mixed with 1-2 teaspoons of sugar.
- Chicken: boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
- Mushrooms: preferably shitake, but you can substitute cremini or white button mushrooms if needed.
- Cabbage: green or Napa
How to Make Moo Shu Chicken
First, whisk the Hoisin Sauce, low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, cornstarch, sesame oil, black pepper, and mirin in a small bowl. Remove 1/2 cup of the marinade and set it aside.
Add the cut chicken to the remaining marinade and stir to combine. Let it set for 10-15 minutes. Heat another tablespoon of vegetable oil in the skillet over medium-high heat.
Remove the chicken from the marinade using tongs, letting the excess drip off. Add the chicken to the hot skillet, cooking until browned and cooked through about 2-3 minutes. Work in batches, then remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned. Remove to the plate with the cooked chicken. Add the beaten eggs and cook until the eggs set enough to flip. Then, using a spatula, flip and cook until set. Remove the eggs, cut them into thin strips, and cover to keep warm.
If needed, add a bit of vegetable oil to the skillet. Add the cabbage and cook until slightly wilted. Add the chicken, mushrooms, and eggs back to the skillet. Whisk the sauce mixture that was set aside. Drizzle with the sauce, stir to combine, and toss to coat cooking over low heat. Sprinkle with the scallions. For best results, serve promptly.
Recipe Tips
- The marinade doubles as a sauce, so remember to remove 1/2 cup before adding any raw meat.
- Stir fry recipes move fast, so have everything cut, diced, and near your cooking area.
- Serve with warm tortillas, mandarin pancakes, rice, or Chinese noodles.
- This recipe also works well with beef and pork.
Serving Suggestions
In addition to flour tortillas, mandarin pancakes, rice, and Chinese noodles, I like to serve it with gyozas, Asian cucumber salad, Asian noodle salad, Asian chopped salad, or miso soup. I also like to serve it with steamed mixed vegetables like broccoli, zucchini, green beans, and snow peas.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is always a quick and easy alternative to shredding your own cabbage. Just pick up a bag of shredded slaw mix. The colors of the carrots and red cabbage add a pop of color to the dish.
Mirin is sweetened sake. If you can find it, you will love it in your stir-fries. Look for it in the Asian Food Section of your local grocery store. You can substitute with dry sherry and granulated sugar in a 3:1 ratio. So, add one teaspoon of granulated sugar for every tablespoon of sherry.
Store and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power.
I do not recommend freezing moo shu chicken. Cabbage is mostly water, and freezing it will destroy the dish’s texture.
More Stir Fry Recipes
Moo Shu Chicken
Ingredients
Marinade and Sauce
- ⅔ cup Hoisin Sauce
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger or ginger paste
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons mirin
Moo Shu Chicken
- 1¼ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into thin strips
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups sliced shitake mushrooms
- 4 cups sliced green cabbage or Napa cabbage
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- in a small bowl, whisk together the Hoisin Sauce, low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, cornstarch, sesame oil, black pepper, and mirin. Remove 1/2 cup of the marinade and set it aside.
- Add the cut chicken to the remaining marinade and stir to combine. Let it set for 10-15 minutes.
- Heat another tablespoon of vegetable oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Using tongs, remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Add the chicken to the hot skillet, cooking until browned and cooked through or about 2-3 minutes. Work in batches, then remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned. Remove to the plate with the cooked chicken.
- If needed, add more vegetable oil to the skillet. Add the beaten eggs over medium-low heat. Cook until the eggs are set enough to flip. Using a spatula, flip and cook until set. Remove the eggs, cut them into thin strips, and cover to keep warm.
- If needed, add a little more vegetable oil to the skillet. Add the cabbage and cook until slightly wilted. Add the chicken, mushrooms, and eggs back to the skillet. Whisk the sauce mixture that was set aside. Drizzle with the sauce, stir to combine, and toss to coat cooking over medium-low heat for several minutes until thickened.
- Sprinkle with the scallions. For best results, serve promptly.
Notes
- Slice the chicken in thin strips.
- The marinade doubles as a sauce, so remember to remove 1/2 cup before you add any raw meat to it.
- If needed, substitute white button mushrooms for the cremini mushrooms.
- Stir fry recipes move fast, so have everything cut and diced and near your cooking area.
- Serve with warm tortillas, mandarin pancakes, rice, or Chinese noodles.
- This recipe also works well with beef and pork.
Nutrition
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Lydia
I really enjoyed this recipe. I’m on a keto diet, so I ate it as-is without any added rice. It’s so good!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Lydia! I am glad that you enjoyed it!
Miles
This moo shu chicken recipe was so tasty and easy to make! I love the step-by-step details—perfect for a quick and delicious weeknight meal! It will be on repeat!
Mimi Rippee
What a fabulous idea! It’s a much simpler presentation than traditional moo shu but with all of the same delicious elements. Thanks!
Beth Pierce
My pleaure, Mimi!