Light, silky, and loaded with veggies-this classic Moo Goo Gai Pan is a quick chicken and mushroom stir fry in a delicate white sauce. It's weeknight-easy, naturally light, and you can swap in your favorite veggies. I use chicken breast, mushrooms, snow peas, napa cabbage, and water chestnuts for crunch. Gluten-free option included!

Jump to:

• What's Moo Goo Gai Pan?
• About the Ingredients
• How to cook Moo Goo Gai Pan (Step by Step)
• Moo Goo Gai Pan Recipe
• More Delicious Chicken Recipes
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What's Moo Goo Gai Pan?

I was confused the first time I heard "Moo Goo Gai Pan" - it sounded like gibberish! I speak Mandarin, and those words don't ring a bell in Mandarin because the name is actually Cantonese. Once you see the characters, it makes perfect sense: 蘑菇雞片.

• Moo Goo (蘑菇) = mushrooms
• Gai (雞) = chicken
• Pan (片) = slices

So, Moo Goo Gai Pan literally means "sliced chicken with mushrooms." In American Chinese restaurants it's usually a light, silky stir fry with mushrooms plus a mix of crisp veggies (think snow peas, napa cabbage, and water chestnuts) in a delicate white sauce.

About the Ingredients

Chicken breast
Thinly slice against the grain so it stays tender. A quick velveting marinade (soy/tamari + oil + cornstarch) gives that silky restaurant texture.

Soy sauce or tamari
Tamari keeps it gluten-free and has a rounder, less salty flavor. Low-sodium is best so the sauce stays light.

Cornstarch
Used two ways:

1. in the marinade to protect and tenderize the chicken, and
2. as a slurry (with water) to lightly thicken the "white sauce" to a glossy finish.

Garlic & aromatics
A quick sauté builds fragrance without overpowering the delicate sauce.

Mushrooms
Button or cremini keep it classic. Slice evenly so they brown slightly but stay juicy.

Snow peas
Add crisp texture and fresh sweetness. Cook just until bright green and crisp-tender.

Napa cabbage
Soft, silky leaves that release a little sweetness and moisture-perfect for a light stir-fry sauce.

Water chestnuts
For that signature crunch. Drain well so they don't water down the pan.

Neutral cooking oil
Use something high-heat (avocado, grapeseed). You need just enough to sear quickly without greasing the sauce.

Salt
Season at the end after the slurry goes in-tamari/soy already adds saltiness.

Splash of broth or water
If the pan runs dry while cooking veggies, a couple tablespoons prevent scorching and keeps the sauce light.

How to cook Moo Goo Gai Pan (Step by Step)

First, gather your ingredients:

• ¾ pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari (use Tamari if gluten free)
• 2 tablespoon cooking oil, separated by tbsp
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoon corn starch, separated
• 2 tablespoon of water
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 cups of sliced mushrooms (8 oz)
• 1 cup of snow peas (4 oz)
• 2 cups napa cabbage, cut in 1 inch pieces
• 8-oz can of sliced water chestnuts, drained
• Salt, as desired

In a bowl, add 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari, and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add sliced chicken in to bowl and toss to coat. Place aside for about 30 minutes.

While we wait for that, chop up the veggies if you haven't already. Also, go ahead and in a small bowl, whisk in 2 tablespoon of water with 2 teaspoon of cornstarch. Set that aside for later.

In a large non stick cooking pan or wok, add a tablespoon of cooking oil, and heat on high. Add chicken to pan, and stir fry for just about 30 seconds or until it turns opaque. It should be just about fully cooked but not really. We want to avoid over cooking it as we are going to add it back to the pan later. Remove from heat.

Bump down the heat to medium, and add another tablespoon of cooking oil, along with minced garlic.

Add napa cabbage, and stir fry for a minute, and then add mushrooms. Let it cook stirring occasionally for about 2-3 minutes. If the pan is too dry, add a splash of water.

Add water chestnuts and snow peas and let it cook for another 1-2 minutes until the snow peas are bright green.

Add the chicken back in to the pan, cornstarch mixture we made earlier, and salt as desired, and let everything cook until tender and cooked thoroughly.

Remove from heat and serve!

Storage & Reheat

• Fridge: Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.
• Reheat (stovetop): Medium heat, 2-4 minutes, splash in 1-2 tablespoon water or broth to loosen the sauce.
• Reheat (microwave): 45-60 seconds, stir, then another 20-30 seconds as needed.
• Freezer: Not recommended (the silky sauce and snow peas lose texture).

FAQ

Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes. Use tamari instead of soy sauce and ensure your broth and water chestnuts are certified gluten-free.

What mushrooms work best?
Button or cremini keep it classic. Shiitake adds deeper flavor-slice caps thin so they cook quickly.

Do I have to use the cornstarch twice?
They do different jobs:

• Marinade cornstarch helps velvet the chicken (tender, silky texture).
• Slurry lightly thickens the sauce to a glossy finish.

How do I avoid overcooking the chicken?
Quickly stir-fry just until opaque, remove, then return at the end to finish in the sauce.

Can I add more vegetables?
Yes-snap peas, bok choy, thin carrot slices, baby corn, or bamboo shoots are great additions.

The sauce got too thick-what now?
Stir in 1-2 tbsp hot water or broth to thin it back to a light, glossy consistency.

More Delicious Chicken Recipes

• Chicken Zucchini Stir Fry - Marinated chicken stir-fried with tender zucchini in a savory sauce. Simple, fresh, weeknight-easy.
• Chicken Shiitake Mushrooms Stir Fry - Juicy marinated chicken with sliced shiitake mushrooms and onions-earthy, savory, so satisfying.
• Cauliflower Chicken Stir Fry - Marinated chicken + cauliflower florets in a tasty sauce; light, cozy, and fast.
• Chicken and Snow Peas Stir Fry - Crisp snow peas and garlic with tender chicken in a glossy, flavorful sauce.

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