Chicken Chop Suey (Chinese Takeaway Style)

Recreate a Chinese takeaway menu favourite at home using this chicken chop suey recipe. Packed with vegetables, it’s perfect for a quick midweek dinner with egg fried rice and prawn crackers.

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This Scottish Chinese takeaway style chicken chop suey recipe recreates a vegetable packed and tasty Chinese takeaway dish at home. Tender chicken, a variety of vegetables and a deliciously savoury sauce combine to make a simple and flavourful dish. When I was researching recipes for The Chinese Takeaway Secret, this became a favourite, being so delicious but also so full of healthy ingredients.

Ingredients For Chinese Takeaway Style Chicken Chop Suey

This classic Chinese takeaway chicken chop suey is loaded with fresh vegetables and tender chicken in a light, savoury sauce. Packed with onion, mushroom, carrot, bamboo shoots and more, it’s a quick stir-fry that’s colourful, healthy, and full of flavour, just like a good takeaway chop suey should be.

• Oyster Sauce
• Light Soy Sauce
• Dark Soy Sauce
• Tomato Ketchup
• White Pepper
• Sunflower Oil
• Onion
• Mushroom
• Carrot
• Bamboo Shoots
• Water Chestnuts
• Beansprouts
• Chicken For Chinese Takeaway Style Stir Fry Dishes
• MSG
• Chopped Garlic In Oil
• Light Chicken Stock
• Potato Starch
• Rice Wine
• Sesame Oil

Cook Like a Takeaway: Want to see the exact oyster sauce, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine I use in all my Chinese recipes? Check out my Chinese Takeaway Style Cooking Essentials guide.

How To Make Chinese Takeaway Style Chicken Chop Suey

Making this tasty Chinese takeaway style chicken chop suey is so quick! First, the prepared vegetables are are stir fried in a hot wok, along with chicken, MSG and chopped garlic. The prepared sauce is added and simmered with stock before being thickened slightly. Finally, rice wine and sesame oil are added to finish and the dish is ready to serve.

Step 1: Sauce

In a bowl, add 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 2 teaspoons tomato ketchup and Pinch white pepper. Mix briefly and set aside.

Step 2: Stir Fry

Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon sunflower oil, 1/2 onion, sliced, 2 button mushrooms, quartered, 1/4 carrot, thinly sliced, 1 small handful tinned bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained (about 25 grams), 1 small handful tinned water chestnuts, rinsed and drained (about 25 grams) and stir fry for 1 minute. Add 1 small handful beansprouts (about 50 grams) and stir fry for another 30-40 seconds. Add 1 portion chicken for Chinese takeaway style stir fry dishes and 1/4 teaspoon MSG and mix well. Add the prepared sauce and 200 millilitres light chicken stock. Mix well, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce reduces slightly.

Step 3: Finish

Slowly add 1 tablespoon potato starch, mixed with 2 tablespoons water, stirring well until the sauce reaches the desired consistency (you may not need all of the mix). Finish with 1 teaspoon rice wine and Dash sesame oil, mix well once more and serve.

Recipe Tips For Chinese Takeaway Style Chicken Chop Suey

Tender Chicken: This recipe uses chicken for Chinese takeaway style stir fry dishes. This simple velveting technique ensures you get deliciously soft and tender chicken pieces for your favourite takeaway style dishes.

Preparation: Stir fry dishes come together quickly, so it’s good to have all the necessary ingredients and sauces prepared and to hand before you start cooking. Once you start, it’s all go until the dish is sizzling hot and ready to serve!

I hope you’ll try this Chinese takeaway style chicken chop suey recipe. If you do, let me know in the comments how it went!

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Chinese Takeaway Style Chicken Chop Suey Recipe FAQ

What is MSG and why should I use it?

MSG is monosodium glutamate, a seasoning ingredient widely used in Chinese takeaway kitchens, in pure form or as an ingredient in soy sauces and other seasoning sauces. Despite historic baseless claims of its dangers, it has been widely proven to be considered safe for use in cooking. In fact, many of the myths and lies about MSG were deliberately and maliciously spread as a form of racism. You can find MSG naturally in many foodstuffs including broccoli, cheese and tomatoes. It’s available online or in Chinese supermarkets. You can learn more about MSG from the brilliant Chin Taylor of Ziang’s Kitchen here.

Do I need a carbon steel wok to cook Chinese takeaway style dishes?

A well seasoned carbon steel wok is a wonderful addition to your Chinese takeaway style cooking equipment, and I would highly recommend investing in one. But, you can cook this dish in any wok or large frying pan and it will be delicious!

Can I use cornflour instead of potato starch?

Yes, you can use cornflour and water to thicken the simmering stir fry sauce. It will do a similar job, however a more consistent texture is achieved using potato starch.

Can I use beef / char siu pork / king prawns / vegetables instead?

Yes! This recipe also works well with beef, char siu pork, king prawns or mixed vegetables.

What’s the difference between light soy sauce and dark soy sauce?

In Chinese takeaway kitchens, chefs use light soy sauce mainly for seasoning – it’s thinner and more salty than dark soy sauce. Dark soy sauce has a thicker consistency and is used to add colour to stir fry sauces and egg fried rice.

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Do you like this Chinese takeaway style chicken chop suey recipe? If so, buying a copy of my book might appeal to you! In The Chinese Takeaway Secret you can find a host of restaurant and takeaway style recipes that you can make at home. You’ll learn how to make Scottish Chinese takeaway style curry sauce, sweet & sour chicken, pork balls and more! You can buy The Chinese Takeaway Secret in paperback or kindle form here.

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