If you love Chinese food, you might want to know what is moo shu chicken. This Chinese stir fry consists of pork, vegetables, and eggs. This dish is relatively simple to make and requires only a few ingredients. Chop everything up and toss them into a skillet. Once cooked, the flavor will be unmistakable. And since the dish is so simple, it’s an easy recipe to create at home.
The flavor of moo shu chicken is based on mushrooms, which are available fresh or dried. A few pieces of wood ear mushrooms are optional but provide a more earthy flavor. Soak them in water at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes to use them. The mushrooms will return to their original texture after the mushrooms have been soaked. In addition, shiitakes can be substituted for bamboo shoots.
Moo Shu Chicken Nutrition Facts
What is Moo Shu Chicken?
Moo shu chicken is a dish that originated in the north of China and Taiwan. The name is derived from the Mandarin word for “meat,” so a moo shu chicken recipe can use a variety of meats. Traditionally, the meat is fried until it is soft, and the sauce is then added back to it. The flavor is richer with pork, and the sauce is then served on top of the chicken. While the dish is delicious, you should also order it with steamed white rice or a side of cabbage.
A Chinese version of moo shu chicken will be served with paper-thin Mandarin pancakes. These pancakes are soft and chewy and similar to those eaten with Peking duck. While it’s hard to find authentic moo shu chicken in the United States, they are available in most Chinese restaurants.
How does it Taste?
Moo shu chicken uses bamboo shoots and shiitake mushrooms to give the dish its unique flavor. Whether you use fresh or dried, these two ingredients will give you the perfect combination of earthy, musky, and floral. You can also include wood ear mushrooms or lilies, which aren’t as traditional as shiitake. You can make substitutions such as soaking the wood ear mushrooms in water for thirty to forty minutes.
Moo shu chicken is made with chicken and sauce. The main ingredients are shiitake and bamboo shoots, and you can either use fresh or dried ones. Adding these mushrooms to the chicken is the key to the dish’s flavor. In addition to the two primary ingredients, you may also want to include wood ear mushrooms. These are optional, but they give the dish a delicious flavor and a crispy texture.
Is Moo Shu Chicken Healthy?
Mu Shu is a tasty and straightforward original Northern Chinese meal that can easily be altered and made healthy. It’s traditionally made with pork, but it’s also commonly made with chicken or shrimp. By focusing on veggies, fiber and minerals increase while fat and cholesterol decrease.
Mu shu chicken has a high carbohydrate content but is also substantial in fiber. Moo shu chicken is a nutritious and simple recipe that goes well with rice or tortillas. It’s a blend of American and traditional Chinese dishes, a delicious and healthful alternative to moo shu pork. Chicken, cabbage, scrambled eggs, shiitake mushrooms, and green onions make up this moo shu chicken stir fry.
What is Moo Shu Chicken Made of?
It’s usually made with pork, although the same fundamental meal can be created with seafood or meat. The meal is moo shu chicken when made with chicken, mu sub pork when made with pork, and the same applies for beef, shrimp, or tofu when made with beef, shrimp, or tofu. It’s called moo shu vegetables if made without meat or seafood. Moo Shu Chicken is a typical Chinese restaurant-style supper that tastes even better than takeout! It’s cooked with chicken and veggies in a sauce that takes only 10 minutes to prepare.
How to Make Moo Shu Chicken?
Here are the ingredients and instructions for making moo shu chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast, cut into ½-inch strips
- Four tablespoons of soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon Chinese Five Spice powder
- One tablespoon of olive oil
- Two medium stalks of celery, thinly sliced
- Two tablespoons of grated fresh ginger
- Four cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 cup sliced green onions (scallions)
- 6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced into ½-inch strips
- 1 cup bean sprouts (mung beans)
- 4 cups sliced cabbage (½-inch strips)
Instructions
- Take a bowl, add the chicken and mix the marinade ingredients – 3 tbsp. Soy sauce, Chinese spice powder; mix to coat and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with half of the olive oil. Once hot, add the chicken, and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until just cooked through; Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Add the rest of the oil, ginger, celery, and garlic; saute for one minute.
- Add the rest of the vegetables, mushrooms, cabbage, onions, bean sprouts, and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes after each addition.
- Add the chicken back to the pan, add soy sauce and toss to combine.
- Done!
What is the Healthiest Chinese Food?
Chinese takeout is tasty, but some of the options, like those given by other cuisines, can be rich in salt, sugar, oil, and processed additives. American-Chinese cuisine, for example, is sweeter and saltier than traditional Chinese cuisine, and it frequently has its distinct flavor profile.
If you’re craving Chinese food, there are some healthier takeaway options. You can also request that menu item be changed to suit your preferences. Furthermore, if you read the menu, you’ll often find a low-fat, low-sugar, and low-salt options section.
Here are some of the healthiest Chinese foods:
Steamed Dumplings
A Chinese restaurant’s dumplings are dough pockets filled with seasoned meat and vegetables, commonly pork and cabbage. They’re frequently fried, but you may have them steamed instead to save calories and fat. Only 40 calories are in one medium steamed dumpling. Although the soy sauce-based dipping sauce is low in calories, it is heavy in sodium, so take caution, especially if you have a salt sensitivity.
Hot and Sour Soup or Egg Drop Soup
A chicken broth, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, eggs, and ginger make a hot and sour soup. It also contains vinegar and spices, which give the meal its fiery and sour flavors. On the other hand, egg drop soup is made simply with cooked egg ribbons in chicken broth. Both soups are modest in calories (65–90 calories per 1-cup (240 mL) portion), and you can make them even healthier by skipping the fried lo mein noodles that are frequently served as a topping.
Moo Goo Gai Pan
Moo goo gai pan is a stir-fried chicken and vegetable dish with gently sauced mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, and water chestnuts. It’s low in calories since it’s packed with vegetables and lean chicken. In addition, the chicken delivers a substantial amount of protein, making this a satisfying dish. Only 160 calories and 15 grams of protein are found in one cup (216 grams). Ask if the sauce can be served on the side so you can keep track of how much you eat because it may be rich in salt and sugar.
Beef and Broccoli
Beef and broccoli are essential stir-fried dishes with broccoli and a mild sauce. It’s a low-carb, high-protein dish that’s relatively healthful. It is, however, frequently cooked with fatty beef slices. Three hundred thirty-six calories, 23 grams of fat, and 23 grams of protein are included in one cup (217 grams). Request steamed broccoli instead of stir-fried broccoli, and ask if the sauce may be served on the side to cut down on fat.
Chicken and Broccoli
Chicken and broccoli, like beef and broccoli, consists of stir-fried chicken with broccoli in a light sauce. It is, however, a leaner alternative to beef and broccoli that still provides plenty of protein. 13 grams of protein and only 145 calories are found in one cup (153 grams). It also has roughly 7 grams of fat in it. If at all feasible, request that the food be steamed. You’ll lose the oil that it’s usually cooked in, lowering the fat and calorie content and making it healthier.
Conclusion
The key to the flavor of moo shu chicken is the mushrooms. The shiitake mushroom and bamboo shoots add a fresh and crisp flavor to the dish. Alternatively, you can serve it with a side of 10-Minute Oven Roasted Sesame Broccoli. In addition, leftover moo shu chicken can be frozen for three months. If you are cooking many moo shu chicken, you can freeze the leftovers in an airtight container and reheat them in a skillet.
The Moo shu sauce is a traditional Chinese dish of shredded meat and vegetables. Moo shu chicken is typically made with pork, but you can make it with chicken breasts and vegetable-rich thigh-spiced sauce. Moreover, moo shu chicken can be served as a quick and healthy dinner option. For more information, check out the recipe below!
