18 Great Tasting Chinese Chicken Recipes

Popular Dishes That Are Better Than Take-Out

By
Liv Wan
Liv Wan
Liv Wan is a former professional chef who has published three cookbooks about Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 08/17/21
Chicken Wings With Oyster Sauce

The Spruce / Julia Estrada

Chicken is one of the most popular ingredients in Chinese cuisine. This type of cuisine typically uses all parts of the chicken—including the feet and even the crown—to make some really delicious dishes. You don't have to go to those lengths, but you will certainly want to make a few of these tasty and interesting Chinese dishes at home. Some of them you may even recognize from your favorite take-out restaurant.

  • 01 of 18

    Asparagus and Chicken Stir-Fry

    Stir Fry Chicken and Asparagus
    Jowena Chua / Getty Images

    A simple, but classic, chicken stir fry dish, asparagus, and chicken stir-fry is very popular in Chinese households. It's very easy and has a great spice thanks to the addition of Thai red chili paste. Adds some potstickers and rice and you have a fantastic meal for the family.

  • 02 of 18

    Chinese Bourbon Chicken

    Chinese bourbon chicken recipe
      feryersan/Getty Images

    This is one of those “when west meets east” dishes that are almost too much fun to pass up. The Chinese bourbon chicken recipe coats deep-fried and battered chicken with a delicious bourbon whiskey sauce. You'll enjoy the play on flavors and be surprised at how short the ingredient list is compared to others.

  • 03 of 18

    Cantonese Steamed Chicken

    Cantonese Chicken
      4kodiak/Getty Images

    For a taste of a Cantonese classic, try a simple steamed chicken recipe. The chicken cooks up in just 30 minutes, so it's perfect for busy weeknight dinners. The mushrooms add an earthy flavor to this delicious dish.

  • 04 of 18

    Cashew Chicken

    Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry
    Darrenwise / Getty Images

    This is a very popular dish that you may have ordered at a Chinese restaurant, and it's rather easy to make cashew chicken at home. This is a simple stir-fry that combines chicken with cashews and vegetables. You can also swap the cashews for walnuts if you like.

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  • 05 of 18

    Chicken Lo Mein

    Chicken Lo Mein Stir-fry Recipe

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

    Lo mein is a very popular Chinese dish throughout the world. Chicken just happens to be one the best-known meats for these noodles. While the recipes vary, a classic chicken lo mein recipe is a perfect place to begin.

  • 06 of 18

    Chicken Wings With Oyster Sauce

    Chicken Wings With Oyster Sauce

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

    If you're looking for a new way to enjoy chicken wings and want to give them a Chinese spin, this is a fantastic recipe. The chicken wings are marinated in oyster sauce, soy sauce, and rice wine. Bake them in the oven and serve them either hot or cold. It's a very simple and an easy one to make in large quantities.

  • 07 of 18

    Chicken With Green and Red Peppers

    Chicken Stir Fry With Bell Peppers
    Lisa Wiltse / Contributor

    Adorn your table with one very colorful stir-fry. The chicken with green and red peppers recipe is a perfect introduction to Chinese cooking and uses basic ingredients you may already own. If you like, you can use different colored peppers or other vegetables as well.

  • 08 of 18

    Chicken Wontons

    Healthy Baked Chicken Wontons

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    Making wontons at home is a fun project and it's easier than you may think. This particular chicken wonton recipe adds a little peanut butter to the filling and it's fantastic against the green curry paste. Additionally, these are baked rather than deep-fried.

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  • 09 of 18

    General Tso's Chicken

    A bowl of General Tso's chicken served over rice

    Ravsky / Getty Images

    A classic chicken recipe and a favorite restaurant order, it's hard to beat General Tso's chicken. The popular Hunan recipe is as simple as any other and coats deep-fried chicken cubes with a delicious sweet and sour sauce.

  • 10 of 18

    Ginger Chicken

    Marinated Ginger Chicken for the Grill

    The Spruce / Loren Runion

    Want to take your Chinese chicken out to the grill? Try this simple and flavorful ginger chicken recipe. Whole chicken thighs are doused in a marinade of spicy ginger sauce and grilled or broiled to finish.

  • 11 of 18

    Kung Pao Chicken

    Kung pao chicken
    MasonRobinson / Getty Images

    When you're in the mood for hot and spicy food, Kung Pao chicken is the dish you'll want to try. This is also popular in Chinese restaurants and you can learn the secrets of its complex and unforgettable flavor. 

  • 12 of 18

    Mango Chicken Stir-Fry

    mango chicken stir-fry
    (stu_spivack/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 2.0)

    Typically, Chinese food stir-fries a variety of vegetables, but fruits are not out of the question. Mango chicken stir-fry adds the tropical fruit at the very last minute. It gets even more interesting garnished with pecans and cilantro.

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  • 13 of 18

    Mongolian Chicken

    Mongolian Chicken With Mung Bean Sprouts

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    Mung bean sprouts and cubed chicken come together in a classic Mongolian chicken recipe. Like many Chinese dishes, the chicken is marinated, stir-fried, then fried again with an impressive sauce. Serve this with steamed vegetables and thick noodles to complete the meal.

  • 14 of 18

    Moo Goo Gai Pan

    Moo goo gai pan recipe

    The Spruce

    As fun to eat as it is to say, moo goo gai pan is a very popular dish, especially if you like mushrooms. Once you get a taste of the homemade version and realize just how simple it is, you may find yourself skipping the take-out version entirely. 

  • 15 of 18

    Sesame Chicken

    Chinese Sesame Chicken With Garlic and Chili Paste

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    Sesame chicken is another popular Chinese dish that you can easily make at home. The recipe is one of deep-fried chicken coated with a delicious sauce of soy sauce, chili, and garlic. The finishing touch is those tasty toasted white sesame seeds that make it one of a kind.

  • 16 of 18

    Soy Sauce Chicken

    Red Cooked Soy Sauce Chicken
    Sodanie Chea/Flickr/CC

    In Chinese food, "red cooking" is an interesting way to make a very tasty chicken dinner. When you want to create a beautiful and delicious whole chicken, try this soy sauce chicken recipe. It makes a juicy, fall-off-the-bone entree and the rich sauce is a mouth-watering delight.

    Continue to 17 of 18 below.
  • 17 of 18

    Sweet and Sour Chicken

    Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken
    Diana Rattray

    You may be familiar with sweet and sour chicken, but this recipe comes with an extra kick of citrus. The homemade sweet and sour sauce is simple and includes both pineapple and lemon. It's another delectable dish that proves take-out isn't better than homemade.

  • 18 of 18

    White Cut Chicken

    Chinese White Cut Chicken
    btrenkel / Getty Images

    White cut chicken is a very popular dish in Eastern China. There are many different ways to cook it and this recipe is one of the easiest. You'll be delighted at the short ingredient list and the fact that it's prepared hours before you're ready to eat.