Chop Suey – a saucy chicken stir fry loaded with tender pieces of chicken, vegetables and smothered in Chinese brown sauce just like you get at the best Chinese restaurants! Use any vegetables you want in this quick and easy stir fry.
This recipe also shares two little known Chinese restaurant secrets so you can make a stir fry that genuinely is as good as your favourite take out!
Chop Suey – Chicken Stir Fry
Chop Suey is just a slightly westernised version of a classic, basic Chinese stir fry. Because of this, there really aren’t hard and fast rules about what goes in it, but the general characteristic is that the sauce is a fairly light brown colour, there is plenty of it (and you know I love my sauce!!) and it’s pretty thick so it clings to your rice or noodles.
How to make a Chop Suey that’s REALLY restaurant quality
If you’ve ever wondered why your stir fries aren’t quite as tasty as what you get from (good) Chinese restaurants, here are the two things you’ve probably been missing:
Secret 1 – Chinese Cooking Wine
Chinese cooking wine (or Shaoxing Wine) is the secret ingredient in almost every Chinese recipe that’s used by the gallon in Chinese restaurants around the world! It adds depth and complexity of flavour into even the most simple sauces with just a small amount. Read more about it here, including why it’s so important, the difference it makes in recipes and the best substitutes.
Best substitutes for Chinese Cooking Wine – Mirin or dry sherry.
Best non alcoholic substitute for Chop Suey is to use chicken broth (liquid chicken stock) in place of water in the sauce.
Secret 2 – Tenderised Chicken
Have you noticed that the chicken in Chinese restaurants is incredibly soft and almost “velvety”? It’s because restaurants “velvet” the chicken (that’s the term that is used).
There are a few ways to do this, but I like using a simple method where the chicken is coated in a small amount of baking soda (bi-carb), left for 20 minutes to tenderise, then rinsed before cooking in the stir fry. It’s the easiest and least effort for home cooking – and 100% effect.
Velveting is optional if using chicken thighs because it’s a juicy cut. But if you are using chicken breast or tenderloins and you choose to tenderise it, you are going to be amazed how juicy and tender the chicken is.
Read more about this – Velveting: Chinese Restaurant Way to Tenderise Chicken.
What goes in Chop Suey
I’ve make Chop Suey with ingredients that are commonly used by Chinese restaurants – Asian greens (Choi Sum), bean sprouts, carrots and mushrooms. But feel free to use whatever vegetables you want!
How to make Chop Suey
Chop Suey is a 5 minute stir fry that starts off by sautéing garlic and onion before adding vegetables in the order in which they cook. Vegetables that take longer to cook go in first, and more delicate vegetables (like leafy greens) go in last.
Then the sauce is added, simmered for just a minute or two so it thickens, then served immediately over rice to soak up all that tasty sauce!
What to serve with Chop Suey
With all that tasty sauce, Chop Suey demands to be served with rice! Though if you’re looking for a low carb option, cauliflower rice is a terrific alternative.
If you’re making this as part of a larger banquet or you want to make a menu to serve 4+ people, try adding some of these other dishes to your menu:
If you’re new to this Chop Suey recipe, be prepared to be amazed how similar it really is to Chinese takeout.
“It’s just like the stir fries at Golden Century Chinese Restaurant!!”, first timers exclaim.
Or Golden Palace or Golden Pearl or Golden Wheel or Golden Unicorn or Golden Dragon.
Ahh, Chinese restaurant names, they provide much amusement. But that’s a story for another time! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Chop Suey – Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients
Optional Tenderised Chicken (Note 1):
- 180g (6oz ) chicken breast , thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp baking soda / bi-carb (optional, Note 1)
Sauce (or use Charlie, Note 2):
- 1 tbsp cornflour / corn starch
- 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce , or all purpose soy(Note 3)
- 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce (Note 4)
- 1 tbsp Chinese Cooking Wine OR Mirin (Note 5)
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil (optional)
- Dash of white pepper (or black)
- 3/4 cup (185 ml) water
Stir Fry:
- 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil (or other cooking oil)
- 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
- 1/2 onion , sliced (white, brown, yellow)
- 5 – 6 stems choy sum (or other Asian greens)
- 1 medium carrot
- 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (shiitake is authentic, but any will do)
- 1 cup bean sprouts
Instructions
“Velvet” Chicken (optional, Note 1)
- Place chicken in a bowl, sprinkle over baking soda. Use your fingers to mix then set aside for 20 minutes, no longer than 30 minutes (can get too tender). Rinse well, pat excess water with paper towels, set aside (see video).
Prep Ingredients:
- Sauce: Place cornflour and soy sauce in a bowl. Mix until lump free. Then add remaining Sauce ingredients and stir.
- Chop choy sum: Trim end off choy sum. Then cut into 7cm (3") pieces. Separate stems from leaves.
- Chop carrot – Peel then cut into 3cm (1.3") pieces. Then slice the pieces thinly.
Stir Fry:
- Heat oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Add garlic, stir quickly, then add onion, Cook for 1 minute, moving constantly, until onion is starting to wilt.
- Add chicken, cook for 1 minute until the surface changes from pink to white.
- Add choy sum stems, carrot and mushrooms. Stir fry for 1 minute.
- Add choy sum leaves, bean sprouts and Sauce. Stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes until the Sauce thickens to a thick syrup consistency. Vegetables should still be tender/crisp, not soggy and soft.
- Serve immediately with rice (for low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice!)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published November 2017, modified October 2018, and updated March 2020 with new photos and video! No change to the recipe!
More stir fry favourites!
Life of Dozer
This big furry head was just out of frame in every photo in this post…..
Charlie for Prime Minister! Either Charlie or Dozer?
Made this beauty again last night; it’s so good with cauli & broc, any veges you have in the fridge.
Even though the 4 kids have flown the coup, I still cook a heap so we have leftovers for lunch.
Amazing trick about the bi-carb to tenderize the protein, works an absolute treat.
Thanks again Nagi and take care.
😂 You crack me up Barb!!! So glad you enjoyed this one Barb!
I was initially thinking Dozer for President (having the same color hair as trump). Dozer is more personable and lovable.
Thank you so much for this recipe! If I can’t find any choy sum, how much cabbage should I substitute?
Hi Amy! I would probably use a couple of cups 🙂 Cut them into thick julienne – or bite size pieces!
The baking soda made my chicken taste so sour that I couldn’t eat it. 🙁 Is there a reason why mine did this? All the other comments here say the taste was wonderful.
you are supposed to rinse off the baking soda
Have made this dish twice now ! Absolutely Delish it’s a keeper
Going to make this tonight with shrimp (no chicken in house). Excited to try and hopefully impress my mother-in-law!
You are going to impress the pants off her! 😂
Hiii I’m going to try this out this weekend, i just wanted to check is rice vinegar the same thing as rice wine?
No, not at all.
amazing, so authentic, no leftover again
So great to hear Carol!! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x
Hey Nagi, I tried your recipe today and while my flat smelled really nice during and after cooking, I was not satisfied with the end result.
The ingredients looked all like in your video ( but no browning on the chicken ) and tasted like they should ( chicken tender, vegetables cooked but still crisp ).
But unfortunitely the sauce didn’t thicken. Maybe I just didn’t use enough corn starch by accident, maybe it turned out so watery, because my stove doesn’t provide enough heat, thus not enough evaporation ( really old steel cooking plates ).
That would explain why there was no browning on my chicken either and why every step took longer than expected.
Anyway, the recipe is not to blame for my forgetfulness or subpar equiepment.
That’s why I’m going to try again, maybe at a friends house. With the right amount of starch, I bet it will test phenomenal and have a really nice consistency.
Best from Dortmund, Flo
Hi Flo,
I had this same problem. I made dish again today & I took Nagi’s advice to you & used 1/2 a cup of water but it was still very runny (like a runny soup texture). I do love this dish & I must have a weaker stovetop so all I’m going to do next time is thicken the sauce separately & then add to the wok once I’m happy with the consistency.
I thought I’d share with you my idea, if all else fails 👍
Cathy
Hi Flo! I’m sorry to hear that, I wish I was there to troubleshoot. The sauce most definitely should thicken with the amount of cornstarch the recipe. If you know your stove is weak, try reducing the water down to 1/2 cup. This will make it thicken faster. 🙂 N xx
Can Chinese wine be substituted with rice vinegar or red wine vinegar?
This should surprise most posters here but you don’t need to use tenderizers on western chicken.You don’t need to fry it either.Cut the chicken into small bite sized(pinky first joint size)coat with corn starch and place into boiling water for 3 minutes & drain.After all the chicken is cooked ,stir fry the veggies thicken the sauce and toss it all together ,garnish with cilantro,sesame oil,salt.You will be amazed how tender the chicken is.The Chinese call this method “velvet chicken”.
Wow looks truly amazing. Glad to have discovered your page. Thanks for the informative post – tbh, quite often text on food sites is something to scroll past to get to the recipe, but not in your case – very useful and an upbeat mood.
Great with the tip on Chinese cooking wine and baking soda for chicken. Been meaning to try something to tenderize the chicken but eventually just ended up leaving it out. Whenever I make stir fry, it seems to come out decent, but just not entirely IT… Now I’m set.
P.S. Love that your dog participates in your posts. So handsome!
Hi Nagi,
I made this recipe today & it was absolutely delicious!
I do have a few questions though, my sauce for some reason didn’t thicken up. Is it meant to be a more runnier sauce? As I expected it to thicken up more I thought I did something wrong. Your insight would be appreciated.
I would also love to see a video on how to properly cut chicken (like you get at the Chinese restraunts)
If you ever can!
Thanks Nagi x
Nagi,
You made my day!!! I love this recipe. I can’t believe how great it tastes and exactly like my local chinese takeaway, if not better. I have tried to make stir fry so many times and never enjoyed it, but I will only be using your recipe in the future. Thank you for sharing all the secrets to the taste, I followed it to the letter and it was perfect. Yum, Yum, Yum.
I’m so thrilled to hear that Heather!! Glad you enjoyed it – N x
It’s GOLD, GOLD, GOLD to Nagi for this ripper!
You’re so right about the chicken being so tender and who’d think that a bit of bi-carb could do the trick. I actually think this step shouldn’t be optional; unless you give it a whirl you wouldn’t realise the difference.
This is a great recipe to clear out the veges in the fridge, just whack ’em all in.
OMG, the sauce – how good is that, absolutely nothing like takeaway. I’ve been using the Double Phoenix brand Chinese cooking wine for some time and oh yea, it really adds that extra element that you really can’t put your finger on. I also added garlic, chilli & ginger.
Thanks Nagi,……is Don, is Good!
You absolutely crack me up Barb!!!! So glad you enjoyed this – N xx
Hello Nagi,
Good Job! Chicken Stir Fry (Chop Suey) is so Yummy. Thanks for sharing this content. I want to buy this wok for survival cooking. This content helping for others. I think next time we want more interesting content from you. I am waiting for your next content.
That’s terrific to hear Kathy!! So pleased you enjoyed this – N x
I made this last night. The first one out of the Asian Takeout recipe book. OMG. I couldn’t believe how authentic and good this tasted. Definitely worth tenderising the chicken breast. It was incredible and I can’t wait to cook more of the Asian takeout dishes!
Love hearing that Leah! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed it! N xx
Hi Nagi,
This was totally delicious, and the chicken came out beautifully! I have been making basic stirfrys for many years now and my husband said this was the best one yet (!!!)
Definitely my go to recipe from now on and I will continue to tenderise chicken, and other meats where I can in my curries and stirfrys as it makes such a difference! 🙂
I love your blog and use your recipes frequently – thank you!
Kat, UK x
Nagi This was so delicious. I used veggies I had on hand & ramen noodles. Definitely another favourite to add to my list of recipes from recipetin Eats.
I love hearing that Ange!! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed it! N x
I’m going to try it this week…looks really good.
Hope you love it Debbie! N x
I have a backlog of your recipes to comment on! Did this one the other night and it was amazing, the chicken was super tender. Question? Can I use the baking soda tenderising trick on other meats too? Charlie is my standby for midweek speediness, with beef.
Can u do beef with baking soda?
You sure can, it’s just that I personally am not a fan of it 🙂 But Chinese restaurants do it!