Description
Panda Express Mushroom Chicken is a flavorful stir-fry dish combining tender chicken breast slices with sautéed mushrooms and zucchini in a deliciously savory brown sauce. This quick and easy recipe captures the essence of the popular restaurant favorite, perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into 1/4 inch slices)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Sauce
- 1/4 cup unsalted chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar (packed)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 8 ounces white mushrooms (thinly sliced)
- 2 cups medium sliced zucchini
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
Garnish (Optional)
- Sesame seeds
- Thinly sliced scallions
Instructions
- Marinate Chicken: Place the sliced chicken in a medium-sized bowl. Add the soy sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder, tossing to combine. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the chicken and stir thoroughly to coat. Set aside to marinate briefly.
- Prepare Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken stock, brown sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice wine vinegar, and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
- Cook Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken slices in a single layer. Let them sear undisturbed for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then toss and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and lightly browned. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Sauté Mushrooms: Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan, then add the sliced mushrooms. Stir constantly for about 2 minutes until they start to soften. Transfer mushrooms to the plate with the chicken.
- Sauté Zucchini: Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, then the zucchini slices. Stir constantly and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until tender-crisp. Transfer zucchini to the plate with chicken and mushrooms.
- Cook Aromatics and Sauce: Add the minced ginger and garlic to the pan and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the prepared sauce and stir to combine. As the sauce begins to bubble, return the chicken, mushrooms, and zucchini to the pan, stirring to coat evenly.
- Simmer and Serve: Let the mixture simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until heated through and the sauce thickens to a glaze. Serve immediately garnished with sesame seeds and thinly sliced scallions if desired.
Notes
- For extra heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes when cooking the aromatics.
- Substitute oyster sauce with vegetarian mushroom sauce to make it vegetarian friendly.
- Serve with steamed jasmine rice or noodles for a complete meal.
- Use fresh ginger for the best flavor, but ground ginger can be used as a substitute (about 1/2 teaspoon).
- Make sure to slice chicken thinly for quicker cooking and better texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese-American
