Moo goo gai pan literally means “sliced chicken with mushrooms.” As with other Chinese dishes, there are tons of different versions of this delicious recipe. Most of them use fresh button mushrooms and include other vegetables such as snow peas, bamboo, and even water chestnuts. In the recipe below I decided to use sliced mushrooms instead of the traditional whole small button mushrooms. The sliced mushrooms complement the thinly sliced chicken and give this dish a wonderful uniform texture.

This recipe also calls for the chicken to be velveted. The process of velveting the chicken gives it a silky smooth feel when it hits the tongue. To learn more about velveting click here. To watch a video on how to velvet chicken using the frying method click here. I also added snow peas and bamboo for even more flavor and texture. Feel free to experiment and add any other vegetables that you may love. Let me know what you think of this delicious moo goo gai pan. Enjoy!

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Marinade:
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp sherry
1 egg white
1 ½ tbsp cornstarch
½ tbsp peanut oil

2 green onions
8oz pkg sliced white mushrooms
6oz pkg frozen snow peas
8oz can sliced bamboo
2 tbsp peanut oil
¼ tsp garlic salt
½ cup chicken broth
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp cornstarch

1. Remove all of the fat from the chicken and cut it into thin 1 ½ inch slices. Place these slices in a bowl to be marinated.


2. The marinade works best when applied in the following steps. First sprinkle on the salt, then add the sherry and stir through.


3. Next add the egg white and gently stir to coat each piece. Be careful not to “froth” the egg, it will make the chicken hard when it is cooked.


4. Sprinkle on the cornstarch, coating each piece. Then add the oil, stir, and let it marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.


5. While the chicken marinates, prepare the other vegetables. First rinse the green onions under cold water, cut off the ends and about 1 inch off of the top. Then dice them and set them aside.


6. Next rinse the mushrooms under cold running water, and gently rub them with your hands to remove the dirt. Place them on a paper towel to dry.


7. Then microwave the snow peas for about 3 minutes or just until warm. Remember, we don’t want to overcook these.


8. Open and drain the can of bamboo and set it aside.


9. Once the chicken has marinated, bring a pot of water with just one tablespoon of the peanut oil to boil. When it boils add the chicken and stir for 1 minute. This process is called velveting. The marinade and the boiling create a protective coating around the chicken so that it comes out tender, smooth, and velvety!


10. Remove the chicken from the water with a slotted spoon. Some of the egg may come off and float to the top. Make sure to not get this in with your chicken. Set the chicken aside.


11. In a non stick pot or wok, heat the remaining tablespoon of peanut oil on high. Add the mushrooms and garlic salt and stir fry for 2 minutes, or just until soft. Keep in mind that the mushrooms should just be soft and opaque and not browned in this dish.


12. Add the bamboo, chicken, snow peas, and green onion and stir fry for 1 minute.


13. In a separate cup mix together the chicken broth and oyster sauce, then add it to the pot. Bring to a boil.


14. Mix the cornstarch with a little water to dissolve. Once the chicken boils, add the cornstarch mixture and stir until thick.


15. Serve with white rice. Makes three generous servings.