Rooster chop suey is a well-liked merchandise on many Chinese language restaurant menus, and for good purpose. The combination of greens, juicy hen, and savory sauce comes collectively in a method that’s satisfying and acquainted, very similar to any of the Chinese language vegetable stir fry recipes I’ve shared through the years.
One thing I actually dislike is throwing away meals, which is why I created this hen chop suey recipe as a Chinese language takeout model dish my household loves and a sensible method to filter out the fridge earlier than the subsequent grocery run. I make it in simply half-hour by marinating the hen, stir frying greens in phases, and bringing all the things along with a easy sauce constructed from hen broth, oyster sauce, and Shaoxing wine.
This recipe makes it straightforward to get extra greens on the desk, which is nice for youths too. I like how versatile it’s, with easy veggie variations I take advantage of usually and share later within the put up, and it’s cooked the identical method I make Chinese language meals at house for my household. After years of testing Chinese language recipes, that is my go-to for busy nights as a result of it additionally helps me lower your expenses. I hope you strive it, make it your personal, and share it along with your family members.
Elements
I like to recommend not being intimidated by the ingredient listing. It appears lengthy, however the whole course of may be very easy. Earlier than you begin cooking, your counter ought to have:
Rooster and Marinade
For the hen and marinade, I take advantage of hen with Shaoxing wine, salt, and cornstarch. I combine these collectively earlier than cooking so the hen is properly seasoned and prepared for the stir fry.
Sauce
For the sauce, I take advantage of hen broth, oyster sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, Shaoxing wine, and sesame oil as the bottom, with darkish soy sauce added after I desire a deeper shade. I end it with brown sugar, salt, white pepper, and cornstarch, mixing all the things collectively earlier than cooking so the sauce is able to pour straight into the pan.
Cooking and Serving
For cooking, I take advantage of peanut oil or one other impartial oil (excessive smoking level oil comparable to vegetable oil or avocado oil) to stir fry all the things within the wok. I serve the completed dish over steamed rice or cooked noodles.
Greens
For the greens and aromatics, I take advantage of onion and garlic together with celery, carrot, child corn, bamboo shoots and I end with broccoli rabe or one other leafy inexperienced.
Advisable veggies
One tip I all the time share for making hen chop suey style nearer to what you get at a restaurant is utilizing canned bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, and/or child corn. I hold these in my pantry as a result of they add nice crunch, final a very long time, and make it straightforward to drag collectively a satisfying meal utilizing elements I have already got when the craving hits.
Prepping the veggies
Slicing the greens correctly is among the most essential steps for making good hen chop suey. I reduce all the things into comparable chew dimension items so the greens cook dinner on the identical tempo, keep crisp, and don’t launch an excessive amount of water into the pan, which helps the sauce keep mild and shiny as an alternative of watery.
Celery: I slice the celery on the bias so the items are longer and simpler to choose up with chopsticks.
Carrots: I tilt my knife to slice the carrot into chunks, place each bit reduce aspect down, and slice once more to create rhombus formed items. In the event you choose softer carrots as an alternative of a crunchy texture, you possibly can slice them into strips, and a julienne peeler makes this a lot simpler.
Broccoli rabe: I take advantage of the identical method for greens with each stems and leaves, comparable to Bok choy, Chinese language broccoli, or choy sum. I slice the stems on the bias into smaller items and reduce the leaves into bigger chew dimension items so all the things cooks rapidly and stays balanced in texture.
Different greens to make use of
- Aromatics: I like utilizing inexperienced onions as an alternative of onion and ginger as an alternative of garlic after I desire a barely totally different taste base. These are straightforward adjustments I make relying on what’s in my fridge.
- Longer cook dinner veggies: I usually use sliced water chestnuts, sliced peppers, snow peas, sliced Chinese language broccoli, chopped child bok choy, or sliced mushrooms after I need greens that may deal with a bit of extra time within the pan.
- Fast cook dinner veggies: For faster cooking greens, I select blanched broccoli, inexperienced beans, spinach, bean sprouts, or chopped choy sum. I add these on the finish in order that they cook dinner quick and keep nice in texture.
Tips on how to make
1. Brown the hen: Add the marinated hen to a scorching pan with oil in a single layer and let it cook dinner till flippantly browned on the floor. Then switch the hen out of the pan so it stays tender whereas the remainder of the dish is ready.
2. Saute the onions: Add the sliced onions to the identical pan and cook dinner them whereas stirring till they soften and switch flippantly translucent, selecting up the flavour left behind from the hen.
3. Cook dinner the crunchy greens: Add the greens that want extra cooking time to the pan and stir whereas cooking till they start to melt.
4. Cook dinner the leafy greens: Add the leafy greens to the pan and cook dinner them briefly, stirring simply till they wilt and scale back in quantity.
5. Add the sauce and cook dinner till it thickens: Pour the ready sauce into the pan and stir all the things collectively whereas cooking till the sauce thickens.
6. Add the hen again to the pan: Return the cooked hen to the pan and stir till the hen is heated by way of and properly coated with the sauce. Try how I like to serve this meal beneath.
How I serve this dish
I often serve hen chop suey with steamed white rice, although boiled noodles work simply as properly. The sauce sinks into the rice and makes it straightforward to feed a household of 4, and when mates come over, I like so as to add a spicy cucumber salad or Chinese language spinach salad with peanuts. I made this just lately for a fast get along with mates, they usually completely cherished it a lot that I regretted not cooking extra after they requested for seconds. Oops!
Key Observe: One factor I all the time take note of isn’t crowding the pan after I cook dinner hen chop suey. Once I use a big 12 inch skillet or giant wok, I hold the full quantity of greens at 4 cups or much less, utilizing about 2 cups of greens that want extra time to cook dinner and as much as 3 loosely packed cups of faster cooking greens so all the things cooks correctly as an alternative of steaming.
Regularly requested questions
Why do you cook dinner the hen individually first?
I all the time cook dinner the hen first as a result of it wants totally different timing than the greens. Browning it early retains the feel tender and in addition leaves behind taste within the pan that carries by way of the onions, greens, and sauce in a while.
How do you retain the greens from getting watery?
I pay shut consideration to how a lot I add to the pan at one time and the way I reduce all the things. Cooking in batches when wanted and grouping greens by cooking time retains them crisp as an alternative of soggy.
What’s the greatest reduce of hen to make use of?
I often select hen breast or hen thigh relying on what’s in my fridge. So long as the hen is sliced skinny and marinated briefly, each cuts work very properly on this recipe.
Chinese language Cooking Made Straightforward
Are you new to this web site? This free e mail sequence is a good place to begin. I’ll stroll you thru a couple of of my hottest recipes and present you ways and why they work. You’ll rapidly begin to cook dinner higher Chinese language meals in your personal kitchen.
Once I desire a traditional Chinese language takeout model meal, I make this straightforward 30 minute Rooster Chop Suey. My recipe creates tender and juicy hen with crunchy greens in a wealthy and savory sauce that nobody can resist. I like that it helps me expend leftover greens so I can skip takeout and lower your expenses.
Stop your display screen from going darkish
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In a bowl, mix the sliced hen, Shaoxing wine, salt, and cornstarch. Combine by hand till all the things is evenly coated. Marinate when you put together the remainder of the elements.
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Mix all of the sauce elements and stir till the sugar and cornstarch are absolutely dissolved. Put aside.
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In a big non-stick or carbon metal pan warmth 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high warmth till scorching. Add the hen to the pan in a single layer and separate the items with chopsticks or a spatula. Cook dinner the hen on one aspect till it begins to brown, about 1 minute. Flip and cook dinner on the opposite aspect for one more 30 seconds, till cooked during. Switch the hen to a plate and put aside.
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Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the onion to the pan. Stir and cook dinner for 30 seconds, till the onion simply begins to brown. Add the garlic and stir fry for a couple of extra seconds to launch the aroma.
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Add the celery, carrot, child corn, and bamboo shoots. Stir fry for one more 30 seconds to cook dinner off extra moisture.
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Add the broccoli rabe (or no matter greens you’re utilizing). Cook dinner till the greens are simply wilted.
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Stir the sauce once more to redistribute the cornstarch and pour it into the pan. Add the hen again into the pan and toss to mix all the things. Cook dinner till the sauce is thickened. Switch all the things to a serving plate.
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Serve scorching over steamed rice or boiled noodles.
Ingredient Substitution Information
- You need to use many varieties of inexperienced veggies within the dish, for instance, spinach, broccoli (blanched), broccolini (blanched), kale, mustard greens, choy sum, Chinese language broccoli, and extra. See the weblog put up above on easy methods to put together the veggies.
Serving: 1serving, Energy: 285kcal, Carbohydrates: 13.1g, Protein: 25.9g, Fats: 14.2g, Saturated Fats: 3g, Ldl cholesterol: 71mg, Sodium: 791mg, Potassium: 417mg, Fiber: 1.5g, Sugar: 4.1g, Calcium: 81mg, Iron: 2mg
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