Chicken Stir Fry Chop Suey

Chicken Stir Fry Chop Suey is one of those weeknight dinners that feels like a reward. I still remember the first time I made a proper chop suey right here in my Midwest kitchen, and the smell that drifted through the house reminded me so much of our favorite little Chinese restaurant downtown that my youngest came running in from the backyard asking if we were getting takeout.

It was a Sunday afternoon, and I had a little extra time after the grandkids had gone home. My kitchen counter was covered with carrots, bean sprouts, and a bottle of Shaoxing wine my neighbor had gifted me from her last trip to the Asian grocery store. The sauce that came together that afternoon was thick, savory, and clung to every bite of tender chicken and crisp vegetables in a way that homemade stir fry honestly never had before. Once you learn the two little secrets every Chinese restaurant uses, you will never look at a takeout menu the same way again. Your kitchen is about to smell incredible.

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Why This Chicken Stir Fry Chop Suey Belongs in Your Recipe Box

Betty’s cooking philosophy has always been simple: use good technique, quality everyday ingredients, and never overcomplicate things. This chop suey recipe checks every single one of those boxes. Whether you are feeding a hungry family on a Tuesday night or adding a new dish to your regular rotation, this one delivers every time.

• Ready in just 14 minutes, with 9 minutes of prep and 5 minutes at the stove
• Uses two authentic Chinese restaurant techniques for real, deep flavor
• Veggie-loaded and completely adaptable to whatever is sitting in your fridge
• Light on calories at just 298 per serving, and naturally gluten-free with the right swaps
• No fancy equipment and no hard-to-find ingredients required
• That gorgeous brown sauce clings beautifully to rice or noodles

I have been cooking this style of stir fry for years, and I can say it honestly rivals most restaurant versions I have tried, because I know exactly what goes in it.

Key Players in This Chop Suey Recipe

Understanding what each ingredient does is the difference between a good stir fry and a great one. Here is a closer look at what goes into this chicken stir fry chop suey and why every element matters.

Chicken Breast: I always choose boneless, skinless chicken breast sliced paper-thin against the grain. This gives you the maximum surface area for that beautiful sauce to cling to, and it cooks through in under a minute at high heat.

Baking Soda (for Velveting): This is Chinese restaurant Secret Number 1. A small pinch sprinkled over the chicken and left for 20 minutes transforms the texture completely. The result is silky, tender chicken that genuinely rivals any takeout you have tried. This step is optional, but once you try it, you will not skip it again.

Chinese Cooking Wine (Shaoxing Wine): This is Secret Number 2, and the single ingredient that makes the sauce taste restaurant-quality. In my kitchen, I prefer Shaoxing wine, but Mirin or dry sherry work well as substitutes if you cannot find it.

Light Soy Sauce: Light soy keeps the sauce a clear, appetizing golden-brown color. If you use dark soy sauce, reduce to 1 tablespoon as it will darken the sauce significantly and make the flavor more intense.

Oyster Sauce: This adds a rich, slightly sweet umami depth to the brown sauce that you simply cannot replicate any other way. Vegetarian oyster sauce works perfectly if you need a shellfish-free version.

Cornstarch: Mixed directly into the sauce before cooking, cornstarch is what creates that gorgeous glossy, syrup-like consistency that clings to every bite rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl.

Vegetables (Choy Sum, Carrot, Mushrooms, Bean Sprouts): I always choose a mix of textures. The crunch of carrots and bean sprouts alongside the tender greens creates the kind of contrast that makes every forkful interesting. Use whatever you have on hand, this recipe is completely forgiving.

How to Make Chicken Stir Fry Chop Suey

Betty always says the secret to a great stir fry is having everything ready before the wok gets hot, because once you start, things move fast. This is the method I have used and refined over many years of making this dish for my family.

Step 1. Velvet the Chicken (Optional but Recommended) Place the sliced chicken breast into a bowl, sprinkle over the baking soda, and use your fingers to toss until every piece is coated. Set aside for exactly 20 minutes. Do not go longer than 30 minutes or the texture will turn too soft. Rinse thoroughly under cold water and pat completely dry with paper towels before cooking.

Step 2. Mix the Sauce In a medium bowl, whisk the cornstarch and light soy sauce together first until there are no lumps at all. This step matters because undissolved cornstarch will leave lumps in the finished sauce. Add the oyster sauce, Chinese Cooking Wine, sesame oil, white pepper, and water, then stir everything together and set the bowl aside within reach of the stove.

Step 3. Prep the Vegetables Trim the choy sum and cut into 3-inch pieces, keeping the stems separate from the leaves since they cook at different rates. Peel the carrot and slice it thinly so it cooks quickly in the short stir fry time. Have everything measured and ready before you turn on the heat.

Step 4. Build the Stir Fry Base Heat your wok or skillet over the highest heat your stove can manage. Add the vegetable oil, then add the garlic and stir for a few seconds before adding the onion. Keep everything moving for about 1 minute until the onion just starts to wilt at the edges.

Step 5. Cook the Chicken Add the velveted chicken to the wok in a single layer if possible. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the surface changes from pink to white. Do not fully cook it through at this stage, it will finish cooking in the sauce.

Step 6. Add the Harder Vegetables Add the choy sum stems, sliced carrot, and mushrooms to the wok. Stir fry for 1 minute, keeping everything moving. Harder vegetables go in first, delicate ones go in last. This simple rule is what keeps vegetables tender-crisp rather than soggy.

Step 7. Sauce and Finish Add the choy sum leaves and bean sprouts, then pour the sauce over everything. Stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes, watching as the sauce thickens into a glossy coating. You are looking for a consistency like a light syrup, thick enough to cling to the chicken and vegetables without being gloopy. Serve the moment it leaves the wok.

Step 8. Serve Immediately Spoon generously over steamed white rice or cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option. If you love making Chinese-style stir fry at home, this Easy Chinese Beef and Broccoli uses the same technique and is just as quick on a weeknight.

Making the Most of Leftovers

I typically store leftover chop suey in a tight-sealing glass container in the refrigerator, where it keeps well for up to 3 days. The sauce soaks into the vegetables overnight and the flavor actually deepens, so day-two lunch is something I genuinely look forward to.

I do not recommend freezing this particular recipe. The delicate leafy greens lose their texture completely once frozen and thawed, and the bean sprouts become watery. If you want to meal prep ahead, prepare the sauce and velvet the chicken in advance, then stir fry fresh when you are ready to eat.

For reheating, the best approach is a skillet over medium heat with a small splash of water or chicken broth to loosen the sauce back up. Give it two or three minutes, stirring gently, and it comes close to fresh. The microwave works in a pinch. Cover loosely and reheat in 90-second intervals, stirring between each one to prevent hot spots.

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What to Serve with Chicken Stir Fry Chop Suey

This saucy chicken stir fry is a complete meal on its own, but if you are building a full spread, here are some pairings that work beautifully alongside it.

• Steamed jasmine or brown rice, the classic choice that soaks up every drop of that gorgeous brown sauce
• Egg Fried Rice for a richer, more indulgent side when you want something extra
• Cauliflower rice for a fantastic low-carb option that keeps things light without sacrificing satisfaction
• Easy Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry as a second stir fry dish if you are feeding a crowd or want variety on the table
• Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli for a heartier protein option to serve alongside the chop suey at a family-style dinner
• Savory Onion Beef Fried Rice for a restaurant-quality rice dish that pairs perfectly with the chop suey sauce

FAQs

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Chop Suey – Chicken Stir Fry

A saucy chicken stir fry loaded with tender chicken and vegetables smothered in Chinese brown sauce. Ready in 14 minutes using two Chinese restaurant secrets for authentic takeout flavor at home.

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Prep Time 9 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 14 minutes mins

Servings: 2 portions

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American Chinese

Calories: 298

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 6 oz chicken breast thinly sliced
• 0.5 tsp baking soda optional, for velveting
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1.5 tbsp light soy sauce or all-purpose soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce use vegetarian oyster sauce for shellfish-free version
• 1 tbsp Chinese Cooking Wine (Shaoxing Wine) or Mirin or dry sherry
• 0.5 tsp sesame oil optional
• 1 dash white pepper or black pepper
• 0.75 cup water replace with chicken broth for non-alcoholic version
• 1.5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 0.5 onion sliced, white brown or yellow
• 5 stems choy sum or other Asian greens, stems and leaves separated
• 1 medium carrot peeled and thinly sliced
• 0.5 cup mushrooms sliced, shiitake preferred but any variety works
• 1 cup bean sprouts

Equipment

• Wok or large skillet
• Large mixing bowl

Method

 

1. Optional velveting: Place sliced chicken in a bowl, sprinkle over baking soda, and toss with fingers to coat. Set aside for 20 minutes. Do not exceed 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly under cold water and pat completely dry with paper towels.
2. Make the sauce: Whisk cornstarch and light soy sauce together in a bowl until completely lump-free. Add oyster sauce, Chinese Cooking Wine, sesame oil, white pepper, and water. Stir to combine and set aside.
3. Prep vegetables: Trim choy sum and cut into 3-inch pieces, separating stems from leaves. Peel carrot and slice thinly.
4. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and stir quickly for a few seconds, then add onion. Cook for 1 minute, moving constantly, until onion starts to wilt.
5. Add chicken and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the surface changes from pink to white. Do not fully cook through at this stage.
6. Add choy sum stems, sliced carrot, and mushrooms. Stir fry for 1 minute, keeping everything moving.
7. Add choy sum leaves, bean sprouts, and pour the sauce over everything. Stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens to a syrup-like consistency and clings to the ingredients. Vegetables should remain tender-crisp.
8. Serve immediately over steamed white rice or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.

Notes

Do not velvet chicken longer than 30 minutes or texture becomes too soft. Shaoxing wine is key for authentic flavor. Best substitutes are dry sherry or Mirin. For non-alcoholic, replace water with chicken broth. Serve immediately as sauce thickens more as it sits. Not recommended for freezing due to delicate vegetables.