Homestyle moo goo gai pan is loaded with juicy tender chicken and colorful vegetables, brought together with a hearty savory sauce. {Gluten-Free Adaptable}To make this dish gluten-free, use dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine, and use tamari to replace soy sauce. Make sure to use a gluten-free soy oyster sauce.
Ingredients
Marinade
1boneless skinless chicken breast (or 2 chicken thighs), about 1/2 lb / 225 g
1cupwater chestnuts, sliced and drained thoroughly
Instructions
Slice chicken against the grain into 1/4” (1/2 cm) pieces. Transfer into a medium-size bowl. Add Shaoxing wine and salt. Mix well. Add the cornstarch. Gently mix by hand to coat chicken evenly.
Combine all the sauce ingredients into a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken and spread into a single layer. Cook without touching for about 30 seconds, or until the bottom turns golden. Flip and cook for another 10 to 20 seconds, until the surface is lightly browned and the inside is still a little pink. Transfer chicken to a plate.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, garlic and green onion into the skillet. Stir a few times to release fragrance.
Add carrot and mushrooms. Cook until it starts to get tender and the liquid from the mushrooms has fully evaporated, 3 minutes or so.
Add snow peas, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts. Cook for 1 minute.
Stir the sauce again to let cornstarch dissolve completely. Pour into the pan. Add back chicken. Stir until the sauce thickens.
Transfer everything into a serving plate immediately and garnish with the green part of the green onion. Serve hot over steamed rice or by itself.
Notes
A previous version of this recipe used 1/2 cup chicken broth and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch. When updating the post, I halved both ingredients so you will have just enough sauce to coat the ingredients. That is my preferred way to cook this dish. If you like a saucier version, you can use 1/2 cup chicken broth and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch without changing the other ingredient quantities.