Chinese takeout is great, but cooking Chinese food at home is a completely different experience. The flavors are fresher, you control the oil and salt, and most stir-fries take less time than it would take for delivery to arrive.
The secret to good Chinese home cooking is high heat and fast movement. Get your pan or wok as hot as possible, have all your ingredients prepped and within arm's reach, and cook in batches if needed. Most stir-fries take three to five minutes of actual cooking time.
These recipes cover a range of classic Chinese dishes, from the spicy heat of Kung Pao chicken to the delicate simplicity of steamed fish. Most of them use ingredients you can find at any grocery store, though a trip to an Asian market will level things up if you have one nearby.
| Meal | Cook Time | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Kung Pao Chicken | 30 min | Medium |
| Cashew Chicken | 25 min | Medium |
| Chicken And Broccoli | 25 min | Medium |
| Black Pepper Chicken | 25 min | Medium |
| Chicken With Snow Peas | 18 min | Easy |
| Beef And Broccoli | 30 min | Medium |
| Steamed Fish With Ginger | 18 min | Easy |
| Tomato Egg Rice | 20 min | Easy |
8 Chinese Dishes to Try at Home
1. Kung Pao Chicken
Diced chicken stir-fried with peanuts, dried chilies, and Sichuan peppercorns in a tangy, slightly sweet sauce. The tingly heat is addictive.
2. Cashew Chicken
Tender chicken pieces tossed with roasted cashews and vegetables in a savory brown sauce. A takeout classic done better at home.
3. Chicken And Broccoli
The weeknight stir-fry everyone needs in their rotation — chicken and broccoli in a simple garlic-ginger sauce over rice.
4. Black Pepper Chicken
Bold, peppery, and quick — chicken stir-fried with onions and celery in a cracked black pepper sauce.
5. Chicken With Snow Peas
A light, clean stir-fry with crisp snow peas and chicken in a ginger-soy sauce. Done before the rice cooker finishes.
6. Beef And Broccoli
Velveted beef slices and crisp-tender broccoli in a glossy oyster sauce. The key is slicing the beef thin against the grain.
7. Steamed Fish With Ginger
A whole fish or fillet steamed until silky, then hit with hot oil, ginger, scallions, and soy sauce. Elegant and surprisingly easy.
8. Tomato Egg Rice
Scrambled eggs and tomatoes stir-fried into a saucy, slightly sweet topping for rice. Chinese comfort food at its simplest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a wok to cook Chinese food at home?
A wok is nice to have but not required. A large, heavy skillet works for every recipe on this list. The most important thing is getting the pan very hot before adding oil and ingredients. That high heat is what gives stir-fries their flavor.
What is velveting and should I bother with it?
Velveting means coating sliced meat in a mixture of cornstarch, egg white, and a splash of oil before cooking. It keeps the meat incredibly tender. It adds five minutes of prep but makes a huge difference, especially for beef stir-fries.
Can MealBuddy suggest Chinese dishes based on my ingredients?
MealBuddy has 59 Chinese recipes. Add your ingredients — if you have chicken, broccoli, and soy sauce, it might suggest chicken and broccoli stir-fry or cashew chicken, depending on what else you have available.