This easy stovetop Cantonese Chicken features soy sauce and a variety of veggies to deliver a savory and nutritious, Asian inspired family dinner. Using precooked chicken and a few canned ingredients is a huge timesaver, allowing this tasty dish to cook in just 30 minutes. Serve it over low mein noodles or rice, and top it with crunchy chow mein noodles to make this meal 100% kid approved!
Love Chinese food, but not the price of takeout?
While definitely more subtle in taste than restaurant cuisine (but also better for you), this Cantonese chicken dish checks off all the boxes for an easy homemade alternative.
The rich soy sauce base holds a variety of flavors and textures, and is loaded with veggies. From crispy water chestnuts, tender baby corn (a family favorite), and canned mushrooms, to soft boiled onions, celery, and sweet red peppers, this dish is packed full of vitamins and flavor.
But the best part is, when you use precooked chicken, this recipe simmers to perfection in just a half hour, making it ready to be served at your dinner table a lot faster than any delivery you could hope for.
This tasty dish was inspired by my Chow Mein Beefy Rice Casserole, and pairs well with Classic Lemon Squares for dessert.
Jump to:
🤔What is Cantonese chicken?
Cantonese chicken is a mild and savory dish that focuses on natural flavors rather than heavy spices or heat. It typically features tender chicken and crisp vegetables tossed in a light, soy-based sauce for a wholesome and authentic meal.
🥘Ingredients
- celery- adds great flavor to this dish
- onion (not pictured)- I often use Vidalia, but for a milder onion taste, use green onions
- red pepper- provides a sweet, colorful accent
- low sodium chicken broth- we boil the above in broth for added flavor
- sliced water chestnuts- they don't have much taste, but they do have a ton of crunch
- canned baby corn- slice these lengthwise for easier eating; find them in the ethnic section of your store
- canned, sliced mushrooms (not pictured)- offer a subtle mushroom flavor to this dish
- soy sauce- the main, savory ingredient; you can use low sodium sauce to cut down on salt, but the dish won't be as flavorful
- cornstarch- a little is needed to thicken the sauce
- precooked chicken- shredded or cut into strips; I prefer boneless, skinless leftover chicken breast
- cooked rice or low mein noodles (not pictured)
- chow mein noodles (not pictured)- for a crunchy, fun topping
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪Instructions
- Step 1: Combine boiled celery, onions and peppers with water chestnuts, corn, mushrooms and sauce.
- Step 2: Add precooked chicken.
- Step 3: Heat thoroughly.
- Step 4: Stir before serving and serve over rice or noodles.
Hint: To save time, it's helpful to cook the rice or low mein noodles in a separate pot while you prepare the chicken dish.
📖Variations
- Spicy - add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the sauce; optional to also add a chopped jalapeño to the boiled ingredients
- More authentic - add 1 T. oyster sauce, 1 T. rice wine vinegar, and 1 extra T. of cornstarch and water; also add 2 T. freshly grated ginger and two minced garlic cloves when you add the canned vegetables; optional to use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast
- Vegetarian - omit the chicken, replace it with tofu; make sure you are using a soy sauce that's derived from soy beans and other plant-based ingredients (Kikkoman is a safe brand to use)
For other easy ways to use up leftover chicken, see my post Easy Leftover Chicken Recipes That You Don't Want to Miss.
🍽Equipment
- large pot or saucepan with lid (for veggies and chicken mixture)
- large pot with lid (for rice or noodles)
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- serrated knife
- measuring cup
- can opener
- small bowl (for dissolving cornstarch)
🍶Storage
Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 4 days. Reheat leftovers over the stove or in the microwave.
You can also freeze Cantonese Chicken (minus the rice and noodles) in freezer safe packaging for up to 3 months.
💭Top tip
In order to prevent unwanted clumps in the sauce, the cornstarch needs to be dissolved in cold water before being added to the hot ingredients in the pot. If you skip this step, the cornstarch will start to thicken immediately after being added, resulting in a lumpy mixture that will form little gelatinous balls.
🗨️FAQ
If we're talking about the American form of sweet and sour chicken compared to this recipe, there are some differences. Typically, American-style sweet and sour recipes use pineapple and ketchup to sweeten the sauce. While both dishes use soy sauce, there's more of a contrast in flavor in sweet and sour dishes.
Cantonese cuisine is famous for being mild and focusing on natural flavors rather than heavy spices. While it can have a light sweetness from ingredients like sugar, honey, or oyster sauce, it is generally savory and fresh.
Szechuan chicken is known for bold, spicy, and numbing flavors from chili and Sichuan peppercorns. In contrast, Cantonese chicken is more refined and subtle, prioritizing the quality of the ingredients themselves over overpowering seasonings.
Yes! While traditional recipes often favor bone-in chicken or thighs for juiciness, many modern and westernized Cantonese chicken recipes (like this one) are adapted for boneless, skinless chicken breast for convenience.
🥄Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
🍴Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Cantonese Chicken:
📋Recipe
Cantonese Chicken
Equipment
- large saucepan or pot with lid (for veggies and chicken mixture)
- large pot with lid (for rice or noodles)
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- serrated knife
- measuring cup
- can opener
- small bowl (for dissolving cornstarch)
Ingredients
- 3 cups celery thinly sliced
- 2 cups white onion sliced
- 2 cups red bell pepper (about 2 medium) cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 quart (4 cups) low sodium chicken broth
- 1 small can sliced water chestnuts drained
- 1 small can baby corn drained
- 1 small can sliced mushrooms drained
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 3 cups precooked chicken shredded or cut into bite sized pieces
- 6 cups cooked rice or low mein noodles
- chow mein noodles (for topping) I like La Choy
Instructions
- In a large cooking pot, parboil the celery, onion and red pepper in the chicken broth for 5 minutes. Do not drain.
- While the above is boiling, prepare another pot to cook the rice or noodles (this starch will cook separately while you prepare the rest of this recipe).
- Add the water chestnuts, baby corn, mushrooms and soy sauce to the large vegetable pot; stir and cook for 5 minutes over low to medium heat.
- While the canned vegetables and soy sauce heat, dissolve the cornstarch in ¼ cup of cold water. Stir until smooth, then add to the vegetable mixture. Cook over medium heat for an additional 10 minutes.
- Add the chicken and heat thoroughly (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally.
- Serve over cooked rice or noodles. Top with crunchy chow mein noodles.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container. Keep refrigerated for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional information is provided by a third party service and is intended for guidance purposes only. KitchenReadyBetty.com makes no claims to its accuracy.
Steph D. says
My kids really liked this recipe. The sauce is really good.
Kitchen Ready Betty says
It's a subtle sauce with just the right hint of flavor. So glad you enjoyed this easy recipe.