Panda Express Mushroom Chicken (Easy One Pan Recipe)

Last Updated on January 16, 2024 by Sabrina Currie

Garlic, ginger and soy flavor this velvety chicken stir fry that's made in less than 30 minutes in just one pan! Panda Express mushroom chicken (easy one pan recipe) has been on repeat in my house lately and the simple sauce works great for so many homemade stir fries. (DF, GF option)

Why I made/Love this recipe

With juicy chicken and meaty mushrooms, just 260 calories and 28 grams of protein per serving this is a really tasty and satisfying dinner that is so much healthier (and faster) than ordering Chinese takeout. Pair it up with some plain rice and this Asian mayak avocado salad or go luxe with a side of scallop fried rice.

I also love the versatile light ginger soy sauce, my version of the Panda Express signature sauce. Once you try this recipe, use the same easy sauce on all sorts of stir fry veggie and protein combinations. (For a beef version, try this broccoli beef just like Panda Express.) Fast food that's real food 😉 (See full nutritional information in the recipe card.)

Recipe Ingredients

For the homemade version, this copycat Panda Express mushroom chicken recipe uses only a few fresh ingredients that are healthy and easy to find in any local grocery store.

• Chicken - Diced boneless, skinless chicken breasts (white meat) is what I've used here but this works just as well with an equivalent amount of boneless, skinless chopped chicken thighs (the dark meat) and I make it just as often with those too.
• Oil - Plain, neutral vegetable oil is perfect for this recipe, but you can sub in canola oil, peanut oil or olive oil. There is so little oil, any mild flavored oil with a high smoking point is fine.
• Garlic - 4 garlic cloves might sound like a lot but trust me, it makes this tender chicken so fragrant and delicious. Using fresh garlic (and lots of it) really adds that gourmet flavor to this copycat version of the restaurant favorite.
• Ginger - Like the garlic, fresh ginger is key to making this recipe taste authentic. Grate it on a micro plane grater or slice it and put it through your garlic press for well minced ginger with no big spicy chunks. If you can only get dried ground ginger, used ¼ teaspoon.
• Rice - While not technically part of the recipe, to truly get the Panda experience, serve this over white rice or for a healthier dinner, cook up a pot of brown rice to serve alongside.

See recipe card for quantities.

Dairy Free + Gluten Free

This is a naturally dairy free Panda Express recipe and is gluten-free if you choose gluten free soy sauce and oyster sauce.

Substitutions + Variations

• Mushrooms - Panda uses cremini or brown mushrooms and that's what this recipe calls for but feel free to sub in plain white mushrooms or your favorite hearty mushrooms. For deeper flavor you can use sliced baby portabella mushrooms, shitake mushrooms or oyster mushrooms and in the fall, you know I'm using wild chanterelle mushrooms 😉
• Zucchini - You can swap in other summer squash like patty pans when in season or switch it up entirely by using snap peas, snow peas, or other crispy vegetables like carrots or even celery in a pinch.
• Pork - This chicken dish works great with other proteins too! Cubed pork will cook up just as juicy and tasty.
• Tofu - Tofu is delish as a protein but note it won't brown up as much as chicken or pork and I find it easier to cook in a large nonstick pan instead of the heavier cast iron pan used with the meat.
• Low-Sodium - To start, this recipe IS lower in sodium than the chain restaurant version. While it appears higher at first glance, you get a serving that is almost twice the size with more than double the protein. If you need to reduce your salt intake, you can sub in low sodium soy sauce. Just know it will be a little less salty than the true Panda Express version.
• Chef It Up - A few drops of sesame oil drizzled over the finished dish or freshly toasted sesame seeds sprinkled on at the end add that extra, fragrant oomph that will take your dish from yum to WOW.

Step-by-Step Instructions

This Asian chicken stir fry with mushrooms and zucchini is really easy. The key is to start by browning your chicken. Once cooked, remove the chicken and cook the veggies separately (in the same pan) so the chicken doesn't overcook. Then the savory sauce ingredients are added right to the same pan! Chicken goes back in and the sauce thickens, glazing the veg and chicken to mouth-watering deliciousness!

Step 1. Add corn starch to cubed chicken in a medium or large bowl.

Step 2. Toss the chicken and corn starch together to coat the chicken evenly.

Step 3. Heat oil over medium heat in a large heavy bottomed pan. Once hot, add the chicken. Fry until you get a golden brown sear on first side (approx. 2-3 minutes) before flipping.

Step 4. Cook until the opposite side is golden and continue to cook just until chicken is cooked through. Approximately 5 minutes. Remove cooked chicken to a bowl.

Step 5. Add remaining oil to the pan. Once hot, add in sliced mushrooms and zucchini.

Step 6. Fry until veggies are softened. Add minced garlic and ginger and fry for one more minute.

Step 7. Add in soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, oyster sauce, and brown sugar. Stir until combined and veggies are coated in sauce.

Step 8. Add the cooked chicken back to the pan and bring it up to a simmer until the sauce has thickened a little and coated everything well. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion and toss before serving.

Serve this velvety mushroom chicken stir fry over rice with an extra sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, chopped scallions (green onions) and slivered red chilis for the true Panda Express mushroom chicken copycat recipe. To change it up slightly, it is delicious served with chow mein noodles or extra stir fried veggies too.

Leftovers

Leftover Panda Express mushroom chicken makes a great packed lunch the next day. Or toss it with cooked chow mein noodles for an easy dinner the next night! It will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.

Expert Tip

Use a heavy bottomed pan to get golden brown color on your chicken. I like using a cast iron frying pan for this because the heavy bottom holds the heat, making sure the chicken browns. A light weight pan loses heat quickly once ingredients hit and can result in your chicken steaming instead of frying.

Related Recipes

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If you have any questions or comments, you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. I try to answer any recipe related questions quickly as I know you might be in the middle of making it.

Also check out my FREE PRINTABLE meal planner to make menu planning and grocery shopping a breeze and my shopping guide. And if you like this recipe, I would love it if you give it a star rating in the recipe card.

Cheers and happy cooking, Friends! Sabrina

📖 Recipe

Panda Express Mushroom Chicken (Easy One Pan Recipe)

With just a few simple ingredients and 30 minutes or less, this restaurant-style mushroom chicken is on the table! A delicious, family-favorite dinner. Naturally dairy-free and easily made gf if you use gluten free soy sauce and oyster sauce.

4.50 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: Asian Mushroom Chicken, Copycat Recipe, Panda Express Mushroom Chicken

Prep Time: 8 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 259kcal

Author: Sabrina Currie

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb Chicken breasts, boneless skinless sliced into 1 inch cubes
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons Vegetable oil divided
• ▢ 2 cups Zucchini sliced
• ▢ 2 cups Cremini mushrooms, aka brown mushrooms sliced
• ▢ 4 cloves Garlic minced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Fresh ginger grated, or ¼ teaspoon dried ginger
• ▢ ¼ cup Soy sauce
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Rice vinegar
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Oyster sauce
• ▢ 2 teaspoon Brown sugar
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Sesame seeds
• ▢ 2-3 tablespoon Green onions sliced
• ▢ Rice for serving

Instructions

• Toss chicken with cornstarch until chicken is fully coated.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot enough to sizzle when a drop of water hits it, add chicken. Sauté chicken for about 2 minutes, until brown on one side, stir, and continue cooking until chicken is cooked through approximately 4-5 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
• Leave the pan on medium heat and add the second tablespoon of oil, sliced zucchini and mushrooms. Stir-fry until they are just beginning to become tender and soft.
• Add garlic and ginger, and stir fry another 60 seconds.
• Next, add soy sauce, vinegar, oyster sauce, and brown sugar, and stir until sauce is combined.
• Add chicken back to pan, and stir to coat chicken with sauce. Bring to a simmer and stir fry until sauce thickens slightly. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds and toss to combine.
• Serve with rice or noodles and extra green onions and sesame seeds for garnish.

Notes

This is an easy, one pan meal. An equivalent amount of chopped chicken thighs can be swapped for the chicken breast if you prefer.

Nutrition

Calories: 259kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1073mg | Potassium: 777mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 162IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2mg

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