As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Chicken Chop Suey and Crunchy Vegetables with Oyster Sauce
Water chestnuts might just be the best part of this dinner. Chicken Chop Suey and Crunchy Vegetables gives every forkful a satisfying crunch. Do you agree?
Additional Information
- Why use bicarbonate of soda on the chicken? It helps tenderize lean chicken fillets. Rinse the chicken thoroughly after 10 minutes and pat it dry before adding the marinade to prevent any bicarbonate taste.
- Can I skip the marinating time? You can, but 10 to 15 minutes gives the chicken better flavour and helps the corn flour coating cling to each piece.
- Why are the vegetables cooked separately? The vegetables cook at different speeds. Stir-frying them in batches keeps the peppers, sprouts, cabbage and water chestnuts crisp instead of overcooking the quicker vegetables.
- Can I use regular cabbage instead of Napa cabbage? Yes. Regular green cabbage works well but is firmer, so give it an extra minute or two in the wok if needed. Savoy cabbage is another good option.
- What if my sauce is too thick? Add 1 TB water at a time and toss until the sauce loosens. Corn flour thickens quickly, so add the water gradually.
- What if my sauce is too thin? Mix 1/2 tsp corn flour with 1 TB cold water, stir it into the wok and cook for another 30 to 60 seconds until the sauce thickens.
- Can this be frozen? Yes. Cool the cooked dish completely, portion it into airtight freezer containers and freeze for up to 2 months. The chicken will hold up well, but the cabbage and bean sprouts will soften after freezing and reheating.
- How long can it be stored and how? Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat thoroughly in a hot wok or frying pan, taking care not to overcook the vegetables.
- Can I substitute the chicken? Thinly sliced turkey, pork or beef can be used. For a vegetarian option, use firm tofu or extra vegetables and replace the oyster sauce with vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce.
- Can I change the vegetables? Absolutely. Broccoli, snow peas, mushrooms, celery, baby corn and bok choy all work well. Add firmer vegetables earlier and more delicate vegetables towards the end.
- Can I make it less salty? Yes. Start with less added salt because both soya sauce and oyster sauce are already salty. Taste at the end and add more seasoning only if needed.
- Can I make it spicy? Yes. Add sliced fresh chili, chili flakes or a little chili sauce when cooking the garlic and ginger. Adjust the amount to suit your preferred level of heat
Why You Will Love and Enjoy this Chicken Chop Suey and Crunchy Vegetables
- Fast and satisfying: Tender chicken and crisp vegetables come together in a savoury oyster sauce without a complicated cooking process.
- Plenty of crunch: Water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and bean sprouts give this stir fry loads of texture in every bite.
- Easy to customize: Swap the vegetables, adjust the heat or change the protein to make Wok Tossed Chicken and Crunchy Vegetables your own.
Tossed Chicken Chop Suey and Crunchy Vegetables
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 portions depending on size 1x
- Category: Dinner Recipes
- Method: Easy Cooking
- Cuisine: Chinese
Description
Tender chicken, crisp vegetables, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots come together in a savoury sauce that’s quick enough for a weeknight. Keep the vegetables slightly crisp so you get plenty of texture in every bite.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 1.1 lb – 500 g chicken fillet, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp salt
- Pinch of white pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 TB oil
- 1 TB soya sauce
- 2 tsp corn flour
- 1 TB water
Vegetables and Sauce
- 1/4 cabbage, preferably Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 large carrot, julienned
- 1 onion, halved, quartered and separated into pieces
- 1/2 red pepper, cut into chunks
- 1/2 yellow pepper, cut into chunks
- 1/2 green pepper, cut into chunks
- 2/3 cup (100 g) water chestnuts, cut into fine matchsticks
- 2/3 cup (100 g) bamboo shoots, cut into fine matchsticks
- 2 cups (200 g) bean sprouts
- 1 tsp garlic and ginger paste
- 1 TB oyster sauce
- 1 tsp corn flour
- 2 TB water
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 to 3 spring onions, chopped
- 2 to 3 TB neutral cooking oil, as needed
- Salt, as needed
Instructions
- Thinly slice 500 g chicken fillet against the grain and place it in a bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda, toss well to coat, and leave for 10 minutes. Rinse the chicken thoroughly under cold water, then pat it really dry with paper towels. This little extra step helps keep the chicken tender without leaving a bicarbonate taste.
- Add 1 tsp salt, a pinch of white pepper, 1 tsp sugar, 1 TB oil, 1 TB soya sauce, 2 tsp corn flour and 1 TB water to the chicken. Mix well until every piece is lightly coated. Leave it to marinate while you prepare the vegetables.
- Slice 1/4 cabbage into strips and julienne 1 large carrot. Cut 1 onion into halves, then quarters, and separate the pieces. Cut 1/2 red pepper, 1/2 yellow pepper and 1/2 green pepper into chunks. Slice 100 g water chestnuts and 100 g bamboo shoots into fine matchsticks.
- Heat a little of the 2 to 3 TB neutral cooking oil in a wok over medium high heat. Add the onion with a small pinch of salt and stir fry for about 1 minute.
- Add 1/2 red pepper, 1/2 yellow pepper and 1/2 green pepper and stir fry for 2 minutes. Transfer the onions and peppers to a bowl. Don’t cook them until soft or you’ll lose that lovely crunch.
- Add another small splash of the cooking oil to the wok, then add 100 g water chestnuts and 100 g bamboo shoots with a small pinch of salt. Stir fry for 1 minute, then remove them and add them to the cooked vegetables.
- Add another little splash of oil if the wok looks dry. Add 200 g bean sprouts and stir fry for 1 minute. Transfer them to the bowl with the other vegetables.
- Add the remaining cooking oil to the wok, then add 1/4 cabbage and 1 large carrot. Sprinkle 1 to 2 TB water around the edge of the wok to create a little steam. Add a small pinch of salt and stir fry for about 2 minutes, keeping the vegetables crisp. Remove them from the wok.
- Give the wok a minute to get properly hot again, then add the marinated chicken. Spread it out as much as you can and resist the urge to constantly stir it. Turn the pieces as they start changing colour, then stir fry until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the centre.
- Push the chicken to one side of the wok. Add 1 tsp garlic and ginger paste to the open space and stir fry for about 1 minute until fragrant. Mix it through the chicken.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1 TB oyster sauce, 1 tsp corn flour and 2 TB water until smooth. Make a well in the centre of the chicken and pour in the sauce. Let it bubble for about 30 seconds, stirring gently, until it thickens slightly.
- Return all the cooked vegetables to the wok and toss everything together until the chicken and vegetables are evenly coated in the sauce. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, just until everything is hot. Don’t keep cooking it or those crisp vegetables will turn limp.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Melanie
Recipe Card powered by
Chop Suey and crunchy vegetables bring plenty of crunch to dinner. Water chestnuts and bamboo shoots make every bite more interesting. What would you add?
Chicken Chop Suey and Crunchy Vegetables delivers tender chicken, crisp vegetables, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots in a savoury oyster sauce. It’s quick, colourful and full of contrasting textures, making it an easy choice when a satisfying chicken dinner is wanted without a lot of fuss.
Thanks for stopping by to check out the recipes and what’s on offer.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Please leave a rating, share your thoughts in the comments, and tag me on Instagram at @_esmesalon. I absolutely love seeing your creations, and yes, those mouthwatering food photos always make my day!
We happily share our tasty, fantastic recipes and are excited to spread some love by posting at these awesome Linky Parties.
Copyright © 2026 esmesalon.com – All rights reserved.
