If it’s been a long work day, there’s nothing we dread more than coming up with what to cook for dinner, and too often we turn to our trusty takeout menus. If you’re like us, one of your go-tos is the local Chinese food place. Ours has a, shall we say, interesting mix of traditional and super-Americanized items (french fries, anyone?) that we kind of LOVE. We took inspiration from the mix of original and inauthentic for this list of 60 Chinese food recipes you can make at home. Whatever Chinese food you’re craving, these recipes are for you!
When it comes to Americanized Chinese food, there’s a few flavor profiles that get all the love, like kung pao, bang bang, and beef with broccoli. We’ve included a ton of recipes for them here, like kung pao shrimp noodles and brussels sprouts, bang bang cauliflower and shrimp, and beef and broccoli noodles and kebabs. We’ve also got some Mongolian-inspired recipes that have made their way to Chinese food menus over the years—we know you’ll love the mild sweet and salty sauce on everything from meatballs to chicken wings.
This list is all about the classics you’ll recognize from places like Panda Express, like fried rice and general tso’s chicken, but we’ve also included a few recipes you’re more likely to find in a Chinese home than a mall, like sichuan-style eggplant and congee. Join us in expanding our horizons and trying new flavor profiles and textures, like szechuan peppercorns. Their unique lip-tingling flavor is unlike anything else, and makes a number of these dishes stand out.
And we didn’t forget about the appetizers! They’re the best part of a takeout order, so we’re not skimping on them when we’re making our Chinese food at home either. We’ve got recipes for scallion pancakes, egg rolls (in the air fryer!), dumplings, and wonton soup that’ll rival your favorite delivery spot. Hot tip: make extra and freeze them so you’ll always be ready when the Chinese food craving hits.
For more takeout inspired recipes, check out our lists of Mexican, Italian, and Greek dishes.
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1
Soup Dumplings
We absolutely LOVE dumplings, and xiaolongbao, the Chinese version filled with ground pork and gelatinized pork broth, are some of the best. Though traditionally pork bones are used to make the broth semi-solid, they can be hard to find, so we've subbed in gelatin and whatever broth you like. Trust us, once heated up, these dumplings are still just as heavenly.
Get the Soup Dumplings recipe.
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2
Pan-Fried Noodles in Superior Soy Sauce
Pan-fried noodles go through a two- step tango to reach peak pleasure: First they’re quickly boiled and then they’re thrown into the wok to get their crispiness. It’s in the burning crucible of this wok, endowed with wok hei, that the noodles develop their fragrant satisfying character, commingling under such high temperature with the soy sauce, wine, oil, sugar, and herbs.
Get the Pan-Fried Noodles in Superior Soy Sauce recipe.
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3
Copycat Panda Express Chow Mein
The exact origins of chow mein are not entirely clear, but historians suspect this dish was born in northern China millennia ago. Thousands of years later, it’s been popularized by a beloved chain with a cute panda mascot. Now you can make it at home!
Get the Copycat Panda Express Chow Mein recipe.
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4
Air Fryer Potstickers
We here at Delish love dumplings of all kinds, but making them completely from scratch can be a lot. If you want something that’s a little less work intensive (and you love using your air fryer), this recipe is all yours.
Get the Air Fryer Potstickers recipe.
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5
Shrimp Toasts
Thought to have been created in China about a century ago, shrimp toast combines traditional Chinese shrimp paste with Western white bread to create one of the earliest fusion foods. Try the recipe, and you'll understand why this co*cktail hour staple has stood the test of time.
Get the Shrimp Toasts recipe.
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6
Fortune Cookies
Our best tip for making these Chinese cookies is to embrace trial and error! You’ll likely fail a few times before you get them right, but that's all part of the enjoyment. What better sentiment for ringing in Lunar New Year?
Get the Fortune Cookies recipe.
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7
Copycat PF Chang's Wonton Soup
A lot of wonton soups tend to just be wontons and broth. Sometimes there will be noodles or some sliced scallions, but it tends to be a pretty minimalist dish. The PF Chang's version is for those who want more, more, and then some more.
Get the Copycat PF Chang's Wonton Soup recipe.
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8
Ginger Pork Pot Stickers
Looking for a weekend project? We suggest these super-flavorful (and surprisingly easy) pot stickers! Check out the photos of our folding technique, but don't worry too much—these will taste amazing no matter how they look.
Get the Ginger Pork Pot Stickers recipe.
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9
Shrimp Stir-Fry
Stir-fries are endlessly customizable—that’s one of the reasons we love them. This recipe calls for broccoli, sugar snap peas, and red bell peppers, but feel free to mix it up according to what you have in the refrigerator or what you’re craving. Just don't forget the rice!
Get the Shrimp Stir-Fry recipe.
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10
Black Pepper Chicken
Our trick to the most juicy tender chicken here? Velveting is the process of marinating protein in a cornstarch slurry before frying or boiling to keep it moist and tender. The bit of downtime while the chicken marinates is great for dicing veggies and making this delicious stir fry sauce.
Get the Black Pepper Chicken recipe.
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11
Fried Rice
Fried rice is a quick and delicious way to transform leftovers into something greater than the sum of its parts. Though we sometimes think of certain ingredients being typical (eggs, peas...) the only things you need heat, rice, and oil. Anything else you add is up to you!
Get the Fried Rice recipe.
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12
Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
The secret to this unbelievably delicious dish? Hoisin sauce! It's crucial in giving this dish that trademark Chinese-American take-out flavor.
Get the Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry recipe.
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13
Scallion Pancakes
Crispy, flaky, and with the *slightest* bit of chew, these are the perfect addition to Chinese food night. If you've got more pancakes than you can handle, we've got good news—these freeze super well too.
Get the Scallion Pancakes recipe.
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14
General Tso's Chicken
This dish of crispy chicken tossed in a sweet and savory sauce is a Chinese-American classic. Though the typical preparation calls for deep-frying, we went for the easier stir-fry route for less mess from frying while still retaining all of the crispiness you're used to.
Get the General Tso's Chicken recipe.
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15
Dan Dan Noodles
Originating from Chinese Sichuan cooking, Dandan noodles were named for the carrying pole (aka dan dan) that street vendors used to carry baskets of noodles and sauce. While sometimes served as a soup in China, American versions are usually more saucy than soupy, and often include sesame paste, peanut butter, or tahini, like our recipe here.
Get the Dan Dan Noodles recipe.
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16
Copycat Chicken Lettuce Wraps
In our attempt to copy the P.F. Chang's fan favorite, we flavored ground chicken with hoisin sauce (a fermented bean paste that gives the chicken the quintessential Chinese-American flavor), soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, Sriracha, and sesame oil.
Get the Copycat Chicken Lettuce Wraps recipe.
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17
Szechuan Chicken
Szechuan cuisine is known for using strong flavors and especially Szechuan peppercorns, which bring a unique herbal spice with a gentle numbing, tingly effect to the lips and tongue. Spice-lovers, this chicken is for you.
Get the Szechuan Chicken recipe.
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18
Sichuan-Style "Fish-Fragrant" Eggplant
Despite the name, there is no trace of fish in this delicious dish. Originating from the Sichuan province in China, 魚香 (yu xiang) describes a flavor profile that was originally used in preparing fish dishes from the region. Now these pickled chilis, fermented bean paste, green onions, garlic, ginger, and punchy spice blend are used to season vegetables, like this eggplant, too.
Get the Sichuan-Style "Fish-Fragrant" Eggplant recipe.
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19
Kung Pao Spaghetti
Our best copycat of California Pizza Kitchen's kung pao chicken spaghetti is saucy and extremely easy to make, with a slight spicy kick.
Get the Kung Pao Spaghetti recipe.
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20
Congee + Youtiao
You can put seasoning in the rice porridge itself, but we keep it pure and simple until serving, which is when the fun comes in. We've served ours with a donut called 油條 (youtiao), but exercise total freedom and go wild with your own toppings!
Get the Congee + Youtiao recipe.
