This simplified version of the classic moo shu recipe utilizes shredded cooked chicken and pre-shredded cabbage.
Served in lettuce wraps, it makes a wonderful lunch that takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.
The first time I made this recipe, it was because I had leftover baked chicken breast and pre-shredded coleslaw mix that I wanted to use up. I wanted an Asian-style recipe that would utilize those ingredients, and I came across the idea of preparing moo shu chicken.
It was so good, and the flavor combination was so unique that I have made it many times since. It's one of those recipes that everyone likes, and it's also very easy to make. Even the leftovers are excellent!
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- For the sauce: Soy sauce, rice vinegar, sriracha, and just a bit of cornstarch.
- Oil: I like to use avocado oil.
- Shredded cabbage: To make life easy, I use pre-shredded bagged cabbage.
- Aromatics: Minced garlic and ginger. You can mince them yourself, but it's fine to use the stuff that comes in a jar.
- Shredded cooked chicken: I usually use shredded grilled chicken breasts. You can also use rotisserie chicken - just make sure to remove the skin. Its texture won't work in this recipe.
- For garnish: Thinly sliced scallions.
Variations
- You can use thinly sliced red onions instead of green onions. If you do, add them to the skillet with the cabbage.
- Ghee is a good substitute for avocado oil.
- As mentioned above, you can use shredded rotisserie chicken, removing its skin.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
You start by whisking together the sauce.
Stir-fry the cabbage, garlic, and ginger. Add the shredded chicken.
Reduce the heat and stir in the scallions and sauce (give the sauce an extra mix before stirring it in).
Divide the mixture into lettuce cups and serve.
That's it! As is the case with most stir-fry recipes, the cooking itself is quick. It's the prep that takes most of the time. When using precooked chicken and pre-shredded cabbage, even the prep is quick and easy.
Expert Tip
I like to serve moo shu chicken in lettuce cups. It's delicious and pretty, and it's a better choice than the pancakes traditionally used to serve this dish.
The best lettuce varieties for this purpose are Iceberg or Boston. While Romaine is delicious, its large, elongated leaves with their prominent ribs don't work so well as cups.
Recipe FAQs
Moo shu pork is a northern Chinese dish. It consists of sliced pork tenderloin, cucumber, mushrooms, and scrambled eggs stir-fried in peanut oil. The dish is seasoned with ginger, garlic, scallions, soy sauce, and rice wine.
My version uses chicken and departs from tradition quite a bit. But it's delicious!
I don't worry about the cornstarch because I only use one teaspoon, which is then divided between four servings. This adds just 0.5 grams of carbs to each serving.
Yes. I like pork, but I almost always use chicken because I cook a lot of chicken breasts and often have leftovers that I want to use up.
If you'd like to use this recipe with pork, use shredded (or thinly sliced) roasted pork tenderloin instead of chicken.
Serving Suggestions
The traditional recipe is served with small, savory pancakes. Instead of those, I use lettuce wraps.
Another option is to serve moo shu chicken on a bed of cauliflower rice to soak up the yummy sauce. And, of course, you can simply serve it in pretty bowls!
Storing Leftovers
Leftover chicken can be kept for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. But if you used pre-cooked chicken that had already spent a day or two in the fridge, you should keep that in mind when counting those 3-4 days.
To reheat the leftovers without drying the chicken, it's best to heat them covered and use the microwave on a low setting.
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Recipe Card
Easy Moo Shu Chicken
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce - or a gluten-free alternative
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
For the chicken:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 4 cups shredded green cabbage - (I use a 12-ounce bag of coleslaw mix)
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic - minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root - minced
- 3 cups cooked chicken breasts - shredded (15 ounces, from 2 large chicken breasts)
- ½ cup sliced green onions - (1 ounce)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, sriracha, and cornstarch.
- Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add the shredded cabbage, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring, until the cabbage is tender-crisp, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and cook, stirring, for 1 more minute.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Mix the sauce again, then stir in the green onions and sauce.
- Cook, stirring, until the chicken and cabbage are well-coated in the sauce, about 1 more minute.
- Serve immediately, on cauliflower rice or in lettuce cups.
Video
Notes
- The traditional recipe is served with little savory pancakes. Instead of those, I use lettuce wraps. The best lettuce varieties for this purpose are Iceberg or Boston. While Romaine is lovely, its large, elongated leaves with their prominent ribs don't work so well as cups.
- Another option is to serve this dish on a bed of cauliflower rice to soak up the yummy sauce. And, of course, you can simply serve it in pretty bowls!
- Leftover chicken can be kept for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. But if you used pre-cooked chicken that had already spent a day or two in the fridge, you should keep that in mind when counting those 3-4 days. To reheat the leftovers without drying the chicken, it's best to heat them covered and use the microwave on a low setting.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
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