Panda Express Zucchini Mushroom Chicken is the perfect healthy copycat takeout dish. Ready in less time it takes to pick it up! Try tonight!
If your craving Chinese Chicken takeout but don’t want to leave the comfort of your own kitchen, then this Panda Express copycat recipe is exactly what you have been looking for. For more copycat recipes, try Panda Express Beijing Beef (Copycat) and Panda Express Honey Walnut Shrimp.
Sabrina’s Panda Express Zucchini and Mushroom Chicken (Copycat) Recipe
Panda Express has been a go-to takeout lunch since I was a kid. Orange chicken, beef and broccoli, and chow mien had been my regular order. After I started looking at the nutritional facts, I started to look at healthier options. I had no idea such a small amount of orange chicken could pack in so many calories. My new go-to became mushroom chicken, beef and broccoli and steamed vegetables. I think that clocked in around 60% less calories than what I was eating before! Now I see there are healthier and tasty alternatives.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts , boneless and skinless, cut into thin bite sized slices
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 8 ounces crimini mushrooms , sliced
- 1 medium zucchini , cut in half lengthwise, then in ½ inch slices
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 teaspoons ginger , minced (or ½ teaspoon ground ginger)
- sesame seeds , for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Toss the chicken with cornstarch.
- Heat the canola and sesame oil in the pan.
- Add chicken and cook on medium-high until browned on both sides, about 2-3 minutes on each side.
- Remove chicken from the pan, and turn the heat up to high.
- Add in the mushrooms and zucchini and cook until they start to brown.
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook/stir for 30 seconds.
- Cook for another 2-3 minutes as vegetables soften a little.
- Add the chicken back in and stir to coat.
- Add in the soy sauce, sugar, and rice wine vinegar and stir to coat. Once everything is mixed, it's ready to serve.
Nutrition
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Sabrina Tips
Invest in authentic ingredients. You may not want to spend 8 dollars on a bottle of sesame oil, but that sauce will make you so many delicious dishes, that by the time you finish the bottle, you will have made so many meals. It’s basically the same price as one lunch from Panda Express, it pays for itself!
Table of Contents
About this Recipe
After doing a bit of research I learned you can enjoy Panda Express with far less fat and calories by choosing different “entrees.” I did miss the taste of the orange chicken, but to be honest the mushroom chicken (which I normally would not have chosen) was DELICIOUS! That was my inspiration for making this at home. The quickly sautéed zucchini and mushrooms, and tender chicken breast makes a delicious quick Chinese “takeout” meal you’d be happy to eat every night and it’s a healthy choice, too!
Kitchen Tools and Equipment
- Wok: A high-quality wok is a great addition to your kitchen if you love cooking Chinese food or stir fries in general. It’s a reliable tool for high-heat, quick cooking.
- Large Frying Pan: You could also use a large cast iron skillet or stainless steel skillet would both work well for this recipe.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Invest in a wok. A wok will make your prep and cooking infinitely easier.
- Learn to slice meat thinly, against the grain. Most Panda Express recipes include beef or chicken cut wide and thin (I think it is to make the pieces look larger), so pay close attention to your prep. If you slice the chicken too thick, it will NOT be as tender.
- Prep your vegetables ahead of time. Once you’re working with your wok, everything has to be in grabbing distance and able to be added quickly, or your food will overcook.
- Cook quickly. When you’re working in a wok, things happen fast and flavors stay crisp, so don’t keep simmering or cooking the food.
Can this be made ahead of time?
You can prep the zucchini and mushrooms ahead of time. Slice and cut your veggies and store in the fridge until you are ready to cook. After making your meal, you can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. This is great for meal prepping your lunches in advance so all you have to do is reheat them when you are ready to eat.
Serving Ideas
You can make an entire Panda Express takeout meal in the comfort of your own kitchen. Pair with your favorite sides like Panda Express Chow Mein (Copycat), Panda Express Fried Rice Copycat and Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon (Copycat). For a healthier side option, serve with Panda Express Mixed Veggies (Copycat).
How to Store
- Serve: Serve hot and keep covered when not being served. Don’t leave the dish out for more than two hours.
- Store: In an airtight container, it’ll last 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Freeze: Freezing is possible, though the texture might change slightly upon reheating. Store in a sealed container and use within 2-3 months.
Variations
- Meat: You can adjust this recipe by substituting beef or pork for the chicken. Any protein will taste delicious with this recipe so try it out using your favorite!
- Shrimp: Swap chicken for shrimp for a seafood twist. Adjust the cooking time as shrimp cooks faster.
- Vegetarian: For a vegetarian twist, use tofu or tempeh. Adjust cooking times accordingly.
Related Recipes
More Panda Express Copycat Recipes
These photos were used in previous versions of this post:
This recipe is very good and I will make it again. But it tastes NOTHING like the Panda Express version.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, and you’ll make it again Sandra. Thank you for the 5 stars.
I used tofu instead of chicken and added some onion and broccoli just because I had it. Otherwise followed the directions and this dish was delicious! Will definitely be in the rotation! Thank you for a great recipe!
Thanks for the great photo! Looks so yummy and thanks for the five star review, Audrey 🙂
I googled “mushroom, zucchini and chicken recipe” and this one popped up, so glad I made this, so delicious. I unfortunately didnt have rice wine vinegar, but still so good! Definitely adding to the rotation!
Thank you so much for sharing this absolutely amazing meal. It was easy to make and delicious. I used boneless skinless chicken thighs.
Will definitely be making this again…and again. ?
Thank you Donna! Glad you enjoyed the recipe and appreciate the five star review.
Correction to my previous post. Teaspoons were used for honey and syrup vs. tablespoons!
This is wonderful! I did substitute two tablespoons honey plus one tablespoon maple syrup for the sugar. This was delicious!
Excellent and easy… perfect!
Very simple and very heathy eating!served with jasmine rice. Used large cut brown onions.
Sounds yummy Edward. So glad you liked the recipe.
Awesome recipe! My “go-to” when I want a quick, healthy meal. My family and my neighbors (with whom I’ll share, maybe…) love it!
The sesame seed oil adds a lot of flavor! This is a dish that my whole family loves!
So glad you all enjoyed the Chicken! Use our Recipe Index to browse all of our Panda Express recipes!
Loved this! I liked it more than the Panda Express version. I cut out the sesame seed oil, used ginger paste instead, used 1 tsp brown sugar instead of 2 tsp white and used yummy white mushrooms. I loved it! Thanks for sharing.
Very good! I followed the recipe with two changes: I added the garlic after the vegetables were cooked halfway (to prevent bitterness) & last minute, a shake of white pepper.
Next time I’d halve the sugar (a bit too sweet) and add another 1/2 to 1 additional tbsp of rice wine vinegar.
It’s a terrific dish, thank you so much! I’ve made many of your excellent recipes.
I made this recipe. I used olive oil instead of canola oil. Used ground nutmeg instead of ground ginger. It turned out pretty good.
Pretty good!! I added onion powder and a bit of oyster sauce
Also i substituted a few things lol
Toooooo salty! I used low sodium soya and still found it salty. All other flavours were good but would add water to soya sauce to make 1/4 cup
Can this be made with tofu instead of chicken? Thanks.
Great question! I have never tested the recipe with tofu.
So good thank you for the simple but delish recipe! Kids loved them too!! This is definitely going on our list of fav dishes.
Been making this recipe for almost 5 years, we love it! But I thought I was going crazy for a second when I pulled it up to check the ingredients and didn’t see the Balsamic vinegar listed! lol. But now I see you made adjustments, so I can’t wait to try the update!
I have one question though – seasoned or plain rice vinegar?
Thanks for helping me make one of my favorite meals at home!
Very good. Super easy to make.
I used to be a chef at panda Express for 4 years, and mushroom chicken is definitely my fave dish. I got to it it for free every working days. I could say that this recipe taste very close from the restaurant recipe. I’ll give it 7.5/10
Don’t make its a waste of food and you have to fix it because the recipe is totally wrong
Way to much ginger… overpowered the dish
Missing sauce. Soy, vinegar and sugar did not cut it!
Nope! Nothing like it! Missing some
Kind of sauce. Soy, vinegar and sugar is not it.
Yummy! I added some diced onion, but kept everything else as is. Will definitely add to our dinner rotation. Thank you!
Super easy recipe! I was afraid there wouldn’t be enough sauce (we love our foods saucy) but it was perfect! Definitely making again. I added green, orange and red peppers as well as mushrooms and zucchini. Served with cauliflower rice.
For as long as I can remember, Mushroom Chicken is/was my go to entrée when going to Panda, even now as an adult. The only issue I have with going there, is sometimes the chicken used can be fatty or have gristley pieces still which I’m not a big fan of. So when I found this, you better believe I had to try to make it. Tonight was my first attempt making; I’m so pleased at how nearly identical to the flavor everything was! I did notice the sauce/coating wasn’t as much as you normally find at Panda, but maybe that makes it healthier? This is page is now bookmarked on my phone and will definitely make it again! Maybe will try to get it a little more saucy to go on rice, but still great recipe, thanks!!
Sounds yummy. How much is the serving size for 27 grams Protein?Had weight loss surgery, so got to watch portion sizes and nutrition ofcourse, but don’t want to give up all the foods I use to enjoy. Have never used, sodium is high, but G Hughes has a sugar free orange marinade that might be worth a try.
This recipe was awesome! So easy to follow. I love Panda Express’ mushroom chicken, and man this is extremely close!! I used chicken thighs like other commenters and used ginger powder. Thank you!!
This recipe is so poorly written….the steps don’t make sense, please review.
Can you clarify which parts are confusing?
Is the nutrition value for 4 servings or for 1?
This tasted fantastic! Thank you! It did take me longer than 20 minutes but worth it. Oh, I did add a little chopped onion to vegetables. Delicious!
This was amazing! I tweaked it a little by adding broccoli and I felt the veggies were sticking to the bottom of the pan while I was sautéing them so I added some water and deglazed the pan while they steamed. So easy and so delicious. Definitely making it again! I love your recipes Sabrina!
Made this today. So so good. I added sweet snow pea pods as i love them and don’t like squash. So i give my wife the zuchinni and i eat the peas and mushrooms. One of my go to’s when i get Panda. Great stuff. thanks. Only issue was that my chicken with corn starch was sticking to the pan bottom and making a stick mess. I guess i need a real wok. ;p
Delicious. I used boneless and skinless chicken thighs. Less soy sauce but added oyster sauce and crushed red peppers for kick. Been doing this for years. Thank you. God bless. ??????
I made this recipe expecting it would taste at least ok. Well I’m here to tell you that it turned out wonderfully well. It was *so* good and did seem like it was very close to Panda Express’s version. It was the closest of any copycat recipe I’ve ever tried. Yum. I used boneless, skinless thighs.Thanks Sabrina. Next I’m going to try the orange chicken! — I have to say thought that there are way too many ads on this page and the videos with sound I can’t turn off are extremely annoying.
Need to use boneless thighs instead of breasts
Great recipe! We added broccoli and sugar snap peas to ours and it turned out well. Thanks!
Thank you, Ed! glad it turned out well!
Delicious!! I subbed Red Wine Vinegar as I had no rice vinegar left. Added 1/4 cup minced onion and 1/2 cop small chopped carrot for more veggies. Also used rotisserie chicken. Great use of abundant zucchini!! Thanks so much!