If you love Panda Express Mushroom Chicken, this copycat recipe delivers the same comfort with an even richer, thicker sauce and more pronounced ginger-soy flavor. Tender chicken, mushrooms, and zucchini come together in a glossy, savory sauce that’s perfect over rice.
Serve it with steamed short-grain brown rice or pair it with fried rice for a heartier meal. Either way, the dish is quick, satisfying, and full of depth.
What You’ll Need
2 tablespoons olive oil (or other neutral oil)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 pound chicken breast, cut into ½- to 1-inch pieces
6 medium mushrooms, about 2–3 cups, thickly sliced (cremini recommended)
1 medium zucchini, about 1½–2 cups, thickly sliced
For the Marinade
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (plain)
2 tablespoons white wine (dry or off-dry; Pinot Grigio works well)
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
This version aims for a thicker, clingy sauce thanks to the corn starch in the marinade and a stronger ginger-soy profile. Using chicken breast keeps the dish lean while still tender when marinated and quickly seared.
How to Make Mushroom Chicken
Start by combining the minced ginger and garlic with the soy sauce, rice vinegar, white wine, and corn starch in a medium bowl. Whisk until the corn starch is completely dissolved.
Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and stir to coat. Let it rest while you heat a heavy skillet over medium heat for about 10 minutes—this short marinating time builds flavor without extra waiting.
When the skillet is hot, add the olive oil and sesame oil and tilt the pan so the bottom is evenly coated. Drain most of the marinade liquid into a separate bowl, keeping the chicken in your hand as you transfer it so the pieces don’t slip. You want to leave most of the excess liquid behind but don’t discard it—you’ll use it later.
Drop the chicken into the hot skillet by handfuls, leaving the reserved marinade in the bowl. Some liquid will come with the chicken, which is fine; the key is to avoid crowding the pan with extra liquid so the meat sears instead of steams.
Cook the chicken about 10 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the pieces are mostly cooked through and lightly browned.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the mushrooms. Stir, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes so the mushrooms release flavor and soften.
While the mushrooms are cooking, stir the honey and sesame seeds into the reserved marinade until smooth.
After five minutes, add the zucchini and pour the remaining marinade into the skillet. Stir to combine, cover, and cook just 1–2 minutes—long enough to warm the zucchini but not so long that it becomes mushy.
Remove the cover, give everything a final stir, and serve immediately over rice.
Tips & FAQs
To replicate Panda Express-style mushroom chicken: aim for a thick, glossy sauce and well-seared, tender chicken. Corn starch in the marinade thickens the sauce and helps it cling to the ingredients.
If you prefer the traditional restaurant approach, use chicken thighs for a richer, fattier bite. If you want a leaner result with similar tenderness, use chicken breast but be sure to sear it quickly over high heat to lock in juices. Marinating while the pan heats is a small step that makes a big difference in flavor and texture.
Cook quickly, avoid overcooking the zucchini, and reserve the marinade until the end so it can be thickened and incorporated into the final sauce.
Enjoy this Mushroom Chicken over your favorite rice. Leave a comment to share how yours turns out!
📋 Recipe
Panda Express Mushroom Chicken (copycat recipe)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (or other oil)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 pound chicken breast , cut into ½- to 1-inch pieces
- 6 medium mushrooms , 2–3 cups, thick sliced (cremini recommended)
- 1 medium zucchini , 1½–2 cups, thick sliced
Marinade
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon fresh ginger , peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon garlic , minced
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar (plain)
- 2 tablespoon white wine (dry or off-dry)
- 2 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
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Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat.
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Whisk together ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, white wine, and corn starch until smooth.
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Add chicken to the marinade and stir to coat. Let sit while the pan heats about 10 minutes.
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Add olive oil and sesame oil to the hot skillet and coat the pan. Drain most of the marinade liquid into a bowl, then add the chicken to the skillet, leaving excess liquid behind.
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Cook the chicken about 10 minutes, turning once halfway through.
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Lower heat slightly, add mushrooms, stir, cover, and cook about 5 minutes.
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Stir honey and sesame seeds into the reserved marinade until combined.
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Add zucchini and the remaining marinade to the skillet, stir, cover, and cook 1–2 minutes until zucchini is just tender. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
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