17 Chinese Dishes for Dinner Plates, Soups, and Small Bites

Chinese food at home can mean a full dinner plate, a warm bowl, or something crisp on the side. Choose a stir-fry for a main dish, soup for a bowl, or egg rolls when a small bite sounds right. Serve one for dinner, set out a starter plate, or pair soup with noodles.

Stir-fried chicken pieces in a spicy sauce, garnished with chopped green onions, served in a round metal dish on an orange placemat. — General Tso’s Chicken. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Coated and fried before meeting the sauce, Sweet and Sour Chicken makes four servings in 35 minutes. Chicken breast, pineapple, red and green bell peppers, onion, garlic, and ginger cook with a sauce of pineapple juice, soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, and brown sugar. The combination gives a dinner plate both protein and vegetables without needing several separate pans. Spoon it over white rice and add extra green onions at the table.
Get the Recipe: Sweet and Sour Chicken

Vegetable Stir Fry

Bright vegetables keep Vegetable Stir Fry to 27 minutes for four servings. Broccolini, mushrooms, red, green, and yellow peppers, and green onions cook in a sauce made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey or maple syrup, sesame oil, and cornstarch. It can fill the vegetable space beside a sauced chicken dish or become the center of a lighter plate. Serve it immediately with rice or noodles so the vegetables stay firm.
Get the Recipe: Vegetable Stir Fry

Chinese Steamed Chicken

A bowl of steamed chicken pieces with mushrooms, garnished with chopped green onions, with chopsticks picking up a piece. — Chinese Steamed Chicken. Photo credit: Your Perfect Recipes.

Steamed with mushrooms and ginger, Chinese Steamed Chicken serves four in 30 minutes. Chicken thighs and shiitake mushrooms cook together before sliced chicken receives a hot sauce of ginger, green onions, soy sauce, and sesame oil. The gentler method gives the lineup a main dish that does not depend on breading or frying. Arrange it over rice or noodles and spoon the mushroom juices across each plate.
Get the Recipe: Chinese Steamed Chicken

Hot and Sour Soup

Built on chicken broth, Hot and Sour Soup makes four bowls in 35 minutes. Chicken breast, mixed mushrooms, tofu, soy sauce, white pepper, sesame oil, cornstarch, and beaten eggs create the thick broth and egg ribbons. It gives the table a warm first course that contrasts with fried shrimp, egg rolls, or crisp chicken pieces. Divide it among bowls and finish with green onions before serving.
Get the Recipe: Hot and Sour Soup

Chinese Salt & Pepper Shrimp

A close-up of a serving of shrimp garnished with chopped green onions, red chili slices, and cilantro, placed in a bowl with chopsticks on the side. — Chinese Salt & Pepper Shrimp. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Fried with a light coating, Chinese Salt & Pepper Shrimp serves four in 35 minutes. Shrimp are marinated with fish sauce, covered in flour and cornstarch, then tossed with Thai chilies, garlic, ginger, scallions, peppercorns, salt, and cilantro. The dish can work as a seafood dinner plate or a smaller bite beside soup and noodles. Bring it out while the coating is crisp, with rice or a cooling cucumber side.
Get the Recipe: Chinese Salt & Pepper Shrimp

Chow Mein

Noodles and vegetables bring Chow Mein to the table in 20 minutes for four servings. Chow mein noodles cook with cabbage, celery, red onion, carrots, and green onions in a sauce of soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, garlic, beef broth, and cornstarch. The noodle base can stand alone or balance a spread of chicken, shrimp, and soup. Serve it hot and loosen any extra sauce through the noodles before plating.
Get the Recipe: Chow Mein

Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry

Close-up of a stir-fry dish with chicken, broccoli, mushrooms, and sesame seeds, coated in a soy-based sauce. — Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Ready in half an hour, Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry produces four dinner portions. Chicken breast, broccoli, mushrooms, and green onions are coated with a thickened mixture of chicken broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, cornstarch, and sesame oil. The vegetables and chicken share one pan, making the dish useful when dinner needs a complete main without a separate vegetable recipe. Spoon it over steamed rice and serve at once.
Get the Recipe: Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry

Shrimp Toast

Close-up of open-faced sandwiches topped with avocado, shredded carrot, microgreens, and pieces of cooked salmon on whole-grain bread. — Shrimp Toast. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Layered rather than filled, Shrimp Toast makes four servings in 25 minutes. Seasoned shrimp are pan-fried, then placed on toasted bread with romaine, shredded carrots, Parmesan, sprouts, and lime. The open-faced format gives the small-bite section something substantial without repeating egg rolls or coated shrimp. Cut each toast into smaller pieces for sharing, or serve one whole piece with soup for a light plate.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Toast

Beef and Broccoli

Quick searing keeps Beef and Broccoli to 30 minutes for four servings. Flank steak and four cups of broccoli cook with soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, and garlic. The familiar pairing gives the roundup a beef dinner that can anchor a plate without adding noodles to the skillet. Serve it over rice, or place noodles and wonton soup alongside it for a broader table.
Get the Recipe: Beef and Broccoli

Crispy Egg Rolls

Vegan egg rolls in a wooden tray. — Crispy Egg Rolls. Photo credit: Two City Vegans.

Baked until browned, Crispy Egg Rolls yield 12 rolls for six people in 40 minutes. Egg roll sheets hold cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, green onions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cilantro after the filling cooks briefly in a skillet. Their handheld shape makes them a practical starter beside soup or a sauced main. Set out sweet-and-sour sauce and serve the rolls soon after baking so the wrappers stay crisp.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Egg Rolls

Kung Pao Chicken

A close-up of a stir-fry dish featuring pieces of chicken, snap peas, red bell peppers, scallions, and black sesame seeds. — Kung Pao Chicken. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Colorful vegetables give Kung Pao Chicken four portions in 30 minutes. Chicken breast, red bell pepper, snap peas, garlic, and ginger cook in a sauce of soy sauce, vinegar, chicken broth, sugar, cornstarch, and sesame oil. The skillet dish adds a fast chicken option that is different from the breaded and fried recipes later in the list. Spoon it onto rice and add green onions or sesame seeds before serving.
Get the Recipe: Kung Pao Chicken

Wonton Soup

A ceramic bowl of clear soup containing dumplings, sliced mushrooms, broccolini, chopped green onions, and cilantro. — Wonton Soup. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Frozen wontons shorten Wonton Soup to 30 minutes for four bowls. Sesame oil, ginger, garlic, shiitake mushrooms, broccolini, chicken broth, soy sauce, green onions, and 16 wontons build the soup without requiring homemade wrappers. It can start a multi-dish dinner or become a smaller meal when paired with egg rolls or shrimp toast. Ladle the vegetables and four wontons into each bowl while the broth is hot.
Get the Recipe: Wonton Soup

Chinese Lemon Shredded Chicken

A colorful salad with shredded carrots, zucchini, chicken, orange slices, and sesame seeds on a brown plate, garnished with fresh herbs. — Chinese Lemon Shredded Chicken. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Served cool or at room temperature, Chinese Lemon Shredded Chicken makes four portions in 25 minutes. Drumsticks simmer with ginger and Shaoxing wine, then the shredded meat joins cucumber, carrots, onion, cilantro, sesame seeds, soy sauce, oyster sauce, lemon juice, and zest. The fresh vegetables give the dinner lineup a break from fried coatings and heavier sauces. Toss everything just before serving and place it beside rice or noodles.
Get the Recipe: Chinese Lemon Shredded Chicken

Bang Bang Shrimp

A bowl of rice topped with shrimp in a creamy sauce, garnished with cucumber slices, lime wedge, cilantro, and sliced green onions. — Bang Bang Shrimp. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Finished with a creamy chili sauce, Bang Bang Shrimp serves four in 20 minutes. Shrimp are seasoned with lime, coated in cornstarch, pan-fried, and combined with mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, sweet chili sauce, and Sriracha. The same recipe can cover the small-bite part of the table or become a full dinner when rice is added. Serve it with basmati rice, cucumber slices, green onions, and cilantro while the shrimp are hot.
Get the Recipe: Bang Bang Shrimp

Crispy Sesame Chicken

A close-up of glazed chicken pieces with sesame seeds and chopped scallions on a bed of rice. — Crispy Sesame Chicken. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Breaded in three stages, Crispy Sesame Chicken makes four servings in 30 minutes. Chicken breast pieces move through cornstarch, egg, and seasoned flour before frying, then a sauce of sesame oil, garlic, rice vinegar, honey, sweet chili sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, and soy sauce coats them. The sticky chicken belongs on a full dinner plate rather than the appetizer tray. Add boiled rice, sesame seeds, and sliced green onions for serving.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Sesame Chicken

Pork Fried Rice

Close-up of fried rice with chunks of meat, peas, diced carrots, and bean sprouts mixed together. — Pork Fried Rice. Photo credit: Your Perfect Recipes.

Cold day-old rice helps Pork Fried Rice develop crisp edges in 35 minutes for four servings. Pork tenderloin cooks with hoisin sauce before eggs, carrots, green onions, ginger, garlic, peas, bean sprouts, sesame oil, and soy sauce join the wok. The rice handles both the main and starch, which makes it useful when the rest of the table is soup or small bites. Serve it straight from the skillet while the rice is hot.
Get the Recipe: Pork Fried Rice

General Tso’s Chicken

After a 30-minute marinade, General Tso’s Chicken makes six servings in one hour. Chicken breast pieces are coated with egg whites, flour, and cornstarch, fried in batches, and tossed with rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic, chicken stock, sugar, and red pepper flakes. The longer method gives the dinner lineup a substantial chicken plate for nights with more cooking time. Serve it over rice and add green onions before bringing it to the table.
Get the Recipe: General Tso’s Chicken