21 Chinese-Inspired Recipes With Stir-Fries, Soups, and Takeout-Style Plates

When Chinese-inspired takeout sounds good, making something at home gives you more ways to serve the meal. Pick a stir-fry, soup, or takeout-style plate based on what sounds good and what you want alongside it. You can serve one as the main, add a side, or set out a starter before the rest of the meal.

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.

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.

Fish sauce seasons the shrimp before Chinese Salt & Pepper Shrimp gets a flour-and-cornstarch coating and a quick fry. Garlic, ginger, Thai chilies, scallions, coarse peppercorns, and cilantro build the final layer of flavor. The recipe serves four in 35 minutes, making it useful as either a main or an appetizer. Pair it with rice or a crisp cucumber side for a takeout-style plate at home.
Get the Recipe: Chinese Salt & Pepper Shrimp

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 jasmine rice turns Pork Fried Rice into a crisp-edged skillet dish with pork tenderloin, eggs, carrots, peas, bean sprouts, and green onions. Hoisin sauce glazes the pork, while soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger season the rice. The recipe serves four in 35 minutes. Use it as a full meal or as a side beside dumplings, stir-fried vegetables, or another Chinese-inspired main.
Get the Recipe: Pork Fried Rice

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.

Open-faced and skillet-cooked, Shrimp Toast layers seasoned shrimp over whole wheat bread with carrots, romaine, sprouts, Parmesan, lime, and sesame seeds. Chili seasoning, rosemary, cayenne, smoked paprika, and garlic powder add heat and depth to the seafood. Four servings come together in 25 minutes. Serve the toast as a starter, lunch plate, or part of a spread with soup and small takeout-style dishes.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Toast

Chow Mein

Noodles and crisp vegetables make Chow Mein a fast four-serving dinner with a 20-minute total. Cabbage, celery, red onion, carrots, and green onions cook in a wok before being tossed with chow mein noodles. Soy sauce, oyster sauce, toasted sesame oil, garlic, beef broth, and cornstarch form the glossy sauce. Serve it alone or beside chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp when the table needs a full takeout-style lineup.
Get the Recipe: Chow Mein

Panda Express Black Pepper Sirloin Steak

A bowl of stir-fried beef strips with red and green bell peppers, topped with sesame seeds. — Panda Express Black Pepper Sirloin Steak. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

High heat keeps Panda Express Black Pepper Sirloin Steak quick, with four servings ready in 25 minutes. Thinly sliced sirloin or flank steak cooks with red and green bell peppers and onion. Soy sauce, oyster sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and black pepper create the sauce that coats every piece. Serve it over steamed rice or noodles for a homemade version of the familiar takeout order.
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Black Pepper Sirloin Steak

Egg Fried Rice

Oval dish filled with fried rice garnished with chopped green onions. — Egg Fried Rice. Photo credit: Splash of Taste.

Simple ingredients keep Egg Fried Rice moving quickly from wok to plate in 25 minutes. Jasmine rice, four eggs, green onions, soy sauce, vegetable oil, and sesame oil make four servings with no long ingredient list. The eggs form soft curds before the rice is added and cooked until lightly crisp. Use it as a quick lunch, a side for stir-fries, or the base of a larger Chinese-inspired dinner.
Get the Recipe: Egg Fried Rice

Copycat Panda Express Teriyaki Chicken

A bowl of white rice topped with glazed chicken and garnished with green onions and sesame seeds. — Copycat Panda Express Teriyaki Chicken. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Glossy sauce coats browned chicken thighs in Copycat Panda Express Teriyaki Chicken, a four-serving dinner ready in 25 minutes. Brown sugar, soy sauce, water, garlic powder, ginger, and cornstarch cook into the sweet-savory glaze. The chicken is sliced once the sauce thickens, making it easy to portion over rice. Add green onions, sesame seeds, and steamed vegetables for a complete takeout-style plate.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Panda Express Teriyaki Chicken

Vegetable Stir Fry

Broccolini, three colors of bell pepper, and mushrooms keep Vegetable Stir Fry bright and crisp through a short seven-minute cook. Soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey or maple syrup, sesame oil, and cornstarch make the sauce for four servings. Green onion and sesame seeds finish the dish. Serve it with rice or noodles, or add tofu alongside it when you want a fuller Chinese-inspired dinner without a heavy sauce.
Get the Recipe: Vegetable Stir Fry

Cashew Chicken

Crunchy nuts and crisp vegetables give Cashew Chicken several textures in one skillet. Cubed chicken breast cooks with red bell pepper, broccoli, edamame, and cashews, then gets coated in soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce, ginger, and garlic. The four-serving recipe takes 40 minutes. Spoon it over steamed rice for a complete main, or portion it into lunch containers for the next day.
Get the Recipe: Cashew Chicken

Beef and Broccoli

Thin slices of flank steak and four cups of broccoli make Beef and Broccoli a balanced stir-fry for four. Soy sauce, water, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, and optional red pepper flakes form the sauce. The listed total is 30 minutes, with the broccoli cooked separately to keep it tender-crisp. Serve the stir-fry over rice when you need a quick takeout-style dinner.
Get the Recipe: Beef and Broccoli

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.

A seasoned coating gives Crispy Sesame Chicken its crisp base before the sticky sauce goes on. Chicken breast pieces are dredged with cornstarch, egg, flour, garlic salt, and paprika, then tossed with sesame oil, garlic, rice vinegar, honey, sweet chili sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, and soy sauce. The recipe serves four in 30 minutes. Add rice and steamed vegetables for a full Chinese-inspired plate.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Sesame Chicken

Shrimp Fried Rice

Day-old rice helps Shrimp Fried Rice develop lightly crisp edges without turning soft in the wok. Large shrimp, onion, mixed vegetables, egg, soy sauce, and green onions make four servings in 25 minutes. The shrimp cooks first, then returns after the rice and vegetables are heated through. Serve it as a full meal or pair it with a soup, dumplings, or another stir-fried dish.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Fried Rice

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.

Cool vegetables and warm citrus seasoning meet in Chinese Lemon Shredded Chicken, a four-serving dish ready in 25 minutes. Chicken drumsticks are simmered with ginger and Shaoxing wine, then shredded with cucumber, carrots, and onion. Cilantro, garlic, sesame, chili, soy sauce, lemon juice, oyster sauce, zest, and sesame oil form the dressing. Serve it at room temperature as a lighter main or alongside rice and hot dishes.
Get the Recipe: Chinese Lemon Shredded Chicken

Egg Drop Soup

Silky egg ribbons give Egg Drop Soup its familiar restaurant-style texture in only 20 minutes. Chicken broth simmers with sesame oil, ginger, garlic, black pepper, and Sichuan pepper before beaten eggs and cornstarch are stirred in. The recipe serves four and finishes with green onions, cilantro, and optional chili oil. Ladle it into small bowls as a starter or pair it with fried rice for a light dinner.
Get the Recipe: Egg Drop Soup

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.

Guizhou-style seasoning keeps Kung Pao Chicken focused on chicken, peppers, and sugar snap peas rather than peanuts. Chicken breast is marinated with soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, and cornstarch before stir-frying with garlic and fresh ginger. The four-serving recipe takes 30 minutes and finishes with sesame oil and green onions. Serve it over rice or noodles when you want a spicy main with crisp vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Kung Pao 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.

Creamy sweet-chili sauce turns Bang Bang Shrimp into a quick four-serving plate in 20 minutes. Lime-seasoned shrimp gets a light cornstarch coating and cooks in a skillet before mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, sweet chili sauce, and Sriracha are added. The sauce thickens around the shrimp in just a few minutes. Serve it over basmati rice with cucumber, green onions, and cilantro, or offer it as an appetizer.
Get the Recipe: Bang Bang Shrimp

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.

Steaming keeps Chinese Steamed Chicken tender while shiitake mushrooms cook beside it in the same dish. Boneless chicken thighs are seasoned simply, then topped with a warm sauce of ginger, green onions, hot oil, soy sauce, and sesame oil. The recipe serves four in 30 minutes. Slice the chicken and serve it with rice or noodles when you want a lighter Chinese-inspired main without frying.
Get the Recipe: Chinese Steamed Chicken

Tofu Fried Rice

A bowl of fried rice with grilled tofu, diced carrots, peas, chopped green onions, and a drizzle of dark sauce, served on a red cloth. — Tofu Fried Rice. Photo credit: Two City Vegans.

Golden tofu cubes add substance to Tofu Fried Rice, a one-pan meal for four that takes 30 minutes. Cold jasmine rice cooks with peas, carrots, green onions, garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil. A separate sauce of soy sauce, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, cornstarch, water, and more sesame oil is thickened before serving. Use it for lunch or dinner when leftover rice needs a full-meal upgrade.
Get the Recipe: Tofu Fried Rice

General Tso’s Chicken

A 30-minute marinade starts General Tso’s Chicken before the chicken breast is breaded and fried in batches. Flour, cornstarch, egg whites, garlic powder, ginger, and soy sauce build the coating and seasoning. Rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, chicken stock, garlic, sugar, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes form the sauce for six servings. Serve it with steamed rice and green onions for a bold takeout-style main.
Get the Recipe: General Tso’s Chicken