21 Chinese-Inspired Recipes That Save the Delivery Fee

Delivery fees make a Chinese-inspired dinner cost more before the food even arrives. These 21 recipes cover the dishes readers usually order first: saucy chicken, shrimp, beef stir-fries, fried rice, soups, vegetable sides, and noodles. The mix includes quick 20 to 35-minute options, a few copycat Panda Express picks, and one longer Beijing Beef recipe for when crispy texture matters. Use the list to build a weeknight dinner, a takeout-style spread, or a smaller plate with rice and soup.

Stir-fried noodles with vegetables and chicken in a pan, featuring carrots, cabbage, and green onions. — Chicken Chow Mein. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

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.

Crisp shrimp with chiles and aromatics give Chinese Salt & Pepper Shrimp a strong start in 35 minutes for 4 servings. The recipe uses 1 pound of large shrimp with fish sauce, red Thai chili peppers, garlic, ginger, flour, cornstarch, scallions, peppercorns, and coarse salt. Frying keeps the coating crunchy while the aromatics give each piece a clear restaurant-style finish. Serve it over rice, tuck it beside stir-fried vegetables, or set it out as a shared appetizer.
Get the Recipe: Chinese Salt & Pepper Shrimp

Cashew Chicken

A glossy skillet sauce pulls Cashew Chicken together in 40 minutes with 4 servings. Cubed chicken breasts get coated with cornstarch, then cooked with soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, chili garlic sauce, fresh ginger, garlic, red bell pepper, broccoli, cashews, and edamame. The cashews add crunch while the vegetables keep the dish from feeling like plain sauced chicken. Spoon it over jasmine rice for a full dinner that still lands on the table without waiting for a driver.
Get the Recipe: Cashew Chicken

Beef and Broccoli

Thin flank steak and 4 cups of broccoli make Beef and Broccoli a 30-minute dinner for 4 servings. The sauce uses low-sodium soy sauce, water, apple cider vinegar, toasted sesame oil, brown sugar, cornstarch, fresh ginger, garlic, and optional red pepper flakes. Because the steak is sliced thinly, it cooks quickly while the broccoli keeps its bite. Serve it with steamed rice when you want a familiar takeout order made in one pan at home.
Get the Recipe: Beef and Broccoli

General Tso’s Chicken

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.

For a larger plate of crispy chicken, General Tso’s Chicken makes 6 servings in 60 minutes. The recipe starts with 1.5 pounds of cubed chicken breast, cornstarch, flour, egg whites, salt, pepper, garlic powder, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, and minced garlic. A quick fry gives the chicken its crust before the sauce coats the pieces. Put it with rice and simple greens when dinner needs a bigger main than a stir-fry.
Get the Recipe: General Tso’s Chicken

Vegetable Stir Fry

Color comes fast with Vegetable Stir Fry, which cooks in 27 minutes and makes 4 servings. Broccolini, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, mushrooms, green onion, and sesame seeds get tossed with a sauce of soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey or maple syrup, sesame oil, and cornstarch. The vegetables stay the focus, with enough sauce to coat without burying them. Serve it over rice or noodles, or use it beside one of the chicken dishes.
Get the Recipe: Vegetable Stir Fry

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Pineapple juice anchors the sauce in Sweet and Sour Chicken, a 35-minute recipe that serves 4. Chicken breast cubes are coated with cornstarch and cornflour, then paired with pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic, and grated ginger. The sauce brings the sweet edge people expect from the takeout carton while the chicken keeps a crisp outside. Serve it with fried rice or steamed white rice for a full plate.
Get the Recipe: Sweet and Sour Chicken

Egg Fried Rice

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

Day-old rice turns into Egg Fried Rice in 25 minutes with 4 servings. The recipe keeps the ingredient list tight: jasmine rice, 4 eggs, vegetable oil, green onions, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Eggs add protein and body while soy sauce and sesame oil carry the familiar fried rice flavor without a long list of add-ins. Use it as a side for saucy chicken, or make it the main when the fridge already has cooked rice waiting.
Get the Recipe: Egg Fried Rice

Crispy Egg Rolls

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

Cabbage and mushrooms fill Crispy Egg Rolls, a 40-minute recipe that makes 6 servings. The filling uses egg roll sheets, sesame oil, minced ginger, garlic, green cabbage, mushrooms, green onions, carrot, soy sauce, cilantro, and sweet and sour sauce. The crisp wrapper gives the table the crunch that delivery appetizers usually bring first. Serve them before soup or fried rice, or make them part of a snack-style dinner with dipping sauce.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Egg Rolls

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.

Bright lemon dressing gives Chinese Lemon Shredded Chicken its clean finish in 25 minutes for 4 servings. The recipe combines drumsticks with ginger slices and Shaoxing wine, then dresses the shredded meat with cilantro, garlic, toasted sesame, Holland chili or cayenne, sesame oil, light soy sauce, lemon juice, oyster sauce, lemon zest, salt, and sugar. The shredded format keeps it easy to pile over rice or tuck into lettuce cups. Use it when dinner needs something lighter than fried chicken.
Get the Recipe: Chinese Lemon Shredded Chicken

Egg Drop Soup

Silky egg ribbons make Egg Drop Soup a 20-minute starter for 4 servings. The recipe uses 3 large eggs, cornstarch, toasted sesame oil, ground ginger, garlic, black pepper, Sichuan pepper, chicken broth, green onions, cilantro, and chili oil. The short cook time makes it useful when the rest of dinner is already underway. Serve it before noodles or fried rice, or pour it into mugs for a small bowl that still fits the takeout routine.
Get the Recipe: Egg Drop Soup

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.

Chicken thighs keep Copycat Panda Express Teriyaki Chicken juicy through a 25-minute cook that serves 4. The recipe pairs boneless skinless chicken thighs with brown sugar, soy sauce, water, garlic powder, ground ginger, cornstarch, vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. The sauce thickens around the chicken instead of sitting loose in the bowl. Slice it over rice and add broccoli or Super Greens for a plate that mirrors the counter-service version.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Panda Express Teriyaki Chicken

Panda Express Beijing Beef

A bowl of stir-fried beef with red bell peppers, onions, and chopped green onions, served on a white plate. — Panda Express Beijing Beef. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

One of the longer recipes here, Panda Express Beijing Beef takes 100 minutes and serves 4. Flank steak is sliced thin and paired with egg whites, cornstarch, canola oil, onion, red bell pepper, garlic, sugar, ketchup, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sweet chili sauce. The extra time goes toward the coating and frying that give the beef its crisp restaurant texture. Save it for a night when you want the crunch of the original without ordering out.
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Beijing Beef

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 light flour-and-cornstarch coating gives Crispy Sesame Chicken a crisp edge in 30 minutes for 4 servings. The recipe uses chicken breast fillets, eggs, vegetable oil, corn flour or cornstarch, all-purpose flour, garlic salt, paprika, sesame oil, garlic, Chinese rice vinegar, honey, sweet chili sauce, and ketchup. The sauce clings to the chicken without turning it into plain syrup. Serve it with rice and a cucumber side when a fast chicken dinner needs more texture.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Sesame Chicken

Shrimp Fried Rice

Cold cooked rice helps Shrimp Fried Rice come together in 25 minutes for 4 servings. The recipe uses 1 pound of cooked rice, 1 pound of large shrimp, vegetable oil, onion, mixed vegetables, egg, soy sauce, water, and spring onions. Shrimp makes the rice feel like a full dinner instead of a side dish, while the egg adds another layer of protein. Use it for weeknights when leftover rice needs to become the main event.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Fried Rice

Panda Express Super Greens

A plate of stir-fried kale, broccoli, and sliced onions, served with a pair of chopsticks on the side. — Panda Express Super Greens. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Broccoli, cabbage, and kale make Panda Express Super Greens a 20-minute side for 4 servings. The recipe adds garlic, soy sauce, vegetable broth, sesame oil, and olive oil to keep the greens simple but not plain. This works well when the rest of the table is heavy with fried chicken, beef, or noodles. Serve it beside teriyaki chicken, orange chicken, or fried rice when the plate needs something green.
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Super Greens

Hot and Sour Soup

Chicken broth, tofu, mushrooms, and eggs give Hot and Sour Soup enough body for a 35-minute bowl that serves 4. The recipe builds the broth with low-sodium chicken broth, red pepper flakes, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, white pepper, sesame oil, sugar, chicken breast, mixed mushrooms, firm tofu, eggs, cornstarch, scallion, and cilantro. It brings heat, tang, protein, and vegetables in one pot. Serve it before stir-fry or with egg rolls for a smaller dinner.
Get the Recipe: Hot and Sour Soup

Panda Express Orange Chicken

A plate of sesame chicken pieces covered in sauce, garnished with sesame seeds and chopped green onions. — Panda Express Orange Chicken. Photo credit: Pocket Friendly Recipes.

Fresh orange juice gives Panda Express Orange Chicken its signature sauce in 30 minutes for 4 servings. Bite-sized chicken breast pieces are coated with flour and cornstarch, fried, then tossed with low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, orange juice, minced garlic, sesame seeds, and sliced green onions. The sauce is sweet, citrusy, and thick enough to coat the chicken. Serve it with fried rice or Super Greens when the table needs a copycat main.
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Orange Chicken

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.

Bread turns into a crisp base for Shrimp Toast, a 25-minute recipe that serves 4. Whole wheat bread holds a shrimp mixture made with king prawns or large raw shrimp, carrots, romaine lettuce, sprout mix, Parmesan, lime, coconut oil, chili seasoning, rosemary, cayenne, smoked paprika, sesame seeds, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. The result sits between an appetizer and a light main. Serve it with soup, salad, or extra dipping sauce when dinner starts with shared bites.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Toast

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.

A quick marinade starts Kung Pao Chicken, which takes 30 minutes and serves 4. Cubed chicken breasts are seasoned with soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and pepper, then cooked with a sauce of soy sauce, white vinegar, chicken broth, sugar, cornstarch, vegetable oil, red bell pepper, sugar snap peas, and garlic. The vegetables keep the plate colorful while the sauce brings the familiar tangy heat. Serve it over rice for a weeknight main.
Get the Recipe: Kung Pao Chicken

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.

Sirloin or flank steak gives Panda Express Black Pepper Sirloin Steak a 25-minute path to 4 servings. The recipe combines thin steak slices with green bell pepper, red bell pepper, onion, vegetable oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, brown sugar, garlic, beef broth, sesame oil, black pepper, sesame seeds, and cilantro. The pepper-forward sauce keeps the beef from feeling too sweet. Pair it with rice and Super Greens for a copycat plate with extra vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Black Pepper Sirloin Steak

Chicken Chow Mein

Noodles, cabbage, and chicken thighs make Chicken Chow Mein a 30-minute dinner for 4 servings. The recipe uses sliced chicken thighs, vegetable oil, chow mein noodles, shredded cabbage, carrot, red bell pepper, green onions, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, chicken broth, cornstarch, and brown sugar. The noodles carry the sauce while the vegetables give the pan some crunch. Serve it as the main dish when the table wants noodles instead of another rice bowl.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Chow Mein