23 Chinese-Inspired Dinners for the Takeout You Keep Ordering

Ordering the same Chinese takeout can become the default when dinner needs flavor without much debate. These 23 Chinese-inspired recipes bring saucy chicken, crisp beef, steamed chicken, shrimp, pork, fried rice, soups, noodles, egg rolls, and scallion pancakes into one lineup. Some are copycat-style dinners, while others work as sides or starters that help round out the whole meal. Use this list when the usual order is getting predictable, but the craving is still very real.

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

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.

Ready in 30 minutes, Kung Pao Chicken serves 4 with chicken breast, red bell pepper, sugar snap peas, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, chicken broth, sugar, cornstarch, and sesame oil. The recipe skips peanuts in this Guizhou-style version, but notes that nuts can be added as a garnish. It fits the takeout craving because it brings the spicy stir-fry feel without ordering again. Serve with rice, noodles, or broccoli.
Get the Recipe: Kung Pao 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.

After marinating, Panda Express Beijing Beef serves 4 in 1 hour and 40 minutes. Flank steak gets coated with egg whites, salt, and cornstarch, then fried and tossed with onion, red bell pepper, garlic, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sweet chili sauce, sugar, ketchup, and apple cider vinegar. This works when the usual takeout order is crispy beef. Serve over steamed rice while the coating still has texture.
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Beijing Beef

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.

Light but still dinner-worthy, Chinese Steamed Chicken serves 4 in 30 minutes. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are steamed with shiitake mushrooms, then finished with a ginger-scallion sauce made from green onions, ginger, hot vegetable oil, light soy sauce, and sesame oil. It gives the lineup a gentler option besides fried and saucy dishes. Serve with rice or noodles when the takeout craving needs something simpler.
Get the Recipe: Chinese Steamed Chicken

Beef and Broccoli

Cooked in a skillet or wok, Beef and Broccoli serves 4 in 30 minutes. Flank steak and broccoli are cooked with olive oil, then coated in a sauce made from soy sauce, water, apple cider vinegar, toasted sesame oil, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, and optional red pepper flakes. It belongs here because beef and broccoli are one of those takeout standards people keep repeating. Serve with rice or noodles.
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.

With a crispy coating and glossy sauce, General Tso’s Chicken serves 6 in 1 hour. Chicken breast cubes are marinated with soy sauce, ginger, and garlic powder, then coated with flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, and egg whites before frying. The sauce uses rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin, garlic, chicken stock, sugar, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes. Serve with rice when the usual spicy chicken order sounds too easy to repeat.
Get the Recipe: General Tso’s Chicken

Sweet and Sour Pork

Ready in 35 minutes, Sweet and Sour Pork serves 4 with pork tenderloin, pineapple, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, onion, garlic, ginger, sweet and sour sauce, cornstarch, corn flour, oil, sesame seeds, and green onions. The pork is fried first, then tossed with vegetables and sauce. It fits this roundup because it brings the bright, saucy takeout plate into the kitchen. Serve over white rice or noodles.
Get the Recipe: Sweet and Sour Pork

Cashew Chicken

Cooked as a quick stir-fry, Cashew Chicken serves 4 in 40 minutes. Chicken breast, cornstarch, soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, chili garlic sauce, ginger, garlic, red bell pepper, broccoli, cashews, and edamame make up the dish. The cashews give it crunch, while the vegetables keep the pan from feeling plain. Serve with rice when the usual takeout order needs a chicken option with more texture.
Get the Recipe: Cashew 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.

Ready in 25 minutes, Panda Express Black Pepper Sirloin Steak serves 4 with flank or sirloin steak, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, onion, soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, brown sugar, garlic, beef broth, sesame oil, and black pepper. Thin-slicing helps the steak cook quickly and spread through the pan. It works when the takeout craving leans beefy and peppery. Serve over rice or noodles.
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Black Pepper Sirloin Steak

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.

Coated and sauced in 30 minutes, Crispy Sesame Chicken serves 4. Chicken breast pieces are dipped in corn flour, egg, flour, salt, pepper, garlic salt, and paprika before cooking. The sauce uses sesame oil, garlic, Chinese rice vinegar, honey, sweet chili sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, and soy sauce. It fits the takeout theme because it gives the table sticky chicken with sesame seeds and rice without waiting for delivery.
Get the Recipe: Crispy Sesame Chicken

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 until crisp, Chinese Salt & Pepper Shrimp serves 4 in 35 minutes. Large shrimp are marinated in fish sauce, then coated with flour and cornstarch before frying. Red Thai chilies, garlic, ginger, scallions, whole peppercorns, coarse salt, and cilantro finish the pan. It gives the lineup a seafood option that is crisp instead of saucy. Serve with rice, noodles, or stir-fried vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Chinese Salt & Pepper Shrimp

Sweet and Sour Chicken

With pineapple and bell peppers, Sweet and Sour Chicken serves 4 in 35 minutes. Chicken breast cubes are coated with cornstarch and corn flour, fried, then mixed with garlic, ginger, pineapple, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, onion, and a sauce made with pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar. It answers the classic takeout craving with a homemade pan. Serve over steamed rice.
Get the Recipe: Sweet and Sour Chicken

Egg Roll

A wooden tray with spring rolls and lime wedges lined with parchment paper sits next to a small bowl of dipping sauce on a light surface. — Egg Roll. Photo credit: Hungry Cooks Kitchen.

Fried until golden, Egg Roll makes 12 servings in 30 minutes. Ground pork cooks with ginger, garlic powder, soy sauce, green onions, and coleslaw mix before being wrapped in egg roll wrappers and sealed with a flour-and-water paste. The recipe fries them in oil until crisp. It rounds out a takeout-style dinner because egg rolls can sit beside fried rice, chow mein, soup, or saucy chicken.
Get the Recipe: Egg Roll

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.

Fresh and lighter than a fried dish, Chinese Lemon Shredded Chicken serves 4 in 25 minutes. Drumsticks are cooked with ginger and Shaoxing wine, then the shredded meat is served with cucumber, carrots, onion, cilantro, garlic, toasted sesame, chili, sesame oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, oyster sauce, lemon zest, salt, and sugar. It works for takeout-style nights when something chilled or room temperature sounds better than another heavy sauce.
Get the Recipe: Chinese Lemon Shredded Chicken

Air Fryer Honey Walnut Shrimp

A plate of honey walnut shrimp topped with green onions. — Air Fryer Honey Walnut Shrimp. Photo credit: My Reliable Recipes.

Using the air fryer instead of deep frying, Air Fryer Honey Walnut Shrimp serves 4 in 45 minutes. Jumbo shrimp get coated with egg and cornstarch, then cooked at 400°F before being tossed with mayonnaise, rice vinegar, honey, and caramelized walnuts made with brown sugar and water. It fits the takeout theme because it brings that creamy shrimp-and-walnut idea home with less oil. Serve right away with rice.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Honey Walnut Shrimp

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.

Ready in 25 minutes, Copycat Panda Express Teriyaki Chicken serves 4 with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, brown sugar, soy sauce, water, garlic powder, ground ginger, cornstarch, oil, salt, and pepper. The sauce thickens in the skillet after the chicken browns. It works when the order is usually teriyaki chicken and rice. Slice the chicken after resting and serve with white rice, scallions, and sesame seeds.
Get the Recipe: Copycat Panda Express Teriyaki Chicken

Vegetable Stir Fry

For a vegetable-heavy plate, Vegetable Stir Fry serves 4 in 27 minutes. Broccolini, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, mushrooms, green onion, sesame seeds, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey or maple syrup, sesame oil, and cornstarch make up the dish. It gives the lineup a meatless dinner or side that still feels takeout-adjacent. Serve over rice or add tofu, tempeh, beans, or nuts.
Get the Recipe: Vegetable Stir Fry

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.

Finished in a sticky citrus sauce, Panda Express Orange Chicken serves 4 in 30 minutes. Chicken breast pieces get coated with flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper, then fried and tossed with low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, fresh orange juice, and garlic. It belongs here because orange chicken is one of the easiest takeout habits to fall back on. Serve hot with rice and green onions.
Get the Recipe: Panda Express Orange 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.

Ready in 30 minutes, Wonton Soup serves 4 with sesame oil, fresh ginger, garlic, shiitake mushrooms, broccolini, low-sodium chicken broth, frozen wontons, soy sauce, and green onion. The frozen wontons keep the soup practical while the broth still gets ginger and garlic flavor. It fits the repeated-takeout angle because soup often comes with the order. Serve before stir-fry or with egg rolls and rice.
Get the Recipe: Wonton Soup

Chicken Fried Rice

Cooked in one wok or skillet, Chicken Fried Rice serves 4 in 35 minutes. Diced chicken breast, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, frozen peas, carrots, red bell pepper, green onions, eggs, cooked white rice, and soy sauce build the dish. The rice makes it filling enough to stand alone or support other takeout-style plates. Serve it with orange chicken, sesame chicken, egg rolls, or wonton soup.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Fried Rice

Scallion Pancakes

After a resting period, Scallion Pancakes serve 4 in 1 hour and 10 minutes. The dough uses flour, salt, boiling water, and cool water, while the filling uses chopped scallions, peanut oil, and vegetable oil for pan-frying. A dipping sauce made with soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar or rice vinegar, and sugar finishes the plate. These work as the side that makes a homemade takeout night feel more complete.
Get the Recipe: Scallion Pancakes

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.

Ready in 25 minutes, Shrimp Toast serves 4 with whole wheat bread, raw shrimp or prawns, shredded carrots, romaine lettuce, sprouts, Parmesan, lime, coconut oil, chili seasoning, rosemary, cayenne, smoked paprika, sesame seeds, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. The shrimp cooks quickly before being layered onto toasted bread. It fits this roundup as a snack-style takeout order that can help round out dinner.
Get the Recipe: Shrimp Toast

Egg Drop Soup

Simple and fast, Egg Drop Soup serves 4 in 20 minutes. Eggs, cornstarch, toasted sesame oil, ground ginger, garlic, pepper, Sichuan pepper, chicken broth, green onions, cilantro, and chili oil make up the bowl. The egg ribbons form as the beaten egg is stirred into simmering broth. It belongs here because it gives the meal a soup option without a long ingredient list. Serve with fried rice or egg rolls.
Get the Recipe: Egg Drop Soup

Chicken Chow Mein

Ready in 30 minutes, Chicken Chow Mein serves 4 with sliced chicken thighs, chow mein noodles, cabbage, carrot, red bell pepper, green onions, garlic, vegetable oil, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, chicken broth, cornstarch, and brown sugar. The noodles and vegetables make the pan feel complete without needing much else. It works when the takeout order is usually noodles. Serve warm with soup or crispy shrimp.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Chow Mein