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21 Chinese Recipes to Make You Forget About Takeout

It’s no secret that I love Chinese food. But I don’t love the cost of restaurants and takeout these days. Here are 21 quick and easy Chinese recipes that are so delicious, you’ll forget all about your favorite place to grab dinner to go. Stir up some magic in your wok tonight and everyone will be happy.

Collage of Chinese takeout recipes.

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Dan Dan Noodles

dan dan noodles in a white bowl with chopsticks.

Dan Dan Noodles are famous for their use of mouth-numbing Sichuan peppercorns. This recipe, which combines ground pork, tender greens, and spicy, mouth-tingling seasonings, is utterly irresistible. It’s easy to make, too!
Get the Recipe: Dan Dan Noodles

Char Siu Bao

char siu bao

Char Siu Bao are one of my go-to orders at any dim sum meal. And it turns out, they’re not that hard to make at home. The fluffy buns filled with sweet-savory char siu filling are so satisfying.
Get the Recipe: Char Siu Bao

Salt and Pepper Chicken

A low-angle shot of a pile of Chinese Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings on a parchment-paper lined platter.

Like Dan Dan Noodles, Salt and Pepper Chicken also relies on Szechuan peppercorns for their addictive mouth-tingling effect. Deep fried and topped with stir-fried hot chile peppers and garlic, this dish is crunchy, spicy, and addictive.
Get the Recipe: Salt and Pepper Chicken

Crispy Beef

low angle shot of a plate of crispy chilli beef.

Crispy Chilli Beef is one of my favorite Chinese restaurant dishes—strips of tender beef are fried until crispy and then tossed in a sticky, sweet, spicy sauce. It’s easy to make at home, and no deep fryer is needed!
Get the Recipe: Crispy Beef

Char Siu

sliced char siu with chopsticks.

I love to make Char siu in the Instant Pot and finish it either on the grill or in the air fryer to get delicious crispy, caramelized edges. I’ll serve some straight away and use the leftovers for Char Siu Bao.
Get the Recipe: Char Siu

Kung Pao Chicken

kung pao chicken with red chiles, peanuts, and scallions in a bowl with steamed white rice.

This kung pao chicken is just like what you get at your favorite Chinese takeout restaurant. Tender bits of chicken (I like to use chicken thighs for the tenderest, juciest, and most flavorful pieces of meat), crunchy peanuts, a sweet-savory sauce, and the kick of dried red chile peppers all come together to make one delicious dish.
Get the Recipe: Kung Pao Chicken

Wonton Soup

Low angle shot of a bowl of the soup.

Pork and Shrimp Wonton Soup is one of my favorite Chinese soups. The savory broth is studded with juicy, flavorful homemade wontons (or you can substitute store-bought frozen wontons if you prefer). It’s delicious, comforting, and can be on the table in less than 30 minutes.
Get the Recipe: Wonton Soup

Chicken Potstickers

Overhead shot of chicken dumplings with chili oil.

Chicken Potstickers make a great appetizer or snack, but I also like to serve them as a main course along with some stir-fried or steamed veggies. These are nice and crispy on the bottom and filled with a flavorful mixture of chicken and seasonings.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Potstickers

Dry Fried Green Beans

chinese dry fried green beans on a plate with chopsticks

Chinese dry fried green beans are a classic Sichuan dish. Tender green beans are seared in a hot wok or skillet along with bacon, garlic, ginger, and fiery dried red peppers.
Get the Recipe: Dry Fried Green Beans

Chicken Hot and Sour Soup

overhead shot of two bowls of hot and sour soup with chicken.

Chicken Hot and Sour Soup is filled with mushrooms, bamboo shoots, tender pieces of chicken, tofu, and ribbons of egg. It’s quick and easy to make and so satisfying.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Hot and Sour Soup

Fried Wontons

low angle shot of a plate of fried wontons with a bowl of sweet chili dipping sauce.

These crunchy fried pork and shrimp wontons are totally addictive. They’re filled with a classic combination of pork and shrimp with Chinese seasonings.
Get the Recipe: Fried Wontons

Har Gow

low angle shot of 4 har gow shrimp dumplings in a bamboo steamer basket

Har Gow is a must for me at any dim sum restaurant, but it turns out they’re actually pretty easy to make at home. These plump Chinese shrimp dumplings have a delicate flavor and equally delicate translucent wrapper.
Get the Recipe: Har Gow

Mongolian Chicken

Overhead shot of the Mongolian chicken in a bowl.

Mongolian Chicken, like Mongolian Beef, is a restaurant favorite. Tender chicken pieces are fried to a golden-brown crisp and then tossed in a sweet-savory, gingery hoisin-based sauce studded with fresh green onions.
Get the Recipe: Mongolian Chicken

Pork Fried Rice

I love using leftover Char Siu (or any delicious pork) to make Pork Fried Rice! This version has carrots, peas, and eggs, too.
Get the Recipe: Pork Fried Rice

Sesame Chicken

sesame chicken on a plate with pea shoots and chopsticks

This sesame chicken is quickly air fried to a crispy crunch, then tossed in a sweet-savory sesame sauce. This one is on repeat at my house.
Get the Recipe: Sesame Chicken

Sesame Noodles

low-angle shot of chinese sesame noodles on a black plate. Next to it is a blue and white serving bowl with sesame noodles in it. There is also a jar of chile crisp. The table is dark brown wood.

Wheat noodles tossed with ground pork and a rich sesame-based sauce that combines sesame paste, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger, are a real crowd-pleaser. You can even use regular spaghetti for this dish if that’s what you have on hand.
Get the Recipe: Sesame Noodles

Singapore Noodles

singapore noodles on a white plate.

Singapore Rice Noodles are delicious—seasoned with curry powder. and studded with sliced Char Siu or Chinese Roast Pork, prawns, bits of egg, julienned carrots, thinly sliced onions, and scrambled eggs.
Get the Recipe: Singapore Noodles

Sweet and Sour Tofu

Low angle shot of a bowl of sweet and sour tofu.

Sweet and Sour Tofu perfectly plays sweet and savory flavors against a backdrop of crispy tofu. This vegetarian takeout classic is easy to make at home. In just 30 minutes, you can have your favorite vegan Chinese takeout meal.
Get the Recipe: Sweet and Sour Tofu

Szechuan Shrimp

A photograph of cooked Szechuan shrimp in a skillet.

Spicy Szechuan Shrimp is one of my favorite Chinese dishes to make at home. It’s super quick and so full of spicy flavor. Hot bean paste, chili oil, and Szechuan peppercorns give it a kick!
Get the Recipe: Szechuan Shrimp

Vegetarian Dan Dan Noodles

Vegetarian Dan Dan Noodles defy tradition since the traditional topping for the fiery noodles normally starts with ground pork. But give this meatless version a try and you won’t be disappointed.
Get the Recipe: Vegetarian Dan Dan Noodles

Tanghulu

Tanghulu is a recent TikTok phenomenon, but it’s a classic Chinese street food favorite. Fresh fruit gets a crispy, crunchy candy shell that’s fun to eat and delicious.
Get the Recipe: Tanghulu

By on May 18th, 2023

ABOUT ROBIN DONOVAN

Hi, I’m Robin! I am a full-time food blogger, recipe developer, and cookbook author. I spend my days cooking, writing about, and photographing food.

I’m the author of more than 50 cookbooks, including Ramen for Beginners5 Ingredient Cooking for TwoSushi at HomeThe Baking Cookbook for Teens, and the bestselling Campfire Cuisine.

My food writing has also been featured in major print and online pubications including Cooking Light, Fitness, San Jose Mercury News, San Francisco Chronicle, and others. → More about Robin

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