If you don't have a wok, you can use a wide heavy skillet. Once ready to finish, just push everything back to the bottom to heat and finish. While not necessary, a wok is the best way to prepare chop suey because of its unique shape which allows you to cook food quickly on the bottom of the pan, and then move pieces up the sides where it's cooler. In the end, add everything back to the pan along with the sauce to coat and heat them up. You can also remove veggies at any time during the cooking process to keep them "crisp-tender". You need to add them in layers, so the cabbage does not become a soggy mess while you are waiting for your onions, celery, and peppers to become tender. The only thing that really needs attention is how you add your vegetables. The finishing sauce for this Chicken Chop Suey is a quick mix of chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Marinating the meat for about 15 minutes adds an additional level of flavor, but is not entirely necessary. Once the veggies are prepped, this dish goes together quickly.
When making this recipe, feel free to substitute any of those, including chicken breast, for chicken thighs. Chop Suey is the English translation of the Chinese words "tsap seui" which means mixed pieces.īoth chop suey and chow mein can be made vegetarian, or with chicken, pork, beef, or shrimp. Chop suey was more likely invented in the United States by Chinese immigrants who wanted to make Chinese-style dishes but were limited in the types of vegetables available to them. Of the two, chow mein is considered to be more authentic China Chinese. Otherwise, they are pretty interchangeable. Chow Mein, on the other hand, is a stir-fry of vegetables with noodles already in the dish. Chop Suey vs Chow MeinĬhop Suey is a beautiful combination of vegetables in a mild sauce that is generally served with steamed rice. I had a half a head of Napa cabbage in the crisper, leftover from making my Better than Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad, and some bok choy in the garden, about ready to bolt, so I thought I would make a quick, healthy, low-fat, Chicken Chop Suey. "Once the vegetables are prepped, this delicious low-fat Chicken Chop Suey goes together quickly" The making of Chicken Chop Suey