35 Quick and Easy Chinese Dinners You Can Make at Home (2024)

Pot Stickers (Chinese Dumplings)

Potstickers are traditionally made with pork, but these dumplings feature ground shrimp and beef. The recipe makes a lot of filling, so make extra dumplings (and don't forget to buy extra gyoza wrappers) for future meals or unexpected guests. To store extras, place the prepared potstickers on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze, then transfer them to a zip-top plastic bag, label, and date. You can fry them from frozen (and add a little extra cooking time) or defrost them for a few minutes on the countertop. Serve these dumplings with soy sauce or whip up an Easy Asian Dipping Sauce.

Authentic Chinese Egg Rolls

"This is very authentic because my family is Chinese, and I am, too," says recipe submitter Mendy L. "This recipe is at least 300 years old in the Ling family."

Crab Rangoon

Whether you bake or deep-fry these dumplings, you're in for delicious results. "Very good! I always order these when I eat Chinese," Diana says. "I do prefer them deep fried because it just gives them a little extra crunch."

Chinese Chicken Wings

"I loved this. It's easy to put together with items readily available in your pantry. The marinade imparts good flavor yet doesn't overpower the chicken. I marinated the chicken overnight and finished the wings on the grill," says Deb C. "It's great as is, but next time I may try a little minced fresh ginger to add some complexity."

• Explore all of our Chinese appetizers.

Egg Drop Soup

This warming and comforting soup is super easy to make by whipping eggs into hot chicken broth, and then topping it with chives or green onions. If you like your soup a bit thicker, add a touch more cornstarch. If you're looking to cut down on salt, use a low-sodium chicken broth or boullion cube, since the soy sauce will have plenty of flavor. Toss in a handful of frozen corn for more texture, and leave out the food coloring if you don't have any on hand.

Wonton Soup

"I am of Chinese descent, and these are great!" says MichelleM. "I grew up going to authentic wonton noodle houses and also helped my parents make them at home too. The wontons must be cooked in boiling water separately and then served with chicken stock. I have made these many times and different variations."

Chinese Spicy Hot And Sour Soup

"Excellent! Like many, I couldn't find tiger lily buds and wood ear mushrooms, so I used lots of dried shiitake and oyster mushrooms. I also added a bit more sour by putting in an extra tablespoon of rice vinegar." — KSKEMP

Chinese Lion's Head Soup

"This is my family's version of lion's head soup and for me it is the best type of comfort food! It is best served with white sticky rice, and wonderful enjoyed on a cold winter day," recipe submitter Lei Lei Wyatt says.

General Tsao's Chicken II

The trick to this spicy-sweet chicken dish is to fry the chicken twice. However, if you're short on time or oil, you can simply stir-fry the chicken (thighs or breast chunks work great) in your pan, remove them and make the sauce, then stir everything back together. If you don't have peanuts on hand, cashews are an excellent substitute. Dial up or down the heat to your taste by adding or removing chilies. This dish pairs perfectly with steamed rice and broccoli.

Honey Sesame Chicken

"Skip ordering takeout and prepare this easy, Asian-inspired honey sesame chicken that's deep-fried and smothered in a sweet and zesty sauce," says Bren. "Garnish with thinly sliced green onions, if desired."

Sweet and Sour Chicken I

"Fantastic and easy-to-prepare recipe. My husband normally isn't a person to eat leftovers but after eating this dish he ran for seconds and took the leftovers in his lunch as well. Definitely a keeper." — KALLESTA

Kung Pao Chicken

"I've been to 90% of the Chinese restaurants in the metro area I live in. And hey, this stuff passes the test. It's the first time I've tried cooking Chinese, and I can't believe how easy it was. Further, it turned out fabulous. It's as good or better than most Chinese restaurants." — CURTISLEE

Sweet and Spicy Sesame Chicken

"This has to be one of the best Asian recipes on here, and I have tried a good handful," reviewer chanelle2010 says. "If you cut down on the chicken and replace it with some broccoli, you get a nice, balanced meal."

Chef John's Cashew Chicken

"This is a fantastic way to use up some leftover grilled chicken breasts. This will work with any kind of cooked chicken, but leftover grilled chicken has that little bit of smokiness that adds something special to this quick recipe. Serve over hot cooked rice." — Chef John

• Find more Chinese chicken main dishes here.

Sesame Beef

So quick and easy, this beef dish can be prepped and marinated several hours or overnight, then it's only a matter of quickly cooking it on the stove top to get dinner on the table. Double the marinade, soak the meat with half and reserve the rest for serving with the beef as a sauce over rice or noodles.

Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

"I loved everything about this marinade," home cook Saveur says. "Only addition was a glug of rice wine vinegar. With all of the sweet going on, I felt it needed a little acid balance. Hubs grilled to perfection. A keeper!"

• See all of our Chinese pork main dishes.

Restaurant Style Beef and Broccoli

"A classic blend of seasonings and ingredients as well as an accurate cooking method," reviewer naples34102 says. "I prepared this exactly as written, and it was perfect — just as I had anticipated it would be."

Mongolian Beef and Spring Onions

"This was great. The flavor was just like takeout! I increased to six servings and only used half of the sugar. I also only had ground ginger, but it was still good. Even better the next day! Really easy to make, also. Next time, I am going to add some Chinese hot pepper for some spice. This is a keeper." — jadedgurl

Ma Po Tofu

"My husband and I have traveled throughout Asia and Ma Po Tofu is one of our favorites. We have ordered it wherever available. This recipe is by far the best Ma Po Tofu we have ever eaten! I am amazed and absolutely thrilled to have found it." — zernike

Honey Walnut Shrimp

This is a Hong Kong-style recipe that is popular at dim sum restaurants. It can be served as a main dish on its own, or as an appetizer. If you're avoiding gluten in your diet, substitute cornstarch for the wheat flour. In fact, many of our reviewers preferred making the recipe this way.

Szechwan Shrimp

"You have to give anything this fast, healthy and so full of flavor five stars. Note, this isn't a recipe for small children or others with a tongue that can't handle heat. I'd cut back on the red pepper quite a bit if you want to achieve that. For me, however, the recipe worked perfectly as is. As others suggested I doubled the ingredients for the sauce and it's worth noting that this great sauce can be made well in advance," Tony Bibbs says.

Steamed Fish with Ginger

"This really is a very authentic Asian-style fish," Joanne Kao Shirley says. "Reminded me of my mom cooking in the kitchen when I was growing up, and she's about as authentic as you get! Very tasty. My husband love, love, loved it! And it's a very healthy dish, too."

Shrimp with Broccoli in Garlic Sauce

"It's so good that my husband thought I bought take out! I cooked the shrimp in garlic, which added some extra seasoning. Then added the broccoli and sauce. Delish!" — J&J_MAMA

• Explore all of our Chinese seafood main dishes.

Green Onion Cakes

When you're looking for something lighter, or the perfect side dish to soak up sauces, try these pancakes. Toss in a little extra onion powder to boost the flavor, and make a double batch to freeze for later.

Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

"Love, love, loved this. Pretty much made as written except the following: three cloves of fresh pressed garlic in lieu of garlic powder, chicken broth in lieu of water, and 1/2 tbsp. each of Chinese garlic chili paste and Chinese chili paste in lieu of crushed red pepper flakes. I couldn't believe how wonderful this turned out — better than a restaurant. I was very impressed and will make this again and again," Shar E. says.

Tofu Peanut Stir-Fry

"This is absolutely the best way to eat tofu, especially for first timers. The tofu has a slightly crunchy exterior while the inside is nice and soft. I used to make my stir-fry with chicken or beef, but my husband won't have it any way other than tofu now! And my two year old loves it. It is a delicious, easy, quick, and inexpensive meal. Serve with Asian noodles or with steamed rice," Ani says.

Orange Beef-Style Tofu Stir-Fry

"I did what other reviewers suggested: made extra sauce and added more veggies. Addictive! Very easy and truly delicious." — darmstro67

Lo Mein Noodles

It doesn't get easier than this: Spaghetti noodles are tossed in pantry staples (soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and honey) along with crisp vegetables, for the perfect side dish. Want to make it a main course? Cook a bit of your favorite meat or fish in the pan first, then set it aside while you prepare the rest of the recipe. This is a great way to use up any leftover cooked chicken or vegetables in the fridge.

Fried Rice Restaurant Style

"Really easy and yummy," Tonia Dillard Rhodes says. "If you want it to taste like true restaurant-style fried rice, you need to put the rice only in a pot over high heat and stir it around for about five minutes or so before cooking. It helps the grains of rice stay separate and less sticky. I also used frozen peas and carrots from a bag. Worked great!"

Chinese Chicken Fried Rice II

"Love this one! I used thawed frozen mixed veggies and added them after everything. Made for a very quick and easy recipe," mommy block says. "My three year old loves fried rice when we are out, so this was an excellent dinner for her!"

• More Fried Rice Recipes

Chow Mein with Chicken and Vegetables

"Chow mein is a mild dish with subtle flavors. It is not a heavily-spiced or spicy dish. I prepared this dish exactly as written being very careful with accuracy in measuring," writes cookin'gal. "The chicken was very flavorful and moist. I did salt it slightly after browning it in the pan. The veggies added the right amount of crunch and sweetness."

• More Ideas for Chow Mein

Hong Kong Style Egg Tarts

We hoped you saved a little room for dessert. If it helps, know that you can store your leftover egg tarts in the fridge for up to three days.

Almond Cookies (Dim Sum Variety)

"These almond cookies are what you would typically find in Chinese dim sum restaurants in Hawaii. A lot of these neighborhood dim sum stores/restaurants have closed down recently, so it's nice to be able to still enjoy these cookies from your own kitchen. If you enjoy the flavor of almonds, you'll love these cookies. This is a simple recipe and is a favorite in my family." — WISHME

Fried Ice Cream

"Delicious! I've tried making fried ice cream so many times, and this recipe has turned out the best. Very simple, just make sure you let it all freeze for a long time. It — NEANE THE BEAN

Homemade Fortune Cookies

Last but not least, fortune cookies will complete any takeout-inspired meal. The best part of making them at home? You get to make your own paper fortunes!

More Inspiration

• 21 Recipes to Celebrate Chinese New Year
• Our 20 Best Stir-Fry Recipes
• 11 Top-Rated Lo Mein Recipes Ready in About 30 Minutes