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    Home » Take Out Dinner Ideas

    Easy Moo Shu Chicken (Slow Cooker/Instant Pot Recipe)

    Published: Aug 27, 2024 · Modified: Aug 27, 2024 by Jessica Fisher

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    Moo Shu Chicken is an easy and delicious meal to serve on busy weeknights. It cooks hands-free in the slow cooker or pressure cooker and freezes beautifully so don’t hesitate to make a double batch.

    A riff on traditional Moo Shu Pork, this easy Mu Shu chicken is lighter and easier, using small flour tortillas in place of traditional mandarin pancakes so that you can enjoy a delicious dish without a lot of fuss.

    a platter of moo shu chicken on tortillas with toppings. this …

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    Table of Contents
    • Why Make This Homemade Moo Shu Chicken?
    • Ingredients
    • Step by Step Instructions
    • Recipe Tips
    • More Take-Out Fake-Outs
    • Moo Shu Chicken

    When you’re craving Chinese food, you may or may not have a legit local Chinese restaurant to feed that craving. That’s when it can be helpful to have some cheater versions of your faves to make at home.

    This Moo Shu, or Mu Shu Chicken is that kind of dish!

    Traditionally moo shu is a stir fry dish made with shredded pork, scallions, and wild mushrooms served with thin pancakes. This Moo Shu Chicken offers a few shortcuts that make it a delightful weeknight dinner.

    Cook chicken thighs or breasts in a savory chicken marinade in the slow cooker for a tender, shredded chicken filling that tastes amazing.

    Why Make This Homemade Moo Shu Chicken?

    It’s easy to make since the slow cooker or Instant Pot does all the work and you can substitute tortillas for the moo shu wrappers.

    It’s delicious, full of crisp and fresh textures, and a little sweet and savory party of flavors. 

    It’s freezer friendly. Just cook the meat in advance to freeze; reheat at your convenience. This is great meal to make freezer kits for. Just include a packet of tortillas with the meat and add the savory sauce and green cabbage when you serve it later.

    The prep time involved is very minimal; the flavor return is huge. Use leftover chicken in Chicken Fried Rice or in this Asian Cabbage Salad.

    collage of recipes included in meal plan 8, with text overlay

    Get Meal Plan 8

    Looking for easy meals that even your picky kid will eat but don’t have hours of time to meal plan? Grab our free 3-day meal plan featuring this recipe. Meal Plan 8 will slice your kitchen time in half.

    ingredients for moo shu chicken laid out on a white counter.

    Ingredients

    Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy moo shu chicken recipe in the slow cooker:

    boneless skinless chicken – You can use chicken breasts, tenders, thighs, or even a whole chicken. Use what you find on sale for best pricing.

    homemade marinade – You’ll need water, soy sauce, sesame oil, dry sherry, fresh ginger, fresh garlic, and black pepper for the homemade marinade.

    green onion – chopped scallions are traditional in any moo shu recipe and add a bit of freshness and bite to the chicken.

    taco-sized flour tortillas – These are an easy substitute for traditional moo shu pancakes.

    packaged cole slaw mix – You can certainly shred a whole cabbage, but it’s a lot easier and pretty cheap to buy a bag of shredded cabbage, usually with some carrots added for color.

    hoisin or plum sauce – these are nice for topping each serving of Moo Shu Chicken. If you prefer a less sweet sauce, you might try a kick of sriracha. Not authentic, but delicious, nonetheless.

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    Get Meal Plan 10

    This recipe is featured in one of our popular FREE, 3-day meal plans. Get Meal Plan 10, featuring fun pizza sandwiches, a hearty jambalaya, and moo shu chicken.

    Step by Step Instructions

    This is a very basic recipe for Moo Shu Chicken:

    moo shu chicken sauce in white bowl with whisk.
    chicken breasts and sauce in pot of instant pot.
    cooked chicken breast in the instant pot.
    shredded chicken in dish with elements for serving surrounding.

    Cook and prepare the chicken – Place the chicken tenders in the crock of a large slow cooker or instant pot.

    In a small bowl, combine the water, soy sauce, sesame oil, sherry, ginger, garlic, and pepper. Pour this homemade sauce mixture over the chicken in the crock. Cover.

    • For slow cooker: Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours.
    • For instant pot: Pressure cook for 13 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release.

    The chicken will be fall-apart tender.

    Shred the cooked chicken. And then go ahead and moisten with some of the juices. Add the scallions and toss gently. 

    Prepare each serving. To serve, spread a thin layer of plum or hoisin sauce on each tortilla. Add a small amount of chicken on top. Add the coleslaw mix. Drizzle with more sauce and serve.

    a platter with moo shu chicken on tortillas with toppings surrounding the platter.

    Serving Suggestions: Moo Shu Chicken is delicious served in a buffet of stir fries and other Asian-style recipes, such as Potstickers with Dipping Sauce and Sheetpan Cashew Chicken. Vegetable Chow Mein is a nice side dish.

    How to Make a Meal Prep: Divide the chicken mixture into single-serve meal prep containers with airtight lids. Store the toppings and tortillas separately. Reheat the chicken before assembling and serving.

    Make a Plan for Leftovers: Leftover Moo Shu Chicken is good for up to 4 days in the fridge. If you store leftovers in clear air-tight containers you’re more likely to notice them and make sure they get eaten. The cooked meat is great in Asian Bowls.

    Freeze Extras for Later: Chill the cooked chicken until completely cold. Package in an airtight container in portions you will want to serve later. Store in the freezer for up to 6 weeks. Thaw and reheat to serve.

    Recipe Tips

    Working the Good Cheap Eats System will help you lower the price of your Moo Shu Chicken. Here are some specific strategies you can use to make this recipe more economical:

    • Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. This ensures that you’ll have your ingredients at the lowest possible price. Load up on chicken and tortillas when you see a sale.
    • Plan meals with similar ingredients. Certain Asian sauces can be expensive or hard to find. Make a plan to use up your hoisin, soy sauce, and sesame oil in other Asian-style dishes so you don’t let those ingredients go to waste.
    • Freeze extra for later. Moo Shu Chicken freezes very well. Store leftover in the freezer to serve in a future meal.
    a platter of mu shu chicken with toppings next to the platter.

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    Tell us what you think!

    We love to hear your experiences with Good Cheap Eats. Click the STARS on the recipe card or leave a STARRED comment to let us know what you think of the recipe.

    close up overhead shot of moo shu chicken in tortillas.

    Moo Shu Chicken

    Moo Shu Chicken is an easy and delicious meal that you can make ahead to freeze. A riff on traditional Moo Shu Pork, chicken lightens the dish, while flour tortillas make things easy.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Chinese
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 4 hours hours
    Total Time: 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 126kcal
    Author: Jessica Fisher
    Cost: $8

    Ingredients

    • 2.5 lb boneless skinless chicken pieces
    • ½ cup water
    • ½ cup soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
    • 1 tablespoon dry sherry
    • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (grated)
    • 1 clove garlic chopped
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 3 green onion chopped
    • 12 taco-sized flour tortillas
    • 1 6-ounce package cole slaw mix
    • plum or hoisin sauce
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    • Place the chicken pieces in the crock of a large slow cooker or Instant pot.
    • In a small bowl, combine the water, soy sauce, sesame oil, sherry, ginger, garlic, and pepper. Pour this mixture over the chicken. Cover.
    • For slow cooker: Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours.
    • For instant pot: Cook on manual for 13 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release.
    • Shred the chicken and moisten with some of the juices. Add the scallions and toss gently.
    • To serve, spread a thin layer of sauce on the tortillas and place a small amount of chicken on each tortilla. Top with coleslaw mix. Add more sauce if desired.

    Notes

    Promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. Leftover chicken can be used in salads, sandwiches, and fried rice.
    Nutritional values are approximate and based on 1/12 the recipe.
    Serving Suggestions: Moo Shu Chicken is delicious served in a buffet of stir fries and other Asian-style recipes, such as Potstickers with Dipping Sauce and Cashew Chicken. Vegetable Chow Mein is a nice side dish.
    How to Make a Meal Prep: Divide the chicken mixture into single-serve meal prep containers with airtight lids. Store the toppings and tortillas separately. Reheat the chicken before assembling and serving.
    Make a Plan for Leftovers: Leftover Moo Shu Chicken is good for up to 4 days in the fridge. If you store leftovers in clear air-tight containers you’re more likely to notice them and make sure they get eaten. The cooked meat is great in Asian Bowls.
    Freeze Extras for Later: Chill the cooked chicken until completely cold. Package in an airtight container in portions you will want to serve later. Store in the freezer for up to 6 weeks. Thaw and reheat to serve.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 651mg | Potassium: 381mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 59IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Tell us what you think! Your reviews help us develop better recipes and give newcomers the confidence to try your favorites. Scroll down to leave a starred comment.

    This post was originally published on July 11, 2016. It has been updated for content and clarity. Special thanks to Jessika Leonard for sharing this idea with me!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Molly

      October 05, 2024 at 7:08 am

      5 stars
      This is my kind of cooking – put meat in instant pot, add sauce, cook, put on tortillas with salad stuff.
      When this recipe showed up in my email last week, I immediately went out to get the few ingredients I was missing in order to make it. Massive success. I used tonkatsu sauce instead of hoisin/plum (because that’s what I had), and it worked well!
      So, thanks for the recipe and the email!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        October 07, 2024 at 10:32 am

        Yay! So glad to hear it was a success. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, Molly. I appreciate it!

        Reply
    2. Bobbi

      September 26, 2024 at 8:04 am

      5 stars
      Looks delicious!

      Reply
    3. Deja

      June 04, 2024 at 3:12 pm

      5 stars
      Easy and delicious.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        June 05, 2024 at 7:50 am

        Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!

        Reply
    4. Leslie

      April 29, 2023 at 1:53 pm

      What’s an easy side for this? Veggie dippers?

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        April 29, 2023 at 2:52 pm

        This would be really yummy with it – just omit the chicken. https://goodcheapeats.com/asian-cabbage-salad-chicken-mandarin-oranges/

        Reply
    5. Julia

      March 20, 2023 at 3:27 pm

      5 stars
      Fantastic flavors and super easy for a weeknight meal!

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        March 22, 2023 at 1:57 pm

        So glad to hear it!

        Reply
    6. Adrienne

      October 11, 2021 at 2:41 pm

      5 stars
      Where have you been all my life?! Wow! Party in my mouth! I’m gluten free so I just had it on a bed of coleslaw and made my own hoisen sauce. Here is the sauce recipe I used: https://omnivorescookbook.com/homemade-hoisin-sauce/

      My non gf family had it on tortillas. It’s a winner! 🙂

      Reply
    7. Deja

      April 27, 2020 at 7:34 am

      5 stars
      I’ve never been disappointed trying any of Jessica’s recipes. With 6 kids, there’s usually at least 1 naysayer for every recipe. This is a winner for all 6.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        June 02, 2020 at 1:10 pm

        Yay! Thanks for the feedback!

        Reply
    8. Lindsey

      August 15, 2019 at 11:06 am

      How would this do in a pressure cooker?

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        August 15, 2019 at 1:38 pm

        Great idea! I’d cook it for about 14 minutes and then let the pressure release naturally.

        Reply
    9. Allie Z

      July 18, 2016 at 2:22 pm

      Looks tasty! I always order this dish at Chin’s. YUM

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        October 11, 2016 at 4:14 pm

        You could serve it in a lettuce wrap if you’re still GF.

        Reply
    10. Danielle

      July 14, 2016 at 2:40 pm

      Might have to try these, this was one of our favorite dishes back in the days before kids. I wonder if my girls will eat it.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        October 11, 2016 at 4:14 pm

        I left all the components separate and let my kids put on what they wanted.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Jessica! I'm a 4x cookbook author and 6x mom. I know what it is to be in a hurry and on a budget. I believe anyone can prepare delicious meals -- no matter what's on their plate. I've been featured on Good Morning America, PBS News Hour, and NBC.

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