In this Wandering Dragon Stir Fry the Chicken and shrimp are cooked together with plenty of vegetables, a delicious savory brown Chinese sauce, along with garlic and black pepper.
This takeaway style Chinese recipe is healthy and quick to make and it tastes so much better than takeout! Serve it with fried rice or noodles for a family dinner that is quick and healthy.
Plus I'll show you how to get the soft tender chicken just like your favorite takeaway.
I don't know about you but when I order takeout I have the standard things that I just ALWAYS order! And Wandering Dragon is one of them...It is the shrimp and chicken combo that I love. I mean that is double duty with two of my favorite proteins! Plus the veggies, Bell Peppers and Onions, are ones I love, I mean who doesn't love peppers and onions.
What is the Wandering Dragon Stir Fry?
Wandering Dragon Stir Fry is a popular dish in the UK, it is found in the Chef's Specialties section of most takeaway menus!
It is a combination of chicken and shrimp cooked together in a dark soy sauce based sauce, with black pepper and garlic, all mixed with plenty of crunchy bell peppers, melting onions and the fresh pop of green onions.
It is a little bit firey from the black pepper, but it is a Chinese warmth rather than a blow your heat off spice.
I haven't seen this on takeout menus in Australia or the US, which is just sad 🙁 (Try it guys you'll love it!)
How to get the soft chicken you get in a takeaway
The trick to the soft tender chicken is Baking Soda.
Baking soda is also called, Bicarbonate of Soda, Sodium Bicarbonate, and Bicarb. Just don't get it confused with baking powder. That will ruin your dish!
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To tenderize your chicken, first, cut it across the grain into think strips. Then you coat it in the baking soda, let it sit for 15 minutes and then wash it really well. It is SUPER important that the chicken is washed really well as baking soda tastes gross!
To wash the chicken, place the bowl in the sink and fill it with water, use your fingers to rub the chicken well, then drain and repeat twice. Finally, place the chicken into a sieve or colander and rinse it under a cold running tap.
It sounds time-consuming, but I promise it is worth it. Your chicken will be so soft and tender. You can tenderize the chicken in advance and then just keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.
Tips for making this Wandering Dragon Recipe
- Tenderize the chicken as talked about above
- Have the sauce ingredients mixed together before you start cooking.
- Use a large heavy-based skillet/fry pan to ensure that your stir fry cooks quickly, a skillet is often better than a wok in the home kitchen - you can read more about that here in "Do you need a wok"
- Mix up the veg to make sure your family will eat it. (I use only red and yellow bell peppers because my children avoid the green ones) you could add mushrooms, carrot disks, snow peas, broccoli anything that your family loves!
- Use the authentic ingredients (spoiler you can buy them all in the grocery store!)
The Authentic Ingredients in Wandering Dragon Stir Fry
Oyster Sauce – available in grocery stores (Lee Kum Kee Panda brand is my favorite)
Chinese Cooking Wine/Chinese Rice Wine – not to mistaken for rice wine vinegar!!! You can sub in dry sherry if you like.
Enjoy x
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Takeaway Style Wandering Dragon Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
To tenderize the chicken
- 1 chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon baking soda - see note 1
For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoon Chinese rice wine - see note 2
- 1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 3 garlic cloves - crushed
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup chicken broth - cold
- 11/2 tablespoon cornflour
For the Stir Fry
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion - peeled and chopped
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
- 12 raw large shrimp/prawns - shelled and de-veined
Instructions
Start with tenderizing the chicken
- Cut the chicken into thin strips across the grain.
- Place in a bowl and sprinkle with the baking soda.
- Let the chicken marinade for 15 minutes then wash off the baking soda and rinse the chicken several times. (See note 3)
- Pat dry with kitchen paper and set to one side.
Make the sauce.
- Combine the ingredients for the sauce together in a measuring cup or jug.
- Set to one side.
To make the wandering dragon stir fry
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, once the oil starts to shimmer add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes until almost cooked through. Remove from the pan.
- Add the remaining oil to the pan
- Add the onion fry for 1 minute.
- Add the bell peppers to the pan and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and then return the chicken to the pan.
- Cook for 2 minutes stirring well.
- Give the sauce another stir and then add it to the skillet and bring to a simmer.
- The sauce will start to thicken.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes until everything is cooked through and the sauce just coats the meat and veg.
- Remove from the heat and serve immediately.
Notes
- Baking Soda is also called Bicarb, Bicarbonate of Soda and Sodium Bicarbonate.
- Chinese Cooking Wine/Chinese Rice Wine – not to mistaken for rice wine vinegar!!! You can sub in dry sherry if you like.
- Make sure you wash the chicken really well to remove any traces of baking soda. It is amazing at tenderizing meat, but has a terrible taste so you want to remove it.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
Marybeth says
What is a good brand for Chinese cooking wine?
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
I usually buy the Double Phoenix brand from the local Asian grocers. But at the main grocery store, the most common one I get is Pandaroo.
Hope that helps 🙂
Cx
Ken says
I'm very allergic to crustaceans. What would be a good substitute for the shrimp? I was thinking beef or pork.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Hi Ken,
Pork or beef would work well.
For the beef I would use Flank, Skirt, Rump or Round Steaks cut into strips.
And for the pork I would use pork tenderloin cut into pieces.
I would tenderise them both in the same way as the chicken.
You can find more information about tenderising the beef in this post Cantonese Beef and Tomato
And you can tenderise the pork in the same way.
Hope that helps 🙂
Cx
Henry says
Really good recipe. However, I have never seen this on a takeaway menu in the Uk, or a restaurant.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Hi Henry,
Glad you enjoyed the recipe ☺️
It was in the Chef's Specialty section of the Chinese in the town where I grew up and then on the menu at the two takeaways shops closest to my house when I was at Uni.
And again it was a special when I lived in Grantham.
Odd that it isn't an item you have seen.
But hey, no matter, now we can make it at home anyway and avoid the takeaway 😉
Cx
ADRIAN HOWDEN says
Made it recently with a few tweeks and every one loved it. So I have to print out the recipes for them to take home. Thanks for the recipe. This will be a reguler in our household.
mavee125 says
This Wandering Dragon Stir Fry recipe is so good! I used Kikkoman Manjo Aji Mirin as substitute to the Chinese Rice Wine and it's absolutely delicious! It's my fam's new fave dish.
Julio says
I’ve made this twice now. I can’t believe how authentic it tastes. It’s like I just bought it from the Chinese takeaway. It’s also so quick to make (after the chicken prep lol). Am making it again tomorrow to take to work for my dinner
Claire McEwen says
Oh I am so pleased you enjoyed it 🙂
I love making takeaway dishes at home!
The chicken does take a bit of time, but so worth it for the soft Chinese style texture.
Cx
JOHN CARTWRIGHT says
in my top 10, of anything, i have ever ate
Darcy says
Really love this recipe, tastes exactly like the one from the Chinese takeaway here in the UK and it’s so yummy but much healthier!!
Juhi says
This recipe is a keeper. Made this yesterday, served with egg noodles and we licked the bowls clean. Thank-you!
Claire McEwen says
Oh I am so pleased you enjoyed it Juhi.
It is a favorite in our house too! (I actually bought some flank steak earlier today to make this in the week!)
Thank you for coming back to comment 🙂
Cx