Chop Suey Recipe (Chopsuí)

Plate of Chopsuí and Rice (Dominican-Style Chop Suey) seen from above

Chop Suey (Chopsuí) is one of the three most popular recipes in Chinese-Dominican culinary culture, and it is as light a dish as you make it.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Chinese, Dominican

Keyword chicken chop suey recipe, chop suey dishes, chow suey, dominican chinese

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 23 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 352kcal

Author Clara Gonzalez

Ingredients

1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup soy sauce (low-sodium)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoons oil for frying (peanut, soy or corn)
2 pound chicken breasts [0.9 kg], skinned and cut into thin strips
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
1 celery stalk cut into slices
½ cup green peas cut into slices
1 piece ginger cut into very fine slices
1 large carrot cut into thin strips
1 head broccoli cut into florets
2 cloves garlic cut into thin slices
1 bell pepper cut into thin strips
1 pack pak choi cut into slices (optional)
1 pound baby corn [0.22 kg] cut into halves
1 stalk leek cut into slices

Instructions

Make sauce: Mix sugar, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Set aside.
Season chicken: Pat dry the chicken. Season with a pinch of pepper and a pinch of salt.
Brown chicken: Heat the oil in a wok (see notes) over very high heat.
Add the chicken and cook and stir constantly until it turns golden brown.
Add vegetables: Stir in the celery, peas and ginger, cook and stir for 30 seconds.
Add the carrot, broccoli, and garlic, cook and stir for 30 seconds.
Add the bell pepper, pak choi, baby corn, and leek, cook stirring for 30 seconds.
Add sauce: Add the soy sauce mix and cook stirring for 30 seconds, or until the sauce has thickened a bit.
Serve: Remove from the heat and serve immediately accompanied with arroz blanco.

Notes

For proper stir-frying, you need a seasoned wok and a high-flame burner. If you don't have either, the next best thing is to use a flat-bottomed cast-iron frying pan at the highest temperature your stovetop reaches.

The secret ingredient in Chinese restaurants is MSG, available under the name brand Aji-no-moto (and others). Add a pinch to the sauce, or more to taste. Be mindful that the sodium content will be higher if this is something you worry about.

No two Chop Suey recipes are alike. Other ingredients that can be used are mushrooms, broad beans, bamboo hearts, etc. Adapt the recipe to your taste.

If you want to make a vegetarian version, eliminate the chicken and the corresponding steps. The trick to Chop Suey (cooked but crispy vegetables) is in short cooking at high temperature, the vegetables are added starting with the ones that take longer to cook to the ones that take less time.

Nutrition