Homemade chicken and beef chop suey
- Preparation 45 min
- Cooking 15 min
- Servings 4
- Freezing Absolutely
Ads
🥢 My mom’s chop suey, upgraded
Homemade chicken and beef chop suey is a recipe my mom often made us when we were kids. We weren’t huge fans. It was always too watery at the bottom, too much liquid. But the concept was good! That’s why I decided to redo this recipe, but better. Sorry mom. The result? A flavorful chop suey with still-crunchy vegetables and zero mush at the bottom of the plate.
🔥 Double protein for a complete, flavorful meal
My secret is the blend of pork-veal-beef ground meat AND chicken cubes. Why both? Because it adds incredible flavor depth and different textures. The ground meat that blends into the sauce and the chicken that stays in pieces. It’s a truly complete meal that needs nothing else, but served over basmati rice or Chinese noodles, the sauce absorbs and it’s absolutely insane. More protein, more flavor, more pleasure.
🥦 Crunchy vegetables, not mush
The key to a good chop suey is cooking vegetables in stages and especially the bean sprouts at the very end. Without bean sprouts, it’s not chop suey. It’s just sautéed vegetables with soy sauce. Fresh ginger adds that semi-fruity, semi-spicy kick that’s the base of any good Asian recipe. Even better the next day, perfect for meal prep.
Ads
Ads
🥩 Cook vegetables in stages. The key to crunchy chop suey
Start with the densest like onion and celery, then add peppers, mushrooms and broccoli at the end so they stay crunchy. That’s the difference between a chop suey with bite and a mushy mess. The golden rule: if you can eat it raw (like onion), it goes in first. If you can’t (like broccoli), it goes at the end.
🌱 Bean sprouts: at the VERY end, always
A chop suey without bean sprouts isn’t chop suey. It’s just sautéed vegetables with soy sauce. I always add some, and the more I cook this, the more I add because it brings an incredible dimension. The trick is to add them at the very end and cook them only 1 minute. You want them barely warm but still crunchy. Adding them early = guaranteed mush. Found in most large grocery stores.
🫚 Fresh ginger is non-negotiable
Fresh grated ginger brings that semi-fruity, semi-spicy, semi-citrusy kick that’s the foundation of most Asian recipes. You can skip it, but you’ll get a completely different flavor profile. For this recipe, it’s non-negotiable. Tip: keep a piece of fresh ginger in the freezer. Easier to grate and keeps 3 months.
🥢 My favorite soy sauce: VH reduced sodium
Honestly, I’m so obsessed with VH reduced sodium soy sauce I could brush my teeth with it. It’s been my favorite for a long time. I’m also exploring different types like tamari with very different flavor profiles, but for this recipe, classic VH. Adjust the amount at the end to taste.
🔥 Cook meats on medium-high heat for browning
This gets a nice color on the ground meat and chicken and prevents them from drying out. Pepper generously during cooking to bring out flavors. The blend of pork-veal-beef with chicken cubes gives two distinct textures that make the joy of chop suey: ground meat that melts into the sauce and chicken that stays in identifiable pieces.
🍚 Serve over basmati rice OR Chinese noodles
Chop suey eats as-is as a complete meal, but to absorb the sauce and add carbs: (1) Fragrant basmati rice (my default). Rinse in cold water, ratio 1:1.5 with water, 12 min covered + 5 min rest; (2) Chinese egg noodles or rice vermicelli for a more Chinese version. Plain white rice works too, but basmati brings an aroma that elevates the dish.
🍱 Even better the next day. Perfect for meal prep
This chop suey is even better the next day when flavors have fused overnight in the fridge. Perfect for meal prep: prep a big batch Sunday, divide into containers for the week’s lunches (up to 3-4 days in fridge). You can also cross-link with my other Asian recipes: Chinese macaroni with beef, beef and broccoli noodle stir-fry, or cabbage and beef stir-fry to vary your nights.
Ads
Homemade chop suey
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
- 1 large Spanish onion, finely chopped
- 2 large celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) fresh grated ginger
- 450 g (1 lb) ground pork/veal/beef blend
- 250 g (½ lb) chicken breast, cubed
- ½ red bell pepper, sliced into strips
- ½ green bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 227 g (½ lb) white mushrooms, halved
- 1 cup (250 ml) broccoli, cut into medium florets
- ½ cup (125 ml) beef broth
- ¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) cornstarch diluted in ¼ cup (60 ml) cold water
- 450 g (1 lb) bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Ads
Preparation
- In a big sauce pan a medium heat, add olive oil and onion, celery, garlic and ginger. Cook for 4-5 minutes while stirring to soften vegetables.
- Crank to medium-high heat, add ground beef and chicken then generously season with pepper. Cook 3-4 minutes or until meat is lightly pink.
- Reduce to medium heat and add bell peppers, mushrooms, brocoli, beef broth, soya sauce. Stir well, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes until brocoli are soft.
- Add corn starch mix, stir well and cook 2 minutes to thicken a little.
- Add bean sprouts, stir and cook for 1 minute. Serve immediately and add a ton of soya sauce !!!
– A mix of ground pork, veal, and beef adds rich, deep flavor. – Cubed chicken is a lighter, tender alternative. – For a vegetarian version, swap the meat for pan-fried firm tofu or add extra vegetables.
– Chop Suey: A vegetable stir-fry with protein and a slightly thickened sauce, usually served over rice. – Chow Mein: A noodle-based dish where stir-fried noodles are mixed with vegetables and sauce. It can be crispy (fried noodles) or soft (stir-fried noodles). 👉 Chop Suey = more veggies, often served with rice. 👉 Chow Mein = noodles are the star of the dish. 🔥🥢🍜
– Absolutely! Chop suey is super versatile. Try these swaps:
✅ Julienned carrots for a hint of sweetness.
✅ Snow peas for extra crunch.
✅ Napa cabbage for a more traditional touch.
Chop suey is a stir-fried mix of meat and vegetables in a light savory sauce. This version combines ground beef, pork and veal with diced chicken breast, plus onion, celery, garlic, bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli and bean sprouts, all tossed in a beef broth and soy sauce mixture thickened with a bit of cornstarch. Everything cooks together in one pan for a quick, hearty meal.
The secret is cooking everything in the right order. Start by sauteing the onion, celery, garlic and ginger to build flavor, then add the meat, followed by the firmer vegetables like bell peppers and broccoli. Save the bean sprouts for the very last minute of cooking, that’s what keeps them crisp and crunchy instead of soggy. Season generously with pepper along the way.
Ads
Ads
Ads
Ads
Ads