Meet Shanghai chicken — a richly flavored, sweet and slightly sticky Chinese-style chicken stir-fry that’s ready in about 15 minutes. Tender pieces of chicken thigh are tossed with ginger, garlic and spring onions, then glazed in an umami-packed dark sauce. Serve it with plain white rice to soak up the sauce and a simple green vegetable on the side for a speedy, restaurant-quality midweek meal.
A quick and easy restaurant-quality dish
Shanghai chicken is a fast, fuss-free stir-fry made with bite-sized pieces of chicken thigh. The meat is stir-fried in a very hot pan, then combined with ginger, garlic, spring onions and Chinese five-spice. A simple sauce of Shaoxing rice wine (or mirin/sherry), soy sauce, brown sugar and a splash of water reduces into a glossy, slightly sticky coating that clings to the chicken.
It’s one of those recipes that punches above its weight: minimal steps, mostly pantry ingredients, and a result that tastes like takeaway but comes together far quicker. After a few minutes of prep you can have dinner on the table in 15–20 minutes, and it reheats very well for next-day lunches.
📌Recipe snapshot
- Prep: 7 minutes
- Cook time: 8 minutes
- Serves: 2–3
- Key ingredients: Shaoxing rice wine, soy sauce, brown sugar, chicken thighs, fresh ginger, garlic, spring onions, Chinese 5-spice, red chili, rice and green vegetables to serve
- Why you’ll love it: faster and tastier than takeout, uses common pantry ingredients, restaurant quality, makes great leftovers
About the ingredients
You’ll find a full ingredient list with exact amounts in the recipe card below. Here’s a quick overview of what matters.
The recipe uses just a handful of ingredients but delivers big flavor:
- Cooking oil: vegetable, canola, avocado or peanut oil all work well. A little sesame oil can be added for extra aroma.
- Chicken thighs: about 1 pound (500 g) skinless, boneless thighs — roughly 3–4 pieces — cut into small chunks. Thighs stay juicier than breast.
- Ginger: a thumb-sized piece, peeled and thinly sliced or grated. Fresh ginger gives the brightest flavor.
- Garlic: 2 large cloves, crushed.
- Spring onions (scallions): 5–8, sliced with some green tops reserved for garnish.
- Chinese 5-spice: a small amount (about 1 tsp) adds depth and is worth including.
- Red chili: 1, finely sliced. Use more or fewer seeds to adjust heat. Reserve half to sprinkle on at the end.
For the Shanghai sauce
- Shaoxing rice wine: the authentic choice, but mirin or dry sherry can be substituted.
- Soy sauce: any variety you have on hand will do.
- Brown sugar: 2 tablespoons gives a caramel-like sweetness that balances the salt and spice.
- Water: a few tablespoons to loosen the sauce before it reduces and thickens in the pan.
How to make Shanghai chicken
This is an easy stir-fry that relies on high heat and quick timing. The main steps are simple:
1) Whisk the sauce (rice wine, soy sauce, brown sugar and water) in a small bowl and set aside.
2) Heat oil in a pan or wok until it’s very hot (almost smoking). Stir-fry the chicken pieces for 2–3 minutes until they’re mostly cooked and turning white.
3) Add the ginger, garlic, spring onions, Chinese 5-spice and half the chopped chili. Stir-fry for about a minute until fragrant.
4) Pour in the sauce, let everything bubble and reduce for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is glossy, somewhat thickened and coats the chicken.
The finished dish isn’t swimming in sauce, but it’s richly flavored and slightly sticky — perfect spooned over rice.
How to serve it
The classic pairing is plain rice so it soaks up the flavorful glaze — jasmine rice is my preference. Add a green vegetable such as broccoli, bok choy or tenderstem broccoli; steam or quickly blanch until bright and just tender. Garnish with reserved green spring onion tops, thin strips of red chili and, if you like, a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.
Recipe FAQs
A medium-sized wok is ideal for high-heat stir-frying, but a large frying pan works perfectly if you don’t have a wok.
Yes. Chicken breast cooks faster and can dry out if overcooked, so watch the time closely and remove from the heat once the sauce has reduced and the chicken is just cooked through. Thighs are more forgiving and remain juicier.
If needed, substitute 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger for fresh and about 1 teaspoon garlic powder for 2 fresh cloves, though fresh aromatics give a brighter flavor.
The recipe is mildly spicy with one chopped chili. Increase the quantity or include more seeds to raise the heat, or omit the chili for a milder dish.
Let the sauce bubble on medium-high heat until it has reduced by at least half and slightly thickened to coat the chicken — usually 5–10 minutes. Stir regularly to avoid sticking.
Yes. If using a smaller pan, cook the chicken in two batches to avoid overcrowding, then combine and add the sauce. Total cooking time may increase slightly.
Absolutely. Reheat gently in a pan or microwave, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen the sauce.
More 15-minute meals
- 15-minute Thai basil pork stir-fry — a fragrant, speedy option.
- Crispy halloumi burgers — a quick and tasty meat-free dinner.
- 15-minute creamy pesto chicken with mushrooms and parmesan — works well with pasta or rice.
- Salmon with yogurt dill sauce — simple enough for midweek, elegant enough for guests.
Shanghai Chicken (15-minute meal)
Ingredients
- 2½ tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine (or mirin/dry sherry)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon oil (vegetable, avocado, canola, or sesame)
- 1 pound chicken thighs (skinless, boneless, chopped into ~2 cm pieces)
- 1 piece ginger (peeled and finely chopped or grated)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 bunch spring onions (reserve green tops)
- 1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
- 1 red chili (finely chopped)
Instructions
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Whisk together the rice wine, soy sauce, brown sugar and water in a small bowl or jug and set aside.
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Heat the oil in a frying pan or wok until it begins to smoke. Stir-fry the chicken for 2–3 minutes until mostly cooked.
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Add the ginger, garlic, spring onions, Chinese 5-spice and half the chili. Stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant.
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Pour in the sauce, then let it bubble for 5–6 minutes or until reduced by at least half, glossy and slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.
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Serve with rice and broccoli (or another vegetable). Garnish with the remaining chili and the reserved green spring onion tops.
Notes
Gluten-free option: Choose gluten-free soy sauce or tamari and check labels on all packaged ingredients.
Cooking tips: Sauce reduction time varies by pan and chicken size. If doubling the recipe, cook in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
Nutrition
, Carbohydrates: 20g
, Protein: 40g
, Fat: 45g
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