Chicken Egg Foo Yung
If you like Egg Foo Yung in restaurants, you need to try this low-carb Chicken Egg Foo Yung that’s a tasty version to make at home! And this is fun for a new way to use leftover chicken!
PIN Chicken Egg Foo Yung to try it later!
Years ago I went to Hong Kong and Beijing with my brother Rand, and it didn’t take long to realize that most of what we consider to be Chinese food in the U.S. is definitely Chinese-American food. I learned to love Egg Foo Yung at The Pagoda, a now-closed Chinese American Restaurant in Salt Lake with a Japanese name, and I remember eating it there with my parents as a reward for making the honor roll in high school.
Then in the early days of my blog I spotted a recipe for Chicken Egg Foo Yung at Fine Cooking and experimented with it. But through the years I’ve improvised a much easier (and do I dare say better?) version of Egg Foo Yung, so I’m updating the recipe.
The biggest change that makes it easier is using diced chicken to replace the step of cutting raw chicken into strips and quickly stir-frying it. When we tested the new version a few times to take photos, Kara and I both agreed that was a great improvement. And who doesn’t like having another good idea for using leftover chicken?
What ingredients do you need?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- diced cooked chicken
- soy sauce or Gluten-Free Soy Sauce (affiliate link)
- Asian sesame oil (affiliate link)
- Oyster Sauce (affiliate link) or Gluten-Free Oyster Sauce (affiliate link)
- white vinegar
- eggs
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- green onions
- Peanut Oil (affiliate link)
- sliced mushrooms
What is Egg Foo Yung?
Egg Foo Yung is an omelet-type dish that’s found in many Asian cuisines, and it’s filled with the umami flavors that makes Asian food so good! This recipe is probably not an authentic recipe for Egg Foo Yung, but it’s definitely delicious.
What kind of mushrooms did we use?
We used thickly-sliced and cut in half brown Cremini (or Baby Bella) mushrooms for this recipe, but any mushrooms you prefer will be fine.
What if you don’t have peanut oil?
Peanut oil is the preferred oil for Asian stir fries, and it’s perfect for this recipe. But if you can’t have peanuts or don’t want to buy a special oil, any neutral-flavored oil that can be cooked at high heat will be fine.
Can you use a larger frying pan for the Egg Foo Yung?
It’s fairly important to use a 10 inch frying pan for this recipe so you can do the final step of putting a 12-inch plate over the frying pan and flipping it over so you have the browned bottom part of the Egg Foo Yung facing up.
Want more variations for Egg Foo Yung?
We switched the strips of stir-fried chicken for diced cooked chicken in this new-and-improved version. The recipe from Fine Cooking added red bell pepper strips, but I always preferred the version with just mushrooms. But the variations are endless for this recipe. You could use more chicken, switch out the chicken for shrimp, or leave out the chicken completely if you prefer and add any type of mild-flavored vegetable of your choice for a vegetarian option.
How to Make Chicken Egg Foo Yung:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Cut up cooked chicken.
- Cut up mushrooms. We cut them in half and then made thick slices.
- Clean green onions, then slice white parts in longer pieces and green part into thin slices.
- Whisk together oyster sauce, white vinegar, soy sauce and one teaspoon of the sesame oil. (Use gluten-free ingredients if needed.)
- Beat eggs with salt and pepper and whisk in the other teaspoon of sesame oil.
- Heat 1 T oil in a 10 inch non-stick frying pan and cook mushrooms about 3 minutes. Add the white parts of the green onions and cook 2-3 minutes longer.
- Add diced chicken to the pan (to barely warm it) and turn off the heat.
- Let mushrooms and onions cool for 1-2 minutes, then stir chicken, green onions and mushrooms into the eggs.
- Wipe out the frying pan with a paper towel if needed, then add the other 2 T oil (or a bit less) and heat over high heat until the oil is starting to shimmer.
- Then add egg mixture. Sides will puff up; immediately reduce heat to medium.
- Cook egg mixture on medium heat for 4-5 minutes, lifting up cooked part and tipping the pan so the uncooked egg can run under and cook.
- When eggs are starting to look firm, turn heat to low, press down the mixture so it’s relatively flat, and cook 2-3 minutes more. (The center will still look slightly wet. You can cover it with the lid for a couple of minutes if you want it more well done in the center.)
- When eggs are cooked, remove pan from the heat, put a plate over the top, put the handle facing away from you, hold the pan and plate with hot pads and turn it over so Egg Foo Yung is centered on the plate. (This is the hardest part, be brave!)
- Pour sauce mixture over the egg pancake, sprinkle with sliced green parts of green onion, and devour!
More Asian-Inspired Recipes to Try:
- Pork and Broccoli Stir-Fry with Ginger
- Garlic-Lover’s Vegetable Stir Fry
- Garlicky Green Beans Stir Fry
- Chicken Stir-Fry Sheet Pan Meal
- Cauliflower Fried Rice with Shrimp
Chicken Egg Foo Yung
If you like Egg Foo Yung in restaurants, this Chicken Egg Foo Yung with mushrooms and chunks of chicken is a delicious low-carb version you can make at home.
Ingredients
- 4 oz. diced cooked chicken (see notes)
- 1 T soy sauce (see notes)
- 2 tsp. Asian sesame oil, divided
- 1 T Oyster Sauce (see notes)
- 1 tsp. white vinegar
- 6 large eggs, beaten
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 4 green onions
- 3 T peanut oil, divided (see notes)
- 4 oz. sliced mushrooms (see notes)
Instructions
- Cut up about 4 ounces of cooked chicken (or a bit more if you prefer a more substantial dish.)
- Cut up about four ounces of mushrooms. We cut them in half and then made thick slices.
- Clean green onions, then slice the white parts into longer pieces and cut green part into thin slices. Keep the white and green parts separate.
- Whisk together oyster sauce, white vinegar, soy sauce and one teaspoon of the sesame oil. (Use gluten-free ingredients if needed.)
- Beat eggs with salt and pepper and whisk in the other teaspoon of sesame oil.
- Heat 1 T oil in a 10 inch non-stick frying pan and cook mushrooms about 3 minutes, until mushrooms are softened and give up some liquid.
- Add the white parts of the green onions and cook 2-3 minutes longer.
- Add diced chicken to the pan (to barely warm it) and turn off the heat. Let mushrooms and onions cool for 1-2 minutes, then stir chicken, green onions and mushrooms into the eggs.
- Wipe out the frying pan with a paper towel if needed, then add the remaining 2 T oil and heat over high heat until the oil is just starting to shimmer. (You might not need quite that much oil, depending on your pan.)
- Then add the egg mixture. Sides will puff up just a bit; immediately reduce heat to medium.
- Cook egg mixture on medium heat for 4-5 minutes, lifting up the cooked parts and tipping the pan so the uncooked egg can run under and cook.
- When eggs are starting to look firm, turn heat to low, press down the mixture so it's relatively flat, and cook 2-3 minutes more. (The center will still look slightly wet. You can cover it with the lid for a couple of minutes if you want it more well done in the center.)
- When eggs are cooked, remove pan from the heat, put a plate over the top, put the handle facing away from you, hold the pan and plate with hot pads and turn it over so Egg Foo Yung is centered on the plate. (This is the hardest part, be brave!)
- Pour sauce mixture over the egg pancake, sprinkle with sliced green parts of green onion, and devour!
Notes
Four ounces of cooked chicken is just under one cup; you can increase the amount of chicken if you want a more substantial dish.
Be sure to use Gluten-Free Oyster Sauce (affiliate link) and Gluten-Free Soy Sauce (affiliate link) if needed.
If you don't have Peanut Oil (affiliate link) or can't use it, use a neutral flavored vegetable oil.
I used brown Cremini mushrooms for this recipe.
The first time I made this I had some leftovers which I kept in the fridge overnight, but I didn’t think it was that good reheated.
Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 298Total Fat 23gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 306mgSodium 618mgCarbohydrates 4gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 18g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Chicken Egg Foo Yung is a perfect main dish for low-carb and Keto diets, and for any phase of the original South Beach Diet. You can switch out the chicken and mushrooms for any low-carb protein or vegetables you prefer. Be sure to use Gluten-Free Oyster Sauce and Soy Sauce if you need it to be gluten-free.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Eggs Recipes to find more recipes like this one! Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This Egg Foo Yung recipe was first posted in 2010. Through the years I experimented and created a simpler version; the recipe was last updated in 2023.
37 Comments on “Chicken Egg Foo Yung”
Jenna, love the idea of using broccoli coleslaw to make this. (Brilliant!)
Thanks for this! I make something similar with broccoli coleslaw and mushrooms – no chicken. It gives it a crunchy thinner texture which I love! I agree the sesame oil makes the dish.
Wasn't this just the greatest, and so easy to make. So glad you liked it!
Kalyn, this was FABULOUS. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I bookmarked it months ago when you first posted it, thinking "that's so weird that I have to try to it." (I've never heard of Egg Foo Yung) Well, I finally did make it tonight, and my husband and I both devoured it. We had to exercise a lot of self control to leave leftovers. It was EXCELLENT and so easy. I used leftover meat from a rotisserie chicken, which worked great (actually, it was what was left on my chicken after I used it to make your Quinoa Chicken & Broccoli Casserole recipe last night).
Jeneen, so glad you liked it! I loved this recipe too.
Kalyn, made this tonight for dinner and I have to say it was very good. Went together well too. I served it on a bed of sauted cabbage. I had 1/4, my husband had 1/2 and is taking the other 1/4 for lunch. Perfect.
Thanks, Jeneen
That's a wonderful looking dish. The distinction you make between Chinese food and Chinese-American food was interesting. Thanks for posting.
Willa when we get it from our favorite Chinese restaurant it has brown gravy, but I liked this version just as much.
I didn't like Egg Foo Yung as a child, but have grown to enjoy it as an adult. I like it when they put a brown gravy on it- surely NOT a chinese accent! I'll be trying this this weekend- I can't wait.
Willa
Kevin, I'm guessing this would be good any time of day, but I've usually had it as part of a Chinese dinner here.
This is the first that I have heard of egg foo yung and it sounds like it would make for a really tasty breakfast!
Dara, it was so simple and good. I think you could also use other veggies and skip the mushrooms.
It's like a Chinese frittata – love it! I am emailing this to myself and making it the next time my husband is out of town (mushrooms are a no-go in his book).
Susan, it was absolutely delish! I'm betting you would like it.
I'm not sure I even like egg foo young, but after seeing your photos and reading your post, I think I do!
Mei, I do think Egg Foo Yung is an authentically Chinese Dish it's just I'm not sure that this recipe for it is the way it's actually made in China!
Lisa, that's funny! (I took piano lessons but never practiced and didn't really learn to play) This recipe was great, and I think you could use about any vegetable in it.
Pardon me but I thought egg foo yung is an authentically Chinese dish. Delicious looking.
When I was learning to play piano, one of the songs I practiced on was called "Egg Foo Young." I loved that song because it was catchy, but I never got around to trying the dish. Can't wait to make your version of it, especially as it looks so versatile!
Tarrant, I think lots of restaurant versions of this dish are deep fried, so even though it's not that low in fat, this would definitely be lighter. (Love the deep fried version too though!) Sounds like an interesting book, thanks for the recommendation.
That looks and sounds delicious. My mother apparently likes Egg Foo Young (even though I never remember her ordering it when I was a child) and I have been looking for a lighter version than what the place at the corner sells.
By the way-you should read The Fortune Cookie Chronicles which talks about Chinese food in America vs Chinese food. Quite an interesting read, if you haven't already read it.
RV, that's interesting. Never thought of "Indianized" extra spicy Chinese food, but I bet it's good!
Michelle, that's interesting that you found a lot of Chinese-American food. We found plenty of American places like Popeyes, Outback, etc, but the Chinese food mostly seemed very authentic where we were.
Joanne, agreed! I think authentic Egg Foo Yung is cut in strips, but this is delicious.
Nettlenomad, thanks! So nice to hear you are enjoying the blog.
I don't remember my my mom ever making Egg Foo Yung, lucky you!
My mom used to make egg foo yung when I was a kid! I haven't had it in years, but your recipe looks delicious.
Coming out the closet by commenting, but I wanted to express a little appreciation for your recipes and ideas – always so spot on and true to their ingredients..
Thanks!
Shirley, it's delicious and easy to make gluten-free I think (not sure about the Oyster sauce?)
CJ, thanks! (You too!) I do remember having bean sprouts in it when I get it in a Chinese restaurant.
I love egg foo yung and missed it greatly when I moved to the town we live in now. There are Oriental restaurants, but the food left much to be desired. After several months of fighting an overwhelming craving, I decided to make it at home. It was delicious and even healthier because it was not fried in lots of oil.
My recipe is very similar to yours although I like to add bean sprouts to the pan.
You recipe is excellent. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.
Kalyn- You rock!
That is not at all what I expected, Kalyn! But, it looks wonderful. I'll definitely make it for us soon.
Thanks,
Shirley
It really constantly amazes me how different truly authentic Chinese food is from what we have here. A woman I worked with introduced me to real Chinese food a few years back and I was blown away. That being said, the egg foo yung looks delicious – authentic or not!
I LOVE Egg Foo Young and this looks great! When I had Gestational Diabetes I was on the diabetes diet. Very low carb and no sugar. I could always keep my blood sugars in check when I had egg foo young. Even the unhealthy kind from a typical restaurant:)
My husband and I wend to China in 2004 and found that without a doubt 24 of our included meals were typically what is considered Chinese-American cuisine. There were, however, 5 included meals that were outstanding so from the food standpoint the trip was not a total waste.
That being said, I am definitely going to try the recipe for Chicken Egg Foo Yung with Mushrooms and Green Onions.
Miss Kalyn — keep up the great work!
Chinese food that I eat here is completely different to what I ate in India and am sure it is pretty much Indianized to suit for spicy taste buds. This dish looks very interesting and would love to try it soon.
Lydia, I think you'll like it; I really loved this recipe.
I've been waiting for this recipe, and now I can see why you're so excited about it. I never thought about it, but TW is right, it's definitely an Asian tortilla! Thanks for the step-by-step photos that make it so easy to see how this dish comes together.
TW, isn't it interesting how people cook the same foods all over the world. I will say that the sesame oil really gives this a very Asian flavor though!
NSB Mom, there were quite a few steps, but it was really easy, once you read the recipe through and got them in order in your brain!
this looks easy and FABULOUS. cannot wait to try it
This is great! I guess I really never knew exactly what Egg Foo Yung was. I'm surprised to learn that it's sort of like a Spanish Tortilla.