Slow Cooker Copycat Panda Express Mushroom Chicken
This Slow Cooker Copycat Panda Express Mushroom Chicken is made with tender chicken, mushrooms, zucchini, and red bell peppers in a savory soy garlic sauce. It has that takeout-style flavor the whole family loves.
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It’s an easy slow cooker chicken dinner recipe and a great choice for a simple weeknight dinner. It also works well for casual family dinners, meal prep, or a weekend dinner when you’re craving Chinese takeout but would rather make it yourself.
And for more chicken recipes, the recipes below are worth trying:
- Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta Salad
- Crunchy Chicken Ramen Salad
- Sheet Pan Bourbon Smothered Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Sauce - ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Vegetables - 8 ounces fresh white mushrooms, sliced
- 2 medium zucchini, cut into thick half-moons
To Finish - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
How to Make Slow Cooker Copycat Panda Express Mushroom Chicken
Step 1: Season the chicken with the salt and pepper.
Toss the chicken with the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch until lightly coated.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 2: Sear the chicken for 2–3 minutes, just until lightly browned. It does not need to cook through.
Transfer the chicken to a 6-quart slow cooker.
Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, chicken broth, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir to coat.
Step 4: Add the mushrooms and zucchini.
Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Step 5: In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining cornstarch and cold water.
Stir the slurry into the slow cooker.
Cover and cook another 20–30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
Step 6: Sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds before serving.
Serve over steamed white rice or chow mein noodles.
Important Recipe Notes
- Sear the chicken first: This extra step helps add flavor and keeps the chicken tender while it cooks in the slow cooker.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce: The soy sauce and oyster sauce already add plenty of salt, so low-sodium soy sauce helps keep the dish from becoming too salty.
- Add vegetables later if preferred: For firmer, tender-crisp vegetables, add the mushrooms and zucchini during the last 45–60 minutes of cooking instead of at the beginning.
- Check the chicken: Cook until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest pieces.
- Don’t skip the slurry: Mix the cornstarch with cold water before adding it to the slow cooker. This helps thicken the sauce smoothly without lumps.
- Adjust the sauce: If serving with plenty of rice or noodles, you can double the sauce so there is extra to spoon over everything.
- Make it your own: Chicken thighs, cremini mushrooms, or yellow squash can be used in place of the original ingredients.
- For leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Add a small splash of chicken broth when reheating if the sauce has become too thick.
Slow Cooker Copycat Panda Express Mushroom Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the Sauce
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
For the Vegetables
- 8 ounces fresh white mushrooms sliced
- 2 medium zucchini cut into thick half-moons
To Finish
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Season the chicken with the salt and pepper.Toss the chicken with the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch until lightly coated.Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear the chicken for 2–3 minutes, just until lightly browned. It does not need to cook through.Transfer the chicken to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, chicken broth, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using.Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir to coat.
- Add the mushrooms and zucchini.Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining cornstarch and cold water.Stir the slurry into the slow cooker.Cover and cook another 20–30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
- Sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds before serving.Serve over steamed white rice or chow mein noodles.
