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This quick and flavorful Oyster Sauce Chicken is one of those easy weeknight dinners that’s way better than takeout. It’s loaded with tender strips of chicken, crisp celery, and roasted peanuts tossed in a savory sauce with just the right amount of heat.
This recipe is perfect for busy nights—find more ideas in our quick chicken dinners collection.
😍Why You’ll Love It
This chicken with oyster sauce recipe is fast, satisfying, and perfect for when you’re craving something bold but don’t want to spend all night in the kitchen. Everything cooks in one pan, and the ingredients are super pantry-friendly. It’s kind of like a stir-fry meets comfort food, and the leftovers are great (if you have any).
✅What You’ll Need
- Chicken breasts – Boneless, skinless, and sliced thin so they cook quickly and stay tender.
- Cornstarch – Helps give the chicken that light coating and locks in moisture.
- Garlic – Go heavy on it. It brings so much flavor to the base of the sauce.
- Celery – Sliced on the diagonal for extra crunch and visual appeal.
- Dry sherry or Shaoxing wine – Adds depth and that signature stir-fry aroma.
- Oyster sauce – The star of the dish. Rich, salty-sweet, and packed with umami.
- Soy sauce – Use low-sodium so the sauce doesn’t overpower everything.
- Red pepper flakes – Totally optional, but adds a subtle kick.
- Roasted peanuts – For crunch and a hint of nuttiness.
- Toasted sesame oil – Just a splash at the end adds incredible flavor.
🔪How to Make Oyster Sauce Chicken
This is a quick rundown—full instructions are below in the recipe card.
Toss the chicken with cornstarch and pepper.
Heat the oil in a work.
Add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes.
Throw in the celery, garlic and wine, then cook until crisp-tender.
Stir in soy sauce, oyster sauce, and red pepper flakes.
Finish with peanuts and toasted sesame oil. Done!
👨🍳Helpful Tips
- You can swap chicken breasts for thighs if you prefer something even juicier.
- Don’t skip the cornstarch—it gives the sauce something to cling to.
- If you don’t have Shaoxing wine, dry sherry or even a splash of rice vinegar can work in a pinch.
🍽️What to Serve with It
Serve this over steamed jasmine rice, or scoop it into lettuce cups for something lighter. It also pairs well with simple stir-fried greens or a cucumber salad on the side.
✨Variations
- Add sliced red bell peppers or snap peas for extra color and crunch.
- Swap peanuts for cashews.
- Make it spicy with more chili flakes or a dash of sriracha.
🗄️Leftovers and Storage
This chicken with oyster sauce keeps well in the fridge for 2–3 days. Just reheat gently in a skillet or microwave until warmed through.
Family Chicken Dinner Recipes to Try
This rich, savory stir-fry is also part of our 25 Best Chicken Dinner Ideas — filled with quick and flavorful meals for busy weeknights. If you enjoy takeout-style dinners, try our Easy Orange Chicken or the popular Panda Express Mushroom Chicken Copycat. Want something cozy and saucy? Don’t miss our Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs!
If you give this oyster sauce chicken a try, we’d love to hear how it turned out! Don’t forget to rate the recipe ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — it helps so much and lets others know it’s a keeper!
Oyster Sauce Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, and sliced into thin strips
- white pepper , to taste
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 celery stalks, sliced on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry or Shaoxing wine, Asian cooking wine
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, adjust to taste
- 1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a large bowl. Season with white pepper , then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Toss until the chicken is evenly coated.
- Heat a wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and swirl to coat the pan.
- Add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it starts to brown.
- Add 4 celery stalks (sliced), 4 cloves garlic (minced), and 2 tablespoons dry sherry or Shaoxing wine. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes, until the celery is slightly tender but still crisp.
- Pour in 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 3 tablespoons oyster sauce, and ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Stir everything together until well combined and heated through.
- Sprinkle in 1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts and drizzle with 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil. Give it one final toss.
- Remove from heat and serve right away — it’s perfect over steamed jasmine rice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This one’s going on repeat. So much flavor with so little effort! I served it over jasmine rice with steamed bok choy and my husband couldn’t stop raving.
Denise, I love your serving combo—bok choy sounds like the perfect sidekick! So glad it’s becoming a regular at your table 💛
Total flavor bomb. This reminded me of something from a great Asian bistro. I doubled the sauce to drizzle over rice and glad I did.
Ryan, you’re speaking our language—extra sauce is always the right move. Thanks for the awesome review!
Savory, sticky, and so flavorful. It was gone in no time.
Happy to hear that, Catherine! Oyster sauce makes such a great glaze.