If your day is jam-packed and you know you need a nourishing meal, plan ahead with this slow-cooker chicken chop suey. It’s tasty, traditional and easy, too!

Chicken Chop Suey

This veggie and chicken–packed crockpot meal is delicious, hearty and easy to make–simply throw all of the chicken chop suey ingredients in a slow cooker, and six hours later dig in. It’s made with a variety of healthful ingredients for a traditional chop suey, and the result is an easy dish that’ll wow your taste buds and leave your belly satisfied. Serve it over a bed of piping hot rice for a meal that will warm you from the inside out.
Ingredients for Chicken Chop Suey
- Chicken thighs: Skinless boneless chicken thighs give this dish plenty of meaty flavor.
- Vegetables: For this recipe, you’ll use mushrooms, celery, onion, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts.
- Chicken broth: Make your own ahead of time, or grab some premade broth from the store.
- Soy sauce: Opt for reduced-sodium soy sauce for the salty, savory element in this recipe.
- Gingerroot: Avoid dried ginger; instead use fresh gingerroot and grind or chop it yourself.
- Red pepper flakes: This helps to give this Chinese dish its distinct bite.
- Cornstarch: To avoid a watery dish, use cornstarch to thicken the broth.
- Edamame: This bean is chock full of protein and fiber, as well as other important nutrients.
- Rice: Cook the rice separately for a fluffy and delicious starch.
Directions
Step 1: Combine chicken and veggies
Place chicken in a 4- or 5-quart slow cooker. Top with the mushrooms, celery, onion, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts. In a separate small bowl, combine the broth, soy sauce, ginger and pepper flakes. Pour over the chicken and vegetables. Cover and cook on low until the chicken is tender, five to six hours.
Step 2: Add edamame; thicken
Combine the cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into the chop suey. Add the edamame; cover and cook on high until the mixture has thickened, about 30 minutes. Serve with rice.
Recipe Variations
- Switch the veggies: Either swap out the veggies in the recipe or add a few extras. Sliced red pepper, baby corn, carrots and fresh peas or beans would all be welcome additions.
- Sub meat: Use pork or beef instead of chicken for a different take on this dish.
How to Store Chicken Chop Suey
Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container. It will be safe to consume three to five days after you’ve initially made it.
How do you reheat chicken chop suey?
Reheat chop suey on the stovetop using butter, a little bit of water and a skillet; stir frequently to keep it from sticking. You can also use a microwave to reheat.
Chicken Chop Suey Tips
Can I make this vegetarian-friendly?
Yes, you can turn this into a vegetarian-friendly chop suey. To do so, instead of chicken broth use vegetable broth, and replace the chicken with tofu. The trick is to add the tofu toward the end, as it can become too soggy otherwise. Additionally, you won’t need to cook it for as long as you would chicken or other meat.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes. To make this dish without gluten, simply use gluten-free soy sauce, called tamari.
Can I use a different cut of meat?
Yes. If you’d prefer, you can use chicken breasts instead of thighs. The breasts tend to be lighter and shred more easily, while the thighs tend to have juicier meat and a richer, more fuller taste.
Chicken Chop Suey with a Twist
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
- 2 celery ribs, sliced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 can (14 ounces) bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (8 ounces) bamboo shoots, drained
- 1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained
- 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame
- Hot cooked rice
Directions
- Place chicken in a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker. Top with mushrooms, celery, onion, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts. In a small bowl, combine the broth, soy sauce, ginger and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken and vegetables. Cover and cook on low until chicken is tender, 5-6 hours.
- Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into chop suey. Add edamame, cover and cook on high until thickened, about 30 minutes. Serve with rice.
Nutrition Facts
1 cup: 178 calories, 6g fat (2g saturated fat), 50mg cholesterol, 739mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 3g fiber), 19g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 1 vegetable.