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The Complete Menu Guide

Chinese Chicken Dishes Explained

Every Chinese chicken dish on the takeout menu, finally decoded. What they are. How they differ. Which one to order based on what you actually want. Bookmark this page. You'll use it every time you open a delivery app.

Seventeen dishes, four families, one menu that finally makes sense.

Family 01

The Sichuan and Hunan heat family

Dried or fresh chiles drive these dishes, from Sichuan and Hunan stir-fries to Indo-Chinese Chilli Chicken.

Hunan Chicken

Fresh chiles and garlic bring a direct, savory heat, with less sweetness than the fried takeout favorites.

See the difference →

Chilli Chicken

Indo-Chinese fried chicken tossed with green chiles, garlic and soy sauce for a sharp, savory kick.

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Family 02

Sweet, fried, American-Chinese favorites

Crisp battered chicken and sweet sauces tie this family together, with citrus, sesame or tang changing the finish.

General Tso's Chicken

Battered, deep-fried chicken coated in a sticky sweet sauce with a little chile heat.

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Orange Chicken

Crisp fried chicken under a sweet citrus glaze, with orange flavor leading the bite.

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Sesame Chicken

Fried chicken in a sweet brown sauce, finished with sesame seeds and usually little chile heat.

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Sweet and Sour Chicken

Battered fried chicken with a bright, sweet-tangy sauce for the days you want crunch without much heat.

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Family 03

Mild and savory

Soy, garlic, mushrooms and nuts take the lead here, giving you flavor without making chiles the main event.

Mongolian Chicken

Sliced chicken and scallions in a dark, sweet-savory soy sauce, usually without much heat.

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Cashew Chicken

Chicken and cashews in a mild brown sauce, with mellow flavor and a nutty crunch.

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Moo Goo Gai Pan

Cantonese-style sliced chicken, mushrooms and vegetables in a light sauce that lets the ingredients come through.

Chicken with Broccoli

Sliced chicken and broccoli in a mild garlic-brown sauce, a familiar choice when you want something simple.

Family 04

Beyond chicken, same Kung Pao sauce

The peanut crunch, chiles and tangy sauce stay familiar while shrimp, beef, tofu, cauliflower or paneer change the bite.

Kung Pao Shrimp

Shrimp take the place of chicken in the familiar peanut-chile sauce, bringing a firmer, springy bite.

Kung Pao Beef

Beef brings a richer, meatier bite to the same tangy sauce, peanuts and dried chiles.

Kung Pao Tofu

Tofu carries the tangy Kung Pao sauce while peanuts supply the crunch.

Kung Pao Cauliflower

Cauliflower florets catch the glossy sauce in their edges, with peanuts and chiles keeping the Kung Pao flavor familiar.

Kung Pao Paneer

Paneer's mild, firm cheese cubes meet the salty-tangy sauce and peanut crunch in an Indo-Chinese variation.

Explore the Kung Pao sauce →

Decision Tool

Quick Picker: Which Chinese Chicken Dish Should You Order?

If you want spicy and complex → Kung Pao Chicken

If you want spicy and aggressive → Hunan Chicken

If you want sweet and crispy → Orange Chicken or General Tso's

If you want mild and nutty → Cashew Chicken

If you want spicy Indo-Chinese → Chilli Chicken

If you want healthy and mild → Moo Goo Gai Pan or Chicken with Broccoli

If you want sweet but no spice → Sesame Chicken or Sweet and Sour Chicken

If you're vegan/vegetarian → Kung Pao Tofu or Kung Pao Cauliflower