Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Big flavors: Something magical happens with you stir fry ginger, green onions and tomatoes together with a little soy sauce and sesame oil. Once you add a little splash of water, you have the most flavorful self-saucing ginger scallion sauce EVER!
• Delightful Textures: The eggs are soft and tender. The tofu has a light sear, and the juicy shrimp have a tender snap or crunch when you take that first bite.
• 💪 High Protein Meal: Up to 24 mg protein per serving.
• Gluten-free recipe adaptable
• "EGGceptable" (because eggs can really be eaten any time of the day). As a matter of fact, we had a bowl this morning for breakfast. It kept us powered up strong all morning long.
• Eat Lucky Shrimp for the Chinese New Year because shrimp symbolize happiness and joy!
• Short on Time Dinner Solution: Even if you shrimp are still frozen solid when you come home from work- you can still get dinner on the table in under 20 minutes. More helpful hacks on thawing shrimp in the recipe card.

Ingredients with Traditional Chinese Nutritional Information

There are 5 energies of foods cold, cool, neutral, warming and hot foods, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The goal is to balance the energy of food in a recipe to maintain your bodies' hemostasis. Each one of us has a different body constitution but neutral foods are tolerated by all body types. As you can see, there is a nice mix of warming, cooling and neutral foods in this quick Asian shrimp and egg recipe.

• Eggs - (Neutral Energy) - extra-large organic preferred.Assume 2 to 3 eggs per person depending on how hungry they are. You can also use all egg whites or a mixture of egg yolks and whites, if you are watching your cholesterol levels. Did you know that egg yolks are considered warm and egg whites are considered cooling. Combined, they become neutral in energy.
• Shrimp - (Warming Energy) - If you can find large peeled and deveined shrimp, this can save you even more time. Otherwise, you will need peel and devein them before adding them to the egg and shrimp stir fry. 
• Tofu - (Cold Energy) not scrambled but firm tofu cubed and seared. Of course, you can use soft tofu for a silkier texture, if desired.Try to choose an organic and non-GMO option. As you will only use ½ a tofu block, there is plenty leftover to make savory Asian tofu pancakes.
• Green onions vs scallions - (Warming Energy) - either is fine. This aromatic gives
• Freshly grated ginger (Hot Energy) - adds a pop of flavor and freshness to this high protein meal. When all the flavors mingle it creates this light ginger scallion essence.
• Tomatoes (Cold Energy) - Optional but when the tomatoes break down, the juices create a savory saucy egg dish. (Sorry, the tomatoes got left on the counter and did not make it to the shot.) Try our easy tomato grating method, like in our spicy tomato glass soup recipe, so you don't have tough tomato skins or use cherry tomatoes like we did for this recipe.
• Soy sauce or Tamari or coconut aminos for gluten free (Cold Energy) - Adds that classic Chinese-style flavor.If you need to watch your sodium intake, consider substituting a lower sodium soy sauce.
• Sesame oil - (Warming Energy) - Nutty, rich and takes this easy shrimp and egg recipe to the next level.
• Cornstarch - (Cool Energy) seals in the juices and makes the shrimp extra crunchy when stir fried.
• White pepper (Warming Energy) or regular black pepper for a little kick of heat.

Step By Step: How to Stir Fry

• Peel and devein shrimp and toss with cornstarch.
• Cut tofu into small chunks.

• Beat the eggs.
• Add tofu to the beaten eggs

• Sauté shrimp on both sides and remove from pan
• Stir fry freshly grated ginger and scallions
• Add fresh chopped tomatoes.

• Lightly scramble the eggs and tofu mixture and season to taste.
• Drizzle in soy sauce (tamari), sesame oil and splash water and toss well.
• Add the cooked shrimp to the scrambled eggs and tofu with a quick toss.
• Serve while hot!

Self-Saucing Ginger Scallion Sauce

When you are trying to get dinner on the table fast, the last thing you need to be doing is worrying about everyone adding their own extra special condiments or making an extra sauce on the side.

The beauty of this quick Chinese stir fry is when the stir-fried ginger, scallions, tomatoes, soy sauce, sesame oil and a splash of water hit the pan they combine, and the tomatoes break down to create this simple sauce right in the pan. It's super light and there is no need to add a cornstarch slurry to thicken it up.

Asian Variations and Toppings

Cantonese flavors are light and not spicy. If you want to amp up the flavors even more, consider adding these…

• Garlic chili sauce or a drizzle of Sriracha sauce.
• Chili oil or a sprinkle of dried red chili flakes.
• Sprinkle on roasted sesame seeds or crispy shallots on serving.
• Use up that extra homemade Asian sauce instead of adding soy sauce to the recipe.
• Add a splash of Shaoxing wine or cooking sherry with the soy sauce and sesame oil to boost the Asian aroma and flavors.
• Stir fry quick cooking veggies like spinach, bok choy, thin sliced cabbage or your favorites before adding scrambled eggs and tofu. This adds a pop of extra vitamins and nutrients.
• Serve over Hong Kong fried rice or even gochujang fried rice.

Tofu Texture Preferences

There are a few ways to prepare the tofu in this easy weeknight recipe, but it all comes down to your personal preference.

Silky-Smooth Cantonese Method: Use silken tofu instead of firm tofu. You will prepare the recipe the same except, instead of tossing and scrambling the eggs and tofu together, you will turn down the heat after adding them both to the pan, add seasonings and cover with a lid. Then, continue to cook without moving the ingredients in the pan, just until the eggs set. Top with cooked shrimp and serve over rice.

Asian Fusion Method: This is the method we used for this recipe. It's a combination of the silky-smooth Cantonese method and the seared tofu method. The result is a soft and tender texture with loads of flavor.

Seared Tofu Method: First, dry the tofu well so you can achieve the crispy edged tofu. This method uses extra firm tofu coated with a little cornstarch, salt and white pepper. Sear the tofu in oil on both sides until lightly golden.  If your pan is large enough, you can do this along with the shrimp. This method gives a unique crunchy texture with soft eggs.

Tofu Scramble Method: Have you tried our Spicy Tofu Scramble or Italian Scrambled Eggs? The texture is kind of a combination of both. We tried it and I must say we prefer to have distinct tofu cubes in the recipe from a texture perspective. But you do you!

How to get the Best Egg Texture?

• Cook the eggs over medium low heat.
• Gently move the eggs from one side of the pan to the other.
• The goal is to have larger soft and tender eggs so do not be overjealous with your spatula - gentle movements.
• Add the seasonings (soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and white pepper) and a good splash of water to the eggs BEFORE they are 50% cooked.
• Remove the pan from the heat when they are about 75% cooked through. The heat from the pan will continue to cook the eggs.
• Serve up the sir fry shrimp and eggs while still steaming hot along with the juices from the pan.

Tips for Tender Shrimp

Shrimp should have an addictive little snap or crunch when you bite into them. They should not be chewy or tough but tender and juicy in the center. Here are a couple of recipe hacks to help you achieve perfectly cooked shrimp in a stir fry.

• Dry your shrimp well with paper towels before coating them in the cornstarch, salt and white pepper mixture. Let the shrimp sit for 2 to 3 minutes while you beat the eggs and prep the rest of your ingredients. This step seals in the juices while creating a light crispy exterior.
• Using a little light oil in a pan or wok, sear the shrimp on each side for about one minute or until they are no longer translucent. Don't overcook!
• Don't over crowd your pan. You may need to cook the shrimp in batches, depending on the size of your pan.
• Immediately remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.

How to Serve?

The most traditional way to serve this Chinese shrimp and egg stir fry is with steamed rice. However, if you want to keep it low carb, consider serving over cauliflower rice or adding more stir-fried vegetables.

Try these serving ideas...

• Over toasted crusty bread.
• With a side of stir fried garlic pea shoots or a turmeric vegetable medley to keep this recipe low carb.
• As a topping for congee.
• Inside and avocado boat for a low carb option or inside a roasted sweet potato for spleen qi loving meal.

Basic Ingredients

The beauty of this hearty mung bean soup is that your preferred options for vegetable additions are endless. It's a delicious and frugal way to clean out the refrigerator of those little bits and bobs of vegetables. Feel free to change it up and add what is in your crisper inventory. Next to each ingredient we have noted the food's energy as warming, cooling or neutral according to Traditional Chinese Medicine.

• Whole Mung Beans (cooling) - These magical dried green beans are part of the legume family. They make this soup creamy, comforting, and packed with plant-based protein! This nutrient dense food is sometimes also referred to as green gram, moong, mongo, monggo, mash bean or  绿豆 (lǜ dòu) in Chinese. You can purchase whole dried mung beans at major grocery stores like Whole Foods, Walmart in the International food section or online at Amazon. Mung beans are usually available at most Asian markets in the dried foods section.
• Onion and Garlic (warming) - flavorful aromatics
• Cumin (warming) - gives this soup with mung beans an earthy and delicious flavor.
• Carrots and Celery (neutral and cooling) - or veggies of choice.
• Tomato (cooling) - fresh or canned gives this protein soup a pop of flavor.
• Spinach - (cooling) - or any quick cooking green like Swiss chard or baby kale are delicious for a pop of color and extra nutrients.
• coconut milk - (cooling) - adds a rich creamy flavor to the soup. In TCM, coconut milk is considered a yin food that may help with the cooling, moistening and help tonify yin.

Gut Healthy Ingredients

Bone Broth (warming)- Have you ever had a savory Chinese soup without bones? I know right? Grandmas know best because they are healers. We made homemade bone broth from our leftover Thanksgiving turkey bones. You can substitute with store bought bone broth (we won't tell a soul), beef bone broth, chicken broth, or even vegetable broth to keep this recipe vegan. Bone both adds between 64 to 84 grams of protein per 8 cups bone broth and is a gut friendly addition to the soup. (1)

Ginger (warming) - We used a one-inch knob freshly grated ginger, but you can substitute with ½ teaspoon of dried ginger. Ginger helps wake up your digestive fire by speeding up gastric emptying and promotes smooth muscle contraction in the intestines. This helps get things moving along and a delicious addition to this TCM-inspired soup. (2)

Fennel seeds (warming) - can be found down the spice isle at your local grocery store. Not only does this herb have a mildly sweet anise flavor, like in our balsamic roasted fennel and carrots, but it a powerhouse when it comes to helping digestion. Fennel seeds or ground fennel may help digest food and reduce gas and bloating. (3)

Sweet Potato (neutral or lightly cooling) - lightly sweet and nourishing. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) may help strengthen the spleen and nourish yin.

bay leaves (warming) - is one of our favorite additions to curried ham and lentil  and chicken and rice soup. This dried herb adds a subtle flavor of clove, tea and almost an earthy flavor. It's hard to explain but it makes legumes pop. However, the reason you are going to love it even more is because according to TCM, bay leaf (yue gui shu ye) may help aid in digestion and help ease bloating.

How To Prepare Mung Beans Quickly?

Try our quick boiled water method to soften the mung beans quickly. It reduces the cooking time and more importantly it makes the mungs beans easier to digest. 

• Rinse Beans: Place mungs beans in a colander and rinse. Discard any broken or discolored beans and pitch.
• Boil Water: Bring 3 to 4 cups of water to a boil.
• Soak: Place the whole dried mung beans into a heat safe bowl and pour the boiled water over the mung beans. Cover lightly and let them soak at room temperature for about 2 hours or until they have a little give when you press on a bean.

• Drain and Rinse: After soaking, drain and rinse the beans.

If you do not plan on making the soup until the next day, you can soak the beans in cool water overnight for 8 to 12 hours and rinse them thoroughly.

How to Make Soup with Mung Beans?

• Soak, rinse and drain mung beans
• Sauté the digestive friendly spices and aromatics in the soup pot.

• Add vegetables like carrots, celery and sweet potatoes into the soup pot with the spices.
• Pour in the prepared mung beans into the pot.

• Add bone broth, chicken or vegetable broth to the pot along with bay leaves.
• Toss in the chopped tomatoes.

• Cover and cook over medium high heat for about 50 minutes to an hour until the mung beans start to break apart and are completely tender.

• Season to taste and add the coconut broth.
• Turn off the burner and add the quick cooking spinach or leafy vegetable of choice.
• Enjoy

Recipe Tips

• Chop vegetables the same size so they all cook down together at the same time.
• Soaking the mung beans in hot water for 2 hours or overnight with cool water will help the beans cook faster. In addition, it makes the mung beans easier to digest. 
• If you don't have time to soak the mung beans, you can still make the soup, but it may take longer to cook. 
• Choose good quality coconut milk and vigorously shake the can or heat it up BEFORE adding it to the soup so it does not curdle. Coconut milk without added emulsifiers is prone to a natural separation of the coconut fat from the soup liquid because of the difference in temperature. Don't sweat it if this happens to you. It does not affect the flavor. If you wish, you can blend the soup and the problem will be resolved.
• Add more bone broth or water during the cooking process as the soup cooks and thickens.
• Do not season the mung bean soup with salt until AFTER it is done cooking or it can make the mung beans tough.
• We found it takes over 30 minutes for our Instant Pot or pressure cooker to come to pressure, if you choose this method.
• Stove Top is just as simple but compared to the Instant Pot but it needs to be monitored during the cooking process.

Topping Ideas

• Air fryer tofu croutons - easy recipe instruction in the recipe notes.
• Toasted black sesame seeds
• Fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley.

What to serve with Soup?

1. Rice or quinoa
2. Naan bread, roti, gluten-free crackers or Whole Wheat Focaccia Bread
3. Salads
4. Sandwiches or chicken Caesar lettuce wrap sandwiches
5. Fresh fruit
6. Refrigerator pickles

Benefits of Mung Beans

Did you know? Mung beans feed the good bacteria in your gut, helping keep digestion smooth and your microbiome happy. (4, 5)

Not only that, but this magical green bean is yin nourishing and it's energy is cooling in nature and it may even help reduce menopausal symptoms. Mung beans are a source of phytoestrogens. These special compounds may help balance the changes in estrogen in the body to reduce hot flashes and more. So, it has that going for it! (6, 7)

How to Make Mung Beans Easier to Digest?

Mung beans are one of the easiest legumes to digest and are hidden powerhouses of protein, fiber, iron, B vitamins and folate.  If you suffer from bloating and gas after eating legumes, here are some suggestions to make them even easier to digest…

1. Soak your beans before cooking!
2. Cook the mung beans completely until they are soft and start to break down in the soup.
3. Adding spices like fennel, ginger, cumin and bay leaves to your recipes can help you digest the legumes so they can nourish your body.
4. Start out with a smaller portion of mung beans, if you are new to them. Gradually, increase the amount so your gut has time to adjust.
5. Drink plenty of water as you increase the fiber in your diet to prevent constipation and improve gut health.
6. Pressure cook the mung bean soup. This can help expedite the breakdown of difficulty digesting sugars in legumes.
7. Consider digestive enzyme supplements.

Rice - We used jasmine long grain white rice. When the rice cooks down, it creates a creamy broth texture to complement the red beans and other ingredients. You can also use short, grained white rice. Please do not use basmati rice or instant rice. You will not get that creamy consistency you are looking for. We have not tested the recipe with sticky rice, brown rice, or forbidden black rice.

Azuki Beans (Red Beans) - As you may have read our balancing warming and cooling foods article, azuki beans are neutral in energy making them perfect for anyone. They are very mild and nutty in flavor making them a perfect addition to sweet desserts like snow skin mooncakes or savory addition to a porridge congee.

According to TCM, these magical dried beans can benefit the body by removing dampness and strengthen the kidney and spleen. If you can't find azuki beans, don't sweat it. You can easily substitute red beans with dried kidney beans or cooling green mung beans.

Job's Tears (also known as coix seed, Chinese Pearl Barley and more) have a delicious earthy and nutty flavor and are slightly cooling in nature. They are used often as a dietary supplement to boost the spleen function and to remove dampness from the body. (1) You will need to go to an Asian market or shop online to find job's tears. If you cannot find this ingredient, you can substitute with more red beans or uncooked pearl barley.

Chicken - We used finely chopped chicken breast just purely because that is what we had on hand. Feel free to use bone in chicken thighs or legs but remove any fat or skin first before adding it to the Instant Pot. After the congee is done cooking, remove the chicken from the bones and shred and add it back to the congee soup.

Aromatics and Flavoring Ingredients

Ginger - Peeled and sliced if you want a more mellow flavor. If you want a more pronounced ginger flavor,mince finely.

Chicken Bone Broth - either homemade or store bought to boost your gut health.

Mandarin Orange Peel - Dried (chénpí, 陳皮) can be seen drying in baskets everywhere in Hong Kong because they are used to treat digestive issues and relieve dampness and phlegm. It is believed that the longer the peels age the more intense the flavor and their medicinal effects.

We just went with a fresh mandarin orange peel with pith removed knowing that this would be an easy ingredient for you to find. Alternatively, you can add 1 - 2 droppers of Root + Spring's Aged Tangerine Peel Herbal Tincture and stir into your congee bowl just before serving.

Chinese Red Dates (jujubes) - They add a pop of natural sweetness and are nourishing to the spleen.

Goji Berries (Chinese wolfberry) We also added a tablespoon on goji berries because it is part of our goji berries and red dates herbal tea mixture. However, these are completely optional.

Dried Shiitake Mushrooms - Earthy and so delicious! However, the reason why we added them to the Instant Pot Chicken congee was to help remove accumulated dampness in the body. (2)

How to Make Congee in an Instant Pot

This is a basic overview. Please scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions.

• Rinse rice, job's tears, azuki beans, red dates, and shiitake mushrooms well.

• Add the above ingredients into the instant pot and add in chicken, chicken bone broth, ginger, and mandarin orange peel. If you wish, you can add in 2 chicken bouillon cubes for extra flavor.
• Close and lock the instant pot. Set the porridge function for 40 minutes high pressure.

• Allow natural release for at least 10-15 minutes and then carefully vent.
• Once the metal lock button falls, carefully open the lid. Add in salt and white pepper to taste, stir, serve up a bowl and add your favorite toppings and enjoy.

Asian Congee Toppings

• Green onions
• Fried shallots or garlic
• Soy sauce (coconut aminos or tamari sauce to keep gluten free)
• Sesame oil
• Jammy boiled 6-minute eggs or a fried egg
• Extra ginger
• Garlic chili oil
• Cilantro
• Fried tofu
• Stir fried veggies (garlic pea shoots, bok choy, Chinese broccoli (gai lan), spinach, etc.)
• Leftover proteins from yesterday's dinner
• Chinese Pickles or fermented things like kimchi
• And more…

What is the Difference Between Congee and Porridge?

Congee (also called Jook in Cantonese) is an Asian soup made with cooked down rice as the base. Whereas a porridge can have other types of cooked down grains such as oats, millet, barley, or corn instead of rice. Our Instant Pot Chicken recipe is both a congee and a porridge because it includes both rice and job's tears for the grain.

The Role of the Stomach and Spleen in TCM

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the stomach is responsible for digesting the food and the spleen's function is to transform the nutrients and transport the qi (our Life Force) and blood to nourish the body.

The goal of TCM is to keep your body's Ying and Yang in balance to prevent illness. However, if your body does not get the nutrients it needs to function, it starts to shut down. We could almost say that your spleen is center of health because it can cause both physical and emotional imbalances if it cannot perform its vital role.

If there are no changes to your routines, diet or even the weather outside, everything can stay in balance. However, come late summer, everything starts to change, and the balance is lost. This is time to reground us and prepare our bodies for the next season.

Late Summer Spleen Health 

Late summer corresponds to the earth element. It's an important time of the year to strengthen the stomach and spleen.

Living in a damp environment and/or suffering from spleen qi deficiency are hard on your body and digestive health. If your weakened spleen cannot move the fluids, you may feel extra sluggish, a feeling of heaviness in the limbs, bloating, foggy brain, increased mucus and much more.

3 Main Causes of Dampness in TCM

First, your body must deal with Mother Nature's environmental factors like the extreme heat, excessive rain, and its evil brother humidity. If you spend a lot of time in a rainy or humid environment, the body may not be able to keep up with its role to remove the fluids, resulting in dampness in the body.

Don't even get us started on Hong Kong's super humid summer weather! It's so hot and humid you can't breathe so all the businesses run their air conditioning (air con) so high you can see your breath. This is so hard on your body and the shock of the temperature and humidity changes sends your ying and yang into havoc.

Secondly, to combat that heat and humidity you may have been enjoying far too many cold foods like raw salads, ice cream and iced beverages. If you already have a spleen qi deficiency, eating or drinking cold foods and fluids makes it even more difficult for your spleen to transport the nutrients to where your body needs it.

The stomach and the spleen must work extra hard to heat, transform and transport these cold foods and beverages. If you already have a weakened spleen, it can't perform its job correctly. This can cause extra stress on the body resulting in increased dampness or phlegm. In addition, certain diet choices like dairy, processed foods, alcohol, gluten, fried foods and eating large amounts of mushrooms can also cause internal dampness. Think more warm and nourishing meals like Roasted Butternut and Carrot Soup.

Lastly, let's not forget about the emotional component of excessive worry. Excessive worrying about things you cannot change stresses out the spleen. When your spleen qi is weakened, it cannot perform to role of transporting fluids well. This may result in extra internal dampness in the body.

Food is Medicine

Long gone are the days where you pop a pill for this, that, and everything. Living through chemistry is not a very healthy option. The side effects alone are enough to keep you sick.

Your health starts with prevention! As a clinician, we can validate that it's much easier and cheaper to keep things in balance to prevent illness BEFORE it happens. Listening to your body's clues, eating seasonally, and taking the time to cook nourishing meals for yourself are some of the best tools in your health toolbox.

Harnessing the power of food as medicine is an effective way to recover from long-term illness, boost your immunity before the kids are back to school, and maintain health and vitality as you age.

Ingredients Needed

Bay Scallops (depending on where they were harvested are sometimes also called Atlantic Bay scallop or blue-eyed scallops) are small (about the size of a US dime) and only about ⅓ the size of a sea scallop. They come either fresh or frozen depending on where you live. These are raw and not the dried ones you get at the Chinese Medicine stores in Sheng Wan, Hong Kong or in XO sauced beef noodles.

Spring Veggies like asparagus, peas and carrots add a pop of freshness to this Asian bay scallop stir fry. Feel free to substitute with your favorite seasonal vegetables of choice.

Aromatics such as ginger and garlic are key to this light and flavorful Chinese stir fry. In a pinch, you can substitute with ground spices but fresh is best.

Light Flavorful Chinese Sauce is made with chicken bouillon mixed in water, sesame oil, oyster sauce and cornstarch to thicken. We used a teaspoon of Better than Chicken Bouillon in ⅓ cup water. You can also use a powdered bouillon or a crushed bouillon cube in either chicken or vegetable flavor. Just a tablespoon of oyster sauce will make this Asian recipe and our chicken and mushroom recipe extra flavorful. If you are celiac, there are gluten free options for both oyster sauce and chicken bouillon.

How to Choose the Best Bay Scallops?

If you have the option of purchasing fresh bay scallops that smell fresh like the sea and lightly sweet, are shiny, and firm to the touch - buy the fresh bay scallops. Otherwise, raw frozen bay scallops are a great option - that is exactly what we used. Sometimes, frozen are the better option because they are caught, and flash frozen straight away to maintain freshness.

Frozen scallops can be either wet packed or dry packed.  Wet packed scallops are treated with a preservative so that they stay fresher longer and this can cause problems as they hold onto water and when you try to cook them and then they shrink. Dry scallops do not have any additives, so they keep their natural moisture level and do not shrink when cooked.

Top Tip: Choose dry packed sea scallops over wet sea scallops for the best sear on the scallops.

How to Prepare Frozen Bay Scallops?

Recipe Tip: The most important rule is to get the bay scallops as dry as possible without drawing out any of their natural juices.

Unlike other stir-fried bay scallops' recipes, ours does not include blanching them in hot water, brining with salt or dusting them in cornstarch. These are unnecessary steps that can draw the water out, but it makes them tough and rubbery in the process.

If you want succulent tender scallops, here's how you do it - No special tools or talents needed!

• Remove frozen bay scallops from their original container and place in a covered container in the refrigerator overnight. Bay scallops do not need to be rinsed. Please do not soak them in water because they will get waterlogged. Instead, just let them thaw naturally all by themselves and they will do their magic.

• When you are ready to cook fresh caught or thawed bay scallops, drain any liquid in the bowl they were sitting in.

• Then, lay out a couple layers of paper towel or a tea towel out. In a single layer, spread the bay scallops out on the towel.

• Take another paper towel or tea towel and dab dry.

• Allow them to stay on the towel to dry while prepping the other part of your recipe ingredients.

How to Make a Seafood Vegetable Stir Fry?

• On a towel, pat dry the bay scallops. Leave them on the towel at room temperature for 10 minutes while you prep the other ingredients.
• Remove the tough stems from the asparagus, like we do with our grilled asparagus recipe. Then, chop into 1.5-inch segments.

• Slice the carrots and finely mince ginger and garlic.
• Make the simple Chinese sauce. Add the chicken bouillon powder or paste to water and stir along with sesame oil, oyster sauce and cornstarch.

• Steam the sliced carrots in the pan with a little water and place on the lid for 1 minute or until the water evaporates.
• Add in oil, aromatics, asparagus in with the steamed carrots and stir fry until vegetables are crisp tender. Remove the veggies from the pan.

• Stir fry the bay scallops for 1 minute on one side and flip over for about 30 seconds on the other.

• Quickly add the cooked veggies and Chinese sauce into the pan until the sauce thickens.
• Add the thawed cooked peas to the stir fry and give the Asian bay scallops stir fry a quick toss.

Recipe Tips

• Allowing the bay scallops to dry on a towel for 10 minutes is the first step for success. You can even do this whilst you are chopping your vegetables and making the sauce. This step ensures the bay scallops are at room temperature, so they cook evenly.
• Do NOT soak bay scallops in water or try to do a quick thaw using water.
• Do not marinate sea scallops in cooking wine or any liquids before cooking. It will cause steaming instead of searing in the pan. That is not the effect you are going for.
• Fresh or recently thawed raw scallops need to be cooked within 1 to 2 days of refrigeration.  Do not refreeze thawed bay scallops.
• Choose smaller and similar in diameter sized asparagus vs the thick and larger in diameter ones. This ensures that they cook fast and evenly.
• Carrots take longer to cook than the other veggies. Do a quick carrot steam in the wok or pan with a lid and a little water before adding the other veggies.
• Stir frying on medium-high heat is best.
• Do NOT over crowd the wok or pan so the ingredients can get a good sear.
• Getting everything prepped and ready (mise en place) is important because the actual stir-frying process is going to go fast - less than 5 minutes.
• For the Chinese stir fry sauce to thicken, the pan must be a medium high heat.  After you bring the sauce up to a boil, the sauce will start to thicken. Keep stirring because it takes only a few seconds.

Baked or Air Fried

Enjoy these versatile Italian-style cutlets in a variety of ways - on a hearty sandwich, atop a fresh salad, or as the base for classic Chicken Parmesan. With a healthy cooking method and mouthwatering texture, this easy recipe is sure to become a new family favorite.

Say goodbye to the mess (AKA cleaning the grease and grime off everything - uggh!) and extra calories of shallow or deep frying on the stovetop. Instead, these cutlets can be quickly baked in the oven or cooked in the air fryer for a healthier, easier-to-clean option. Both cooking options are included in the recipe card below.

Make in Advance

And the best part? They can be made ahead and frozen for effortless meal prep. With their amazing texture, flavor, and convenience, these Italian style chicken cutlets are sure to become a new family favorite. Let's get started on the recipe!

Ingredients

Chicken - We used boneless skinless chicken breasts and sliced them into cutlets. Cutlets are essentially just chicken breasts that have been sliced in half lengthwise to make them thinner just like we did with out mushroom chicken recipe. Chicken breast cutlets are a more budget friendly option. If you want to save time, you can use pre-cut chicken cutlets.

Plain Panko breadcrumbs (Japanese breadcrumbs) - These make the cutlets extra light and crunchy because they are made from white bread without the crusts and are grated before dried. Regular Italian breadcrumbs are heavier and will not give you the same level of crunchiness. For dietary issues you may want to use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs like we breaded our stuffed zucchini blossoms with.

Eggs - helps hold the breading on the Italian chicken cutlets.

Flour - seals in the juices, helps the egg bind to the chicken which in turn helps the panko breadcrumbs stick. We used all-purpose flour. If you have dietary issues, you can substitute with a gluten-free flour blend.  

Olive Oil - but of course, right!

Italian Seasoning Blend - this is a spice mixture of basil, oregano, rosemary, marjoram, and thyme. The addition of Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese is what makes this recipe for Italian chicken cutlets different from Japanese chicken or pork tonkatsu.

Garlic - kept it easy with garlic powder or can use freshly minced garlic.

Parsley - nice to garnish with - but not required.

Parmesan Cheese - finely grated - the king of cheese! We use most of the cheese in the panko bread crumb mixture but also use a little in the egg mixture. Double the flavor. If you love the flavor of parmesan cheese but are looking for a low carb recipe, you are going to love our herb crusted beef cutlet recipe.

Preparing the Breading Station

*For the full Italian chicken cutlet recipe instructions, see the recipe card below.

• Toast panko breadcrumbs with olive oil in a pan until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.

• Butterfly or slice chicken breast down the center lengthwise to make thin cutlets.

• Pound chicken cutlets with a meat mallet or a heavy skillet to flatten to about ¼ inch thickness.
• Season chicken cutlets

• Mix parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, parsley, and salt and pepper in the toasted panko breadcrumbs.
• Beat eggs and add the rest of the parmesan cheese and salt and pepper. Set it aside.

• Place flour on a plate and set up your breading station.

How to Make Italian Chicken Cutlets?

• Dip the seasoned chicken cutlets into the flour and shake lightly to remove excess flour.

• Next, dip the floured chicken piece into the egg mixture to coat both sides.
• Transfer the coated chicken onto the plate of seasoned toasted breadcrumbs. Coat both sides and press lightly to ensure the breading sticks to the chicken.
• Prepare to either air fry or bake.

How to Bake?

• Preheat oven to 400° F (204°C)
• Place Italian chicken cutlets on a lined and lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Then, turn over and continue baking for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the chicken has reached the internal temperature of 165°F (73.9°C).

How to Air Fry?

• Preheat air fryer to 400° F (204°C)
• Place Italian chicken cutlets in the lightly greased air fryer basket and spray with oil. Air fry for 5 minutes. Then flip the chicken over and spray the other side with oil. Continue to air fry for another 5 to 7 minutes (total of 10 - 15 minutes) or until the chicken has reached the internal temperature of 165°F (73.9°C).

Recipe Tips

1. If using previously frozen chicken, make sure it is completely thawed before breading or it will be soggy.
2. Season the chicken cutlets, egg mixture and the panko bread mixture thoroughly for the best tasting breaded chicken.
3. Set up your breading station like the Ford assembly line! First goes the chicken, then the flour, followed by the egg mixture and then the panko bread crumb mixture. Lastly, have your lined baking tray or prepared air fryer basket ready at the end.
4. Use a fork to bread the chicken or use one hand for breading and keep the other hand clean.
5. Shake off the excess flour so that the egg and panko breadcrumbs adhere well to the chicken.
6. After dipping the chicken into the panko breadcrumb mixture, press down firmly on both sides so the breadcrumb mixture adheres to the chicken cutlet.
7. The goal is to pound the chicken to a ½ inch thickness all around the cutlet to make sure it cooks evenly.
8. Don't overcook the chicken! You do not have to worry about the panko breadcrumbs getting browned or crispy because you already completed this task on the stove top. The goal is to have a moist chicken cutlet with an internal temperature of 165°F (73.9°C). For us, it took 20 minutes in the oven and 12 minutes in the air fryer.

Air Fryer Method: Pros and Cons

After recipe testing, both cooking methods made deliciously crispy Italian chicken cutlets with a tender and moist interior. Side by side, you could not tell the difference in texture or flavor. You will need to decide what cooking option suits your family best.

Pros: quick and easy. Only took 10 minutes to air fry. Super crispy exterior and tender inside.

Cons: To maintain that crispy exterior, you need to spray oil on both sides and flip over in the air fryer basket. We have a Cosori Smart 12-in-1 Air Fryer Toaster Oven.  Therefore, we placed a lined baking tray under the air fry basket to catch the crumbs, but I still made a mess flipping them over. Probably you will not have the same problem but wanted to let you know. In addition, we could only air fry 2 cutlets at a time.

Baking Method: Pros and Cons

Pros: Least messy and easy. No additional oil is required, other than lightly greasing the lined baking sheet. (You can even use parchment paper and avoid all the extra oil - if that option is available to you.) In addition, you can fit more chicken cutlets on a half baking sheet tray than in an air fryer. Super crispy exterior and tender inside, even without a wire rack.

Cons: You need to remember to flip the chicken cutlets over at the 15-minute mark. Air frying is cooler in the summer compared to baking.

What to Serve with Chicken Cutlets?

For a cozy Italian night in, try serving this chicken recipe with a side of risotto, spaghetti, mashed potatoes, or even a homemade Trofie pasta.

Keep it light with a side of summer millet salad, tossed green salad with a white balsamic vinaigrette or grilled vegetables.

Secret Hacks for Ultra Crispy Chicken Wings

Say goodbye to blubbery and rubbery fatty chicken wings forever!

Have you have tried our super easy baked wing dings or baked General Tso's chicken wings? If so, you already know the basic concepts. We originally first posted this recipe in August of 2011. We wanted to share with you the new and improved recipe and hacks.

✨The key to making extra crispy chicken wings is rendering the fat!

Healthy World Cuisine's crispy wing recipe hacks:

1. Ensure the chicken wings are completely dry. This means taking each individual wing in a paper towel and patting it dry thoroughly. 
2. Bring the chicken to room temperature for 30 minutes prior to baking to ensure even cooking.
3. High oven temperature of 450 degrees F (232 degrees C).
4. Season the chicken wings right before baking as salt can draw out moisture.
5. Don't overcrowd the baking sheet!
6. Bake on the middle rack of the oven.
7. Bake wings with the skin side up first.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Chicken wings - Halved at joints and reserve the wing tip for chicken soup broth. You will use the middle part called the "wingette" and the meaty "drumette" sections for this recipe.

Garlic powder - used to season the wings and in the hot honey sauce.

Paprika - pop of heat.

Olive oil - and the high temperature of the oven helps the chicken wings get crispy and golden brown.

Hot Honey Sauce Ingredients

Asian fusion finger foods starts with a well balanced sauce to excite your taste buds.

Honey - sweet and sticky and keeps the sauce thick. You can exchange the sweet sauce with maple syrup, but the sauce is thinner.

Chili Garlic Sauce or Sriracha - gives these wings a kick of heat. You can adjust to your preferred level of hotness. You can also experiment with other hot sauces of choice. For example, try Franks or tabasco sauce but note that each have a different flavor and heat level.

Soy sauce - add the savory flavor.

Rice wine vinegar - adds the sour flavor. It balances out the sweet, spicy, savory flavors which are essential to all Asian recipes.

Dried Red Pepper Chili Flakes - for garnish if you want to raise the heat index.

Step by Step: How to Make Honey Hot Chicken Wings?

Step 1 and 2: Dry the chicken wings well. Holding each wing in a paper towel to really get all the juices off. Next, place the wings in a large bowl. Add paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper and oil. Give them a good toss to make sure each wing is coated.

Step 3 and 4: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees f (232 degrees C). Bake the chicken wings skin side up for 25 minutes. Turn the chicken wings over. Continue baking for another 8 - 15 minutes or until the chicken is golden and crispy. Properly cooked chicken wings will have an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (73 degrees C).

Step 5 and 6: Whilst the chicken wings are baking, make the honey hot wing sauce. In a small saucepan over low heat, add butter and allow it to melt. This is the start of a delicious golden-brown butter. Then add the sriracha or garlic chili sauce. Followed by garlic powder, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey and salt and pepper to taste.

Step 7 and 8: Toss the chicken wings in the hot honey sauce. If you want to kick up the heat a few notches, add a few dried red pepper flakes and enjoy.

Baked Wings Ingredients

Chicken Wings - Use the drumette and flat or wingette portion like we did with out honey hot wings. If using full wings, cut into segments, and set aside the tips for another use (great in ABC Soup). Use fresh or completely defrosted and dry wings. Safely defrost frozen wings in the refrigerator for optimal results.

Oil - to prevent sticking and enhance the browning and crispy texture.

Chinese 5 Spice Powder - gives this General Tso's chicken recipe and our grilled pork loin recipe it's unique flavor profile without the use of hoisin sauce. The ingredients of 5 spiced powder are ground Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, and fennel seeds. Naturally gluten free, but if you are celiac, you must be certain you purchase a certified gluten free option or make your own blend.

General Tso's Sauce Ingredients

Soy Sauce - To keep the sauce gluten free, you can use coconut aminos, tamari or gluten free soy sauce. If there are no gluten issues, use regular soy sauce.

Honey - or use a sugar alternative of choice for a sweet, sticky, hot honey flavor.

Rice vinegar - provides a tangy flavor. Substitute with apple cider vinegar or Chinese black vinegar.

Garlic Chili Sauce - or Sriracha sauce for a kick of heat. In the absence of both, add crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.

Chicken broth - we used a gluten free, low sodium broth.

Sesame oil - for a delicious nutty flavor.

Chinese 5 Spiced Powder - add to the unique flavor profile.

Garlic and ginger - fresh are best, but dried ground spices can also be used.

Cornstarch - Clabber Girl brand is gluten free, or exchange with potato starch.

Bake the Chicken Wings

• Dry wings meticulously for ultimate crispiness.
• Toss with flavorful seasonings.
• Bake at 450°F (232°C) for a total of 45-50 minutes until crispy.

Make the Asian Sauce

• Sauté ginger and garlic in oil until aromatic.
• Combine chili garlic sauce, chicken broth, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil and cornstarch slurry.
• Stir until the sauce reaches a delightful thickness.

Getting the Wings Ready to Serve

• Toss the baked chicken wings generously into the flavorful sauce.
• Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds for the perfect finishing touch.

What to Serve with Wings

Appetizer:

• Enjoy with a cold brew of your choice.
• Have plenty of napkins ready for a delightful, hands-on experience.
• Ideal for tailgating parties or cocktail gatherings, pair these wings with other appetizers like air fryer jalapeno poppers or fresh-cut veggies with red pepper hummus.

Main Dish:

• Add a side of fried rice for a satisfying meal.
• Warm up with a starter of wonton soup.  

Variations

Vegan Twist:

Explore General Tso's sauce with grilled or air-fried tofu or pan-fried tempeh for a delightful vegan option.

Carb-Friendly Adjustment:

Opting for a carb-friendly version? Substitute honey with a sugar alternative and reduce the amount of cornstarch slurry to achieve desired thickness.

How to Store & Reheat

Storing Leftovers:

1. Let the wings cool to room temperature.
2. Place them in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
3. Alternatively, freeze for up to 2 months.

Reheating Options:

• Bake at 350°F (176°C) for about 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
• Air fry at 350°F for 2 to 3 minutes until warm.
• While the quickest, microwaving for 30 seconds to a minute may compromise the crispy factor.