A cosy Cantonese homestyle dish that’s all about comfort and flavour. This steamed chicken with Chinese sausage and mushrooms is juicy, savoury and packed with umami, with the sausage melting into the chicken as it steams. It’s high in protein, perfect with rice, comes together in under 45 minutes, and is easily one of my top 5 favourite steamed dishes to make at home.
Table of Contents
- Watch How to Make It
- What is Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage & Mushrooms?
- Why I Love This Recipe
- Ingredients for This Dish
- How to Make Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage & Mushrooms
- Karen’s Top Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
Watch How to Make It
What is Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage & Mushrooms?
Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage & Mushrooms (冬菇臘腸蒸雞) is a classic Cantonese homestyle dish that’s cozy, comforting and packed with umami.
It features tender marinated chicken steamed with umami shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms and Chinese sausage, creating a delicious savoury sauce that’s perfect spooned over rice.
If this recipe looks familiar, it’s because it’s a variation of my viral Steamed Chicken with Shiitake and Wood Ear Mushrooms recipe. The only difference is that this version is topped with sliced Chinese sausage, which adds extra flavour and richness as it steams.
I actually prefer this version, because the fats from the sausage drip down into the chicken, making it even more juicy and yummy!
This steamed chicken with mushrooms dish will forever be one of my top 10 favourite easy weeknight dinners because it’s incredibly flavourful and ready in under 45 minutes.
Why I Love This Recipe
● Quick & easy: Ready in under 45 minutes with little to no hands-on cooking!
● So much flavour: Packed with umami from mushrooms and Chinese sausage, with a savoury sauce perfect for rice.
● Healthy & light: Steamed, so it stays juicy while keeping nutrients and using very little oil.
Ingredients for This Dish
Here are a few key ingredients to note. You’ll find the full ingredient list and quantities in the recipe card below.
Chicken thighs
I like using chicken thighs for this dish because they stay juicy and tender when steamed. The meat turns out silky and soft, which works perfectly with the mushrooms and Chinese sausage. You can use chicken breast if you prefer, but it can dry out more easily, so be careful not to over-steam it.
Dried shiitake mushrooms
Dried shiitake mushrooms are essential here because they bring a deep, earthy umami flavour that really defines the dish.
Make sure not to throw away the mushroom soaking water! It’s full of flavour, and I like adding a little into the marinade for extra umami.
Substitutes?
I really don’t recommend swapping dried shiitake for fresh mushrooms. The whole point is that concentrated umami you only get from dried mushrooms, and you’ll lose that depth if you switch them out.
Wood ear mushrooms
I love adding wood ear mushrooms because it adds a nice subtle crunchy texture that balances the soft silky chicken and mushrooms.
I only use a small handful (about 1/4 cup, or 10–15 dried pieces). They look tiny when dry, but once soaked they expand quite a bit, so don’t be fooled by their size.
You can skip them if you want, but I honestly think they make the dish even better by adding texture.
You can find them easily online or in most Asian supermarkets, sometimes labelled as black fungus.
Chinese sausage
Chinese sausage is what takes this dish to the next level. It’s slightly sweet, savoury, and rich, and as it steams, the fats slowly render and drip down into the chicken beneath it. This infuses everything with extra flavour and makes the sauce even more delicious over rice.
I like slicing it thin so it cooks gently on top of the chicken. You don’t need to use a lot either, a little goes a long way because it’s quite rich. I usually use one sausage which is about 40g.
You can usually find Chinese sausage in vacuum packs at Asian supermarkets, and it keeps really well in the fridge, so it’s great to have on hand for quick meals like this.
How to Make Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage & Mushrooms
1) Prepare the mushrooms
Rinse the dried shiitake and wood ear mushrooms, then soak them in hot water for at least 30 minutes, or until softened and plump. Once softened, squeeze out any excess water. Slice the shiitake mushrooms and thinly slice the wood ear mushrooms. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid for the marinade.
Debone the chicken thighs and slice them into bite-sized pieces, about ½ inch thick strips.
2) Marinate the chicken
In a bowl, combine the chicken with all of the marinade ingredients and mix well. Add the sliced mushrooms and ginger, then toss until everything is evenly coated. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, or longer if time allows.
3) Assemble the dish
Transfer the marinated chicken and mushrooms to a shallow heatproof dish, spreading them into an even layer. Arrange the sliced Chinese sausage on top of the chicken. Placing the sausage on top allows its rendered fat and flavour to gently seep into the chicken as it steams.
4) Steam and serve
Place a steaming rack in a deep wok and add about 2 inches of hot water. Put the plate of chicken on the rack, cover with a lid, and turn the heat to high. Once the water starts to boil, steam for 12–15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Garnish with chopped green onions and serve hot with steamed rice.
Karen’s Top Tips
1) Save the dried shiitake mushroom soaking water
Whenever I use dried shiitake mushrooms, I always save the soaking liquid. It’s basically liquid gold packed with umami and shouldn’t go to waste. I like to add about 2 tablespoons into the marinade for extra depth and flavour.
2) Spread the chicken out evenly
Make sure the chicken mixture is spread out in an even layer in your dish. I keep mine about 1.5 inches thick, which steams perfectly in around 13–15 minutes. If the mixture is too thick or piled up in a deep dish, it will take longer to cook and you may end up with unevenly cooked chicken.
3) Don’t skip the Chinese sausage placement
Try to arrange the sliced Chinese sausage on top of the chicken rather than mixing it in. This allows the fat to slowly render during steaming and drip down into the chicken, gently flavouring everything underneath without overpowering it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can, but I recommend chicken thighs because they stay much juicier and more tender when steamed. Chicken breast can dry out more easily, so just be careful not to overcook it.
I really recommend it. Dried shiitake mushrooms give the dish its deep, earthy umami flavour. Fresh mushrooms just won’t give the same intensity.
You can, but it really adds extra flavour. As it steams, the fat melts into the chicken and makes the whole dish more savoury and rich.
Yes, you can marinate the chicken and prep the mushrooms ahead of time. It actually makes the flavour even better if it sits for a bit before steaming.
The chicken should be opaque, tender, and cooked through after steaming for about 12–15 minutes (depending on thickness). If your dish is deeper or more crowded, it may take a little longer.
Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage & Mushrooms (冬菇臘腸蒸雞)
2
servings45
minutes15
minutes899
kcalCozy steamed chicken with Chinese sausage and mushrooms (冬菇臘腸蒸雞) that’s juicy, savoury, full of umami, and ready in under 45 minutes.
Keep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
3 -4 chicken thighs, deboned and chopped into bite-size chunks
1 chinese sausage (~40g)
4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and rehydrated
10 -15 wood ear mushrooms, soaked and rehydrated
15 g ginger, thinly sliced
1 green onion, chopped (garnish)
- Chicken marinade:
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp sugar
¼ tsp white pepper powder
2 tbsp mushroom soaking liquid
1 tsp sesame oil
Directions
- Rinse the dried shiitake and wood ear mushrooms, then soak them in hot water for at least 30 minutes, or until softened and plump. Once softened, squeeze out any excess water. Slice the shiitake mushrooms and thinly slice the wood ear mushrooms. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid for the marinade.
- Debone the chicken thighs and slice them into bite-sized pieces, about ½ inch thick strips.
- In a bowl, combine the chicken with all of the marinade ingredients and mix well. Add the sliced mushrooms and ginger, then toss until everything is evenly coated. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, or longer if time allows.
- Transfer the marinated chicken and mushrooms to a shallow heatproof dish, spreading them into an even layer. Arrange the sliced Chinese sausage on top of the chicken. Placing the sausage on top allows its rendered fat and flavour to gently seep into the chicken as it steams.
- Place a steaming rack in a deep wok and add about 2 inches of hot water. Put the plate of chicken on the rack, cover with a lid, and turn heat to high. Once the water starts to boil, steam for 12–15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Garnish with chopped green onions and serve hot with steamed rice.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 1 serving g
- Total number of serves: 2
- Calories: 899kcal
- Fat: 42g
- Saturated Fat: 11.2g
- Cholesterol: 181mg
- Sodium: 1412mg
- Potassium: 1775mg
- Carbohydrates: 96.3g
- Fiber: 10g
- Sugar: 31.1g
- Protein: 47.9g
- Calcium: 38mg
- Iron: 4mg
- Vitamin D: 0.5mcg
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