Chinese cuisine is a favorite among many children. But it is not always a healthy option to get takeouts for your children. Thus, we bring you a few Chinese recipes for kids that you can try with your children at home to have a fun time cooking together.
If your child demands something Chinese every time they sit to eat, it can become burdensome to come up with new and interesting recipes every single time. But fret not, for we’ve got you covered. You can try out several Chinese recipes after prioritizing your family’s health and well-being.
Read on for a list of healthy and interesting Chinese recipes you could try making for your children to keep them happy and healthy.
10个简单的中国对孩子的食谱
1. Chicken Fried Rice:
You Will Need:
- 2 tbsp of oil
- 300 grams of cubed chicken filet
- 1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
- 1 crushed garlic clove
- 2 cups of rice, cooked
- 4 tbsp of chicken stock powder
- 1 red pepper
- 2 tbsp of soy sauce
- Salt
- 2spring onions(sliced diagonally)
How To:
- In a frying pan, heat the oil and add onion and garlic to it. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Then add chicken and cook until tender.
- Then add rice, chicken stock powder, salt, and pepper.
- Stir-fry for 5 minutes.
- Then add the soy sauce and spring onion. Sprinkle a little water. Cover and cook for one minute before serving.
2. Chinese Chicken Salad:
You Will Need:
- 2 bunches of romaine lettuce, chopped
- 3 cups of shredded chicken
- 2 cans of mandarin oranges
- 2 cups of Asian wonton strips
For Dressing:
- 1/4 cup ofpeanut butter
- 1/4 cup of Hoisin sauce
- 3 tbsp of canola oil
- 3 tbsp of vinegar
- 1 tbsp of chili garlic sauce
- 1 tbsp of garlic powder
- 1 tbsp of honey
- Kosher salt and black pepper powder to taste
How To:
- In a salad bowl, toss lettuce, chicken, mandarin oranges, and wonton strips.
- In a separate bowl, add all the remaining ingredients to prepare the dressing.
- Add the dressing to the salad and toss well.
3. Chicken Stir Fry
You Will Need:
- 1 pound of boneless chicken breasts (diced)
- 1/3 cup of cornstarch
- 1/4 cup of soy sauce
- 1/2 cup of orange marmalade
- 1 tbsp of minced garlic
- 1 tbsp of minced ginger
- 1/4汤匙的红色pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and black pepper powder to taste
- 2 tbsp of canola oil
How To:
- Add cornstarch to chicken cubes. Toss to coat well.
- In a small bowl, whisk ginger, garlic, soy sauce, marmalade, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the wok and add canola oil.
- Fry the chicken on medium heat until golden brown.
- Add the sauce and stir-fry to coat the chicken.
4. Asian Noodle Salad:
You Will Need:
- ½ Chinese cabbage, shredded
- 6 shallots, sliced
- 1 cup of toasted almond slivers
- 1 packet fried noodles (cooked)
For The Dressing:
- 1/4 cup of white vinegar
- 1/4 cup of sugar
- 1 tbsp of soy sauce
- 2 tbsp of sesame oil
- 1/2 cup of olive oil
How To:
- In a saucepan, combine all the dressing ingredients and heat until the sugar dissolves. Keep it aside to cool.
- In a mixing bowl, add almond, shallots, and cabbage.
- Pour the dressing overthe cabbagemix. Toss well.
- Add the fried noodles just before serving.
5. Chicken Chow Mein:
You Will Need:
For The Sauce:
- 2 tbsp ginger, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 tbsp of tomato ketchup
- 2 tbsp of oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp of soy sauce
For The Noodles:
- 1 large red pepper
- 5 spring onions
- 200 grams of bean sprouts
- 1 large chicken breast (diced)
- 3 nests of egg noodles
- 1 tbsp of sunflower oil
- Salt
How To:
- In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce and stir well.
- Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet. Drain and leave it aside.
- 锅中热油,然后加入鸡肉块。Cook until the chicken turns tender. Then add salt and pepper and cook for another minute.
- Pour the sauce into the wok and stir well.
- Then add the noodles, spring onion, and bean sprouts. Toss the noodles well.
- Cook for five minutes. Serve hot.
6. Kung Pao Chicken:
You Will Need:
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp of sesame oil
- 1 tbsp of red chili sauce
- 3 boneless, chicken breasts (diced)
- 1 tbsp of cornstarch
- 1/4 cup of soy sauce
- 1 tbsp of rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp of honey
- A dash of hot sauce
- 1/2 cup of scallions, sliced
- 1/2 cup of roasted peanuts
- Salt
How To:
- Whisk together sesame oil, red chili sauce, and minced garlic in a small bowl.
- Add the chicken to the sesame oil mix and toss to coat well. Leave it to marinate for 30 minutes.
- In another bowl, dissolve cornstarch in soy sauce. Then add honey and rice vinegar. Season with hot sauce.
- 在一个锅,热芝麻油和添加鸡pieces. Fry until the chicken turns golden brown.
- Then stir in the soy sauce mixture and cook for another mixture.
- Add the scallions, salt and peanuts. Let it simmer for five minutes and serve with warm rice.
7. Ginger And Garlic Prawns:
You Will Need:
- 4 tbsp of peanut oil
- 500 grams prawns (peeled)
- 4 tbsp ofchopped garlic
- 2 tbsp of finely grated ginger
- 2 tbsp of light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp of corn flour
- 1 cup of chicken stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
How To:
- Heat the oil in a pan and fry the prawns. Keep it aside.
- Add the remaining oil and stir-fry ginger and garlic for a minute.
- Mix corn flour with the chicken stock and soy sauce. Pour it into the pan and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook until the mix thickens.
- Add the prawns and cook for a few minutes before serving.
8. Dim Sums:
You Will Need:
- 200 grams of prawns, peeled and chopped
- 300 grams of minced pork
- 1/2 cup of water chestnuts, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup of bamboo shoots, finely chopped
- 2 dried mushrooms
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp of corn flour
- 1/2 tbsp of vinegar
- 1 tbsp of oyster sauce
- 1/2 tbsp of salt
- 1/2 tbsp of sesame oil
- 1 tbsp of sugar
- 1/2 tbsp of white pepper powder
- 1 carrot, finely grated
- 1 packet of wonton skins
How To:
- In a bowl, combine pork, prawns, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and water chestnuts. Then add the rest of the ingredients, except the wonton skins and carrots. Mix well.
- Place a spoonful of the mixture in the middle of the wonton skins and draw up the edges toward the top.
- 用磨碎的胡萝卜和蒸汽煮12 minutes.
9. Ginger And Soy Chicken:
You Will Need:
- 4 tbsp of dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp of whole grain mustard
- 2 tbsp of grated ginger
- 2 tbsp of oil
- 1 large chicken breast (diced)
- Salt and pepper to taste
How To:
- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and leave it to marinate overnight.
- Cook in the oven for 20 minutes at 450 degrees F.
10. Sweet And Sour Chicken:
You Will Need:
- 400 grams of pineapple rings in juice
- 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1 red pepper sliced
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- 2 cm of fresh ginger root (grated)
- 2 tbsp of dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp of tomato purée
- 50ml of vinegar
- 1 tbsp of dark soy sauce
- 200ml of chicken stock
- 1 tbsp of plain flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 500 grams of chicken breast (diced)
- Spring onions to garnish
- 4 tbsp of oil
How To:
- Chop two slices of pineapple and keep the juice aside.
- Sauté the sliced vegetables, grated ginger, and crushed garlic in a pressure cooker.
- Add the pineapple juice, tomato puree, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and chicken stock and stir well.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the chicken pieces after tossing them in the flour.
- Then put the lid on and cook until the chicken and vegetables are tender.
- Add the pineapple chunks and stir. Garnish with spring onions and serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What Chinese food is good for children?
Dishes such as Chinese vegetable Manchurian, baked chicken egg rolls, spring rolls, whole wheat momos, and stir fry can be made with little or no sauces and have lots of vegetables and protein. Also, they do not have excess refined sugar, refined flour, or other unhealthy ingredients and can be suitable for children. However, avoid Chinese foods that contain MSG (monosodium glutamate) and sodium-high sauces (1).
2. What Chinese food is good for picky eaters?
There is something for everyone in the enormous variety of Chinese cuisine. Even the pickiest eaters will enjoy cuisines belonging to Chinese cultures, such as egg rolls, Lo Mein, wonton soup, and sweet and sour pork.
3. Which noodles are healthy for children?
Healthy noodle options to add variety and nutrition to your child’s meal include squash noodles, whole-grain noodles, buckwheat noodles, quinoa noodles, and black bean noodles.
These tasty Chinese recipes for kids can help you prepare their favorite meal at home rather than depending on takeouts. You may avoid using harmful ingredients such as Ajinomoto or monosodium glutamate and food colors while cooking at home. Chinese fried rice, tofu, chicken salad, stir fry, Asian noodle salad, chicken chow mein, kung pao chicken, and ginger garlic prawns are some easy-to-prepare Chinese recipes. Children may also like dim sum, dumplings, and sweet and sour chicken. You may store some Chinese sauces, vinegar, and spices to prepare Chinese foods for your child. You may also encourage your child to learn to use chopsticks to relish Chinese food items.
Infographic: Easy-To-Make Vegetarian Chinese Snacks
While meat, seafood, and meat-based sauces dominate most Chinese dishes, the love for your child’s favorite cuisine need not be limited to non-vegetarian. Chinese cuisine is expansive and includes several plant-based options. Here is an infographic with some easy-to-make vegetarian and vegan options lined out just for you.
Key Pointers
- Chinese food is delicious, but eating out every day can be unhealthy.
- Use the recipes provided above to prepare nutritious and healthy Chinese meals for your children.
- You can serve these meals for their regular meals or pack them in their lunch boxes.
- You can adjust the flavors and add desired vegetables or meat to the recipes to suit your taste.
References:
- Hoisin Sauce; FDC ID: 2012647; Food Data Central, USDA
https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/2012647/nutrients - Have You Ever Tried Dim Sum?; Wonderpolis
https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/have-you-ever-tried-dim-sum - Anca Zanfirescu et al.; (2020); A review of the alleged health hazards of monosodium glutamate
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6952072/
Master the art of recreating your favorite Chinese childhood recipes by following the step-by-step instructions.