moo goo gai pan

American  

[moo goo gahy pan] / ˈmu ˈgu ˈgaɪ ˈpæn /

noun

Cantonese Cooking.

1. a dish of sliced chicken stir-fried with button mushrooms and, often, assorted vegetables.

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Etymology

Origin of moo goo gai pan

From dialectal Chinese; compare Chinese mógu Mongolian-type mushroom (probably from Mongolian; compare Dagur (Mongolian language of northwestern Manchuria) muugee “mushroom”), jī “chicken” ( Guangdong dialect gāi ), piān “slice(s)”

Example Sentences

Dishes like moo goo gai pan and chop suey — which roughly translates to “odds and ends” — were the beginnings of a culinary tradition.

From New York Times • Jun. 21, 2021

After the moo goo gai pan and sweet and sour shrimp arrived, out of the clear blue, he announced he was going back to the girlfriend.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2018

At first glance, Great Wall’s menu is packed with dishes familiar to unadventurous palates: Kung Pao chicken, beef with broccoli, moo goo gai pan.

From Washington Post • Jul. 28, 2016

“This doesn’t look like the moo goo gai pan I usually get. This looks spicy. You know I don’t like spicy food, Melissa.”

From "The Fourteenth Goldfish" by Jennifer L. Holm

“It’s regular old moo goo gai pan, Dad,” my mom says.

From "The Fourteenth Goldfish" by Jennifer L. Holm