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.

---

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

Another woman, sitting in Douglas’ favorite seat, tells Chan how she spent years ordering moo goo gai pan with no mushrooms, not understanding that they’re a main component of the dish.

From Seattle Times

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

From Literature

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

“And pick us up some moo goo gai pan!”

From The Wall Street Journal