Vietnamese Chicken Stir-Fry with Shimeji Mushrooms

Chicken stir-fried with mushrooms is an easy family dish made with ingredients that are readily available at Japanese supermarkets. When we ate this version at home, my wife said the flavor reminded her of a chicken-and-mushroom dish she used to have at a lunch restaurant near her workplace when she was living in Vietnam.

For this recipe, I used pre-cut chicken thighs, buna shimeji mushrooms, onion, and garlic. The chicken is seasoned mainly with fish sauce for a Vietnamese-style flavor, then quickly stir-fried with the mushrooms. The chicken stays tender, while the shimeji mushrooms keep a pleasant bite. It is especially good served hot with steamed rice.

Quick Info

• Marinating time: about 15 minutes
• Stir-frying time: about 8–10 minutes
• Total time: about 25 minutes
• Servings: 3
• Difficulty: Easy

Measurement note: 1 tablespoon = 15 ml; 1 teaspoon = 5 ml. I use a small measuring cup for small amounts of seasonings like fish sauce because it makes the quantity easier to control accurately.

Ingredients

Main ingredients

• 350–400 g skin-on chicken thighs, cut into 2–3 cm pieces
• 1 pack buna shimeji mushrooms (ぶなしめじ)
• 1/2 onion, cut into wedges
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Seasonings

For marinating the chicken:

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (15 ml)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar, optional
• A little black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cooking oil

Optional final seasoning:

• 1/2–1 teaspoon fish sauce (2.5–5 ml), to taste

For my family’s usual taste, the 15 ml of fish sauce used in the marinade is enough. Add more fish sauce at the end only after tasting the dish.

How to Cook

Step 1: Marinate the chicken

Place the chicken in a bowl with 15 ml fish sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sugar if using, a little black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon cooking oil.

Mix well and marinate for about 15 minutes.

While the chicken is marinating:

• Trim off the base of the shimeji mushrooms and separate them into small clusters.
• Cut the onion into bite-sized wedges.
• Finely chop the garlic.

Avoid soaking the mushrooms in water for too long, as they can absorb moisture and release more liquid during stir-frying.

Step 2: Stir-fry the chicken and add the garlic

Heat a nonstick frying pan.

Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry over medium-high heat, turning the pieces so the surface firms up and begins to brown lightly.

Once the skin starts releasing some fat, add the chopped garlic and stir-fry for about 20–30 seconds, just until fragrant. Do not let the garlic turn brown.

The chicken should cook for about 4–5 minutes in this step. It will continue cooking with the onion and mushrooms afterward.

With skin-on chicken thighs and a nonstick pan, there is no need to add extra oil to the pan.

Step 3: Add the onion and shimeji

Add the onion and stir-fry for about 1 minute.

Add the entire pack of shimeji mushrooms and continue cooking for another 2–3 minutes over relatively high heat.

There is no need to stir constantly. Letting the mushrooms stay in contact with the hot pan briefly before tossing them again helps develop more aroma and can also reduce excess moisture.

Step 4: Taste and adjust the seasoning

Once the chicken and mushrooms are nearly cooked, taste the dish first.

For lighter seasoning, or when cooking for children, the 15 ml fish sauce used in the marinade may already be enough.

If you prefer a stronger flavor to go with rice, add another 1/2–1 teaspoon fish sauce (2.5–5 ml).

Stir-fry for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, then taste again.

Check one of the thicker pieces of chicken to make sure it is fully cooked inside.

Turn off the heat and finish with a little extra black pepper if you like.

🇯🇵 Ingredient Tips for Cooking in Japan

Chicken thighs

Chicken thighs are commonly sold in Japan as 鶏もも肉（とりももにく）.

For this recipe, I used pre-cut chicken thighs from the supermarket. They are convenient for stir-frying because the pieces are already close to bite size and require very little preparation.

Skin-on chicken thighs also work particularly well here because the skin releases its own fat while cooking, helping the meat stay moist.

If you buy a whole boneless chicken thigh instead, simply cut it into pieces about 2–3 cm before marinating.

Buna shimeji mushrooms

Buna shimeji (ぶなしめじ) is one of the most common mushrooms sold in Japanese supermarkets.

After cooking this dish, I found that one pack is a good default amount for 350–400 g of chicken when serving three people. The balance between the chicken and mushrooms felt just right.

If your family especially likes mushrooms, you could increase the amount to around 1.5 packs.

Maitake (舞茸) can also be used if you want to try a different Japanese mushroom, although I used buna shimeji for this version.

How It Turned Out

The chicken was nicely seared while still tender, with a savory fish sauce flavor and a light garlic aroma.

The shimeji mushrooms stayed pleasantly springy, while the onion added natural sweetness. The dish did not become overly watery and worked very well served hot with steamed rice.

📝 My Notes After Cooking

For this family dinner, I used about 350–400 g of chicken thighs and one pack of shimeji mushrooms for three people. One pack of mushrooms felt like the right amount for that quantity of chicken.

My wife said the dish reminded her of a familiar flavor from meals she used to eat in Vietnam. Even though the ingredients are easy to find in Japan, the finished dish still felt familiar and comforting.

My son also liked the dish, although he thought it was slightly too strongly seasoned. In this test, I used 15 ml fish sauce in the marinade and added another 5 ml at the end, for a total of 20 ml. For our family, 15 ml is enough for a balanced everyday version; the additional 5 ml works better if you prefer a stronger flavor with rice.