How Chinese Food Hacks Can Make Your Busy Weeknights Easier
As someone who loves Chinese food, I’ve always found that cooking it at home can be a bit of a time commitment. Between chopping vegetables, marinating meat, and prepping sauces, it often feels like I need hours to make a delicious Chinese meal. But let’s be real—on a busy weeknight, that’s just not feasible. A while ago, I decided to figure out ways to hack my favorite Chinese dishes and make them much quicker without sacrificing flavor. What I discovered completely transformed my weeknight dinners and made Chinese food an easy go-to option. If you’re in a similar boat, here are some of my favorite Chinese food hacks to help you prepare tasty meals without spending hours in the kitchen.
1. Embrace Pre-cut Vegetables and Ready-to-Cook Ingredients
One of the biggest time-saving hacks I’ve found for weeknight Chinese cooking is using pre-cut vegetables and ready-to-cook ingredients. While I used to spend what felt like forever chopping onions, peppers, and carrots, I’ve realized that buying these pre-chopped at the grocery store cuts down on prep time significantly. Many grocery stores now offer bags of pre-cut stir-fry vegetables or even ready-to-go chopped garlic and ginger. This has been a total game-changer for me. All I have to do is throw the ingredients into the pan, and I’m already halfway done! You can find pre-cut vegetables for everything from stir-fries to soups, so don’t hesitate to grab these shortcuts when you're short on time.
1.1 Frozen Ingredients Are Your Friend
If you’re a fan of dishes like fried rice, dumplings, or sweet and sour chicken, frozen ingredients can be a huge help. I often keep frozen vegetables, pre-cooked rice, and even frozen dumplings on hand. When it’s time for dinner, I can toss them directly into the pan or wok and have a meal ready in no time. For fried rice, I simply heat up the pre-cooked rice and add in some frozen peas, carrots, and whatever protein I have on hand. It’s quick, simple, and delicious!
2. Use Store-bought Sauces and Pastes
Another huge time-saver for me has been using store-bought sauces and pastes. Instead of making sauces from scratch—soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, and sesame oil—I’ve discovered that many Asian markets and even regular grocery stores carry high-quality pre-made sauces. These sauces are already perfectly balanced, saving you the time and effort of measuring out each ingredient. For example, if you want to make a quick stir-fry, all you need is a bottle of stir-fry sauce, and you’re good to go. I especially love using chili paste or garlic sauce for dishes like Kung Pao chicken—it's a fast and flavorful addition.
2.1 Ready-to-Use Marinades
If you’re looking to prepare a flavorful dish without spending too much time on the prep work, pre-made marinades are a lifesaver. I often buy marinades like teriyaki sauce or soy-based ginger garlic marinades to quickly flavor meats and tofu. A quick 15-minute marinate, and your protein is ready to be cooked. No chopping, no mixing—just pour and let it soak in the flavors.
3. Opt for One-Pan and One-Wok Meals
Another simple hack that I’ve found to be extremely helpful is cooking entire meals in one pan or wok. Chinese food lends itself perfectly to these one-pan meals, and this method saves both time and dishes. Stir-fries, for example, are perfect for a one-pan meal. I usually start with a protein (chicken, beef, tofu) and add whatever vegetables I have on hand. Then, I pour in some soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and a splash of sesame oil for flavor, and I’ve got a balanced, flavorful meal ready in under 20 minutes.
3.1 Sheet Pan Dinners
If you’re really in a hurry, sheet pan dinners are a great way to cook everything together at once. For example, you can make an easy Chinese-style chicken and vegetable sheet pan dinner by tossing chicken pieces, bell peppers, onions, and broccoli in soy sauce and spices, then roasting everything on a sheet pan. The result? A full meal with minimal prep time and cleanup!
4. Make Your Own “Instant” Fried Rice
Fried rice is a classic, but making it from scratch often means cooking rice, chopping vegetables, and cooking the rice again. That can take longer than I want to spend on a weeknight. So, I’ve started using leftover rice to make quick fried rice in just minutes. The key here is to use cold rice from the fridge—it’s much easier to stir-fry. I also add whatever leftover veggies or meats I have and a bit of soy sauce or sesame oil for flavor. In under 10 minutes, you can have a hearty, satisfying meal.
4.1 Adding Leftovers to Boost Flavor
One of my favorite things about fried rice is that it’s so versatile. If I’ve got some leftover rotisserie chicken, pork, or even shrimp, I throw those into the mix for an added protein boost. If you’re cooking for a family or just trying to use up leftovers, fried rice is the ultimate meal for using up food that might otherwise go to waste.
5. Make Homemade Dumplings with Store-Bought Wrappers
Making dumplings from scratch can take a while, but it’s so much easier than you think to create homemade dumplings using store-bought wrappers. You can buy frozen dumpling wrappers at any Asian grocery store, and then fill them with your choice of protein (pork, chicken, or even vegetables) and seasonings. I love to make a big batch of dumplings on the weekend, and then freeze them for easy meals later in the week. When it’s time to eat, I can quickly steam or pan-fry them for a delicious and satisfying meal. It’s a perfect shortcut to enjoying dumplings without all the work!
5.1 Quick Dipping Sauce
To make my dumpling meal complete, I always whip up a quick dipping sauce. A mixture of soy sauce, rice vinegar, a bit of chili paste, and a splash of sesame oil is all you need for a flavorful dipping sauce. It takes less than two minutes to prepare, and it makes the dumplings feel like a restaurant-quality dish!
6. Use a Slow Cooker or Instant Pot for Effortless Cooking
When I’m really pressed for time, I turn to my slow cooker or Instant Pot to make Chinese-inspired dishes without much effort. For example, I can throw in some chicken, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger, set it to cook, and come back hours later to a flavorful chicken dish. Instant Pots are particularly helpful for making dishes like beef and broccoli, and they reduce cooking time dramatically. It’s one of my favorite hacks for making a big batch of food that can feed me for a couple of days.
6.1 Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken
One of my go-to slow-cooker recipes is sweet and sour chicken. I just combine chicken pieces with a quick homemade sweet and sour sauce (pineapple juice, vinegar, sugar, and ketchup), and let it cook. In just a few hours, I have a dish that’s ready to serve over rice or noodles. It’s the ultimate no-fuss dinner that tastes amazing every time!
