Chinese cuisine is hugely popular among Americans. However, unlike many cuisines, Chinese takeout may be as popular (or even more) than dining in the actual restaurants.
Perhaps it’s the cool takeout boxes or the fortune cookies, or maybe it’s just that a lot of the food translates well to takeout. Whatever the reason, people love Chinese takeout. Here we will rank the most delicious Chinese cuisine for takeout.
Most Popular Chinese Takeout Foods
Chinese food is comprised of eight types of cuisines, which include both sweet and sour flavoring along with spicy and hot tastes, points out Travel China Guide. The top Chinese dishes for takeout and delivery include:
Dumplings
Dumplings are one of the main foods of reunion dinners served on Chinese New Year’s Eve, particularly in northern regions. It is a mix of minced pork, mutton, chicken, or beef with vegetables for the filling, wrapped in dumpling skin and pinched in the form of an ear.
Kung Pao Chicken
The flavor is a blend of sweet and sour with spicy, with a main ingredient of diced chicken stir-fried with peanuts and dried chili.
Chow Mein
These are basically stir-fried noodles with onion, sliced meat, and green pepper and onion.
Yangzhou Fried Rice
Rice and eggs are the main ingredients, and they are mixed with ham, shrimp and peas.
Sweet and Sour Pork Fillet
Featuring a sweet and sour flavor, the juicy pork is encased in a crispy crust that everyone loves, especially kids.
Ma Po Tofu
This is a Sichuan cuisine that is hot and spicy, featuring red and hot broth, diced green onion and ground beef over tofu.
Spring Rolls
These are rolls of minced meat, vegetables and sweetened bean paste that are encased in a dough wrapper folded into a tube shape. In southern regions, it’s customary to eat Spring Rolls on the day of “Beginning of Spring.”
Crab Rangoon
This is a cream cheese and crab appetizer with a crispy outside shell. They’re a great finger food that you can pop in your mouth in just a couple of bites.
Buddha’s Delight
This dish consists of vegetables coated in a light white sauce, making a great vegetarian option for Chinese takeout lovers, says Spoon University.
Peking Duck
Duck is a flavorful meat that you don’t see in too many traditional takeout dishes. This tender and flavorful dish is a go-to favorite of many.
Chinese Pancakes
These are a mix of beef, scallions, and flaky dough similar to a burrito or gyro. They’re easy to eat on the go.
Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork
Typically paired with rice, the fish flavor originates from seasonings (not actual fish) that include broad bean paste, salt, sugar, wine, soy sauce, and starch. Lean pork is chopped into slices and added to the sauce that is then stir-fried with lettuce, dried agarics, ginger and garlic.
So, there you have it: some of the most popular and tasty Chinese food takeout options for people in America.
Do you agree with the list? Which dishes would you add?