If you’re looking for an easy homemade Chinese meal, this Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage is a great place to start. While it’s a common dish in Cantonese homes, it’s surprisingly rare to find it in restaurants, as it’s the kind of simple comfort food that families usually prepare at home.

The magic of this dish comes from steaming the ingredients together. The sweet-savory Chinese sausage infuses the chicken with flavor, while the shiitake mushrooms absorb all the delicious juices released during cooking.

I’ve been enjoying this dish since I was a kid, and it remains one of my family’s favorites. Served with a bowl of steamed rice, it’s a simple yet satisfying meal that’s easy enough for any home cook to make.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

This steamed chicken with Chinese sausage is made with common Cantonese pantry ingredients available in most Asian grocery stores.

• Chicken (boneless thighs or breast) – Thighs are preferred for a juicier texture in this Cantonese steamed chicken recipe.
• Chinese sausage (lap cheong / 腊肠) – Sweet and savory, it’s the key flavor in this dish.
• Dried shiitake mushrooms 冬菇)– Essential for a deep umami flavor, dried mushrooms work much better than fresh ones.
• Cloud ear fungus 云耳 (wood ear mushrooms 木耳) – Adds a light crunch and texture contrast.
• Dried red dates (红枣) – Brings a gentle natural sweetness.
• Goji berries (optional 枸杞子 ) – Mainly for color and a mild fruity note.
• Marinade: light soy sauce, Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry), sesame oil, salt, cornstarch, and a little vegetable oil.

Simple ingredients that create layers of flavor when steamed together!

How to Prepare the Ingredients for Steamed Chinese Sausage with Chicken

Chicken

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Mix with light soy sauce, Chinese rice wine, sesame oil, salt, cornstarch, and some oil. The cornstarch locks in moisture and provides a smooth, tender texture after steaming.

Note: Always use fresh chicken for the best flavor, as steaming highlights its natural taste.

Chinese Sausage (lap cheong)

Blanch the sausage in boiling water for about 30 seconds to loosen the casing, then peel and slice it diagonally. 

Dried Shiitake Mushrooms

Soak until fully softened (hot water speeds up the process). Remove stems and slice thickly. Dried shiitake mushrooms are essential for the deep, savory flavor in this Cantonese steamed chicken recipe.

Dried Red Dates

If soft, simply remove the seeds and cut into halves. If firm, soak briefly before using.

Cloud Ear Fungus

Soak until softened, about ten minutes, then rinse well and slice if needed. They add a light crunch that balances the tender chicken.

Goji Berries (Optional)

Rinse and soak briefly, then drain. They add color more than flavor, but they brighten up the dish nicely.

How to Steam the Chinese Sausage with Chicken

1. Arrange the marinated chicken on a steaming plate, then top it with Chinese sausage (lap cheong), shiitake mushrooms, cloud ear fungus, red dates, and goji berries if using. Spread everything out evenly so the ingredients steam properly and absorb the flavors evenly.
2. For best results, use a stainless steel or heatproof ceramic plate. Stainless steel heats up faster and is commonly used in traditional Cantonese steamed chicken recipes. Ceramic plates work well too, but may require a slightly longer steaming time.
3. If you don’t have a steamer, you can easily set one up using a wok. Place a trivet or small rack inside, add enough water to avoid boiling dry, then position the plate on top and cover tightly with a lid.
4. Steam over high heat for 15–20 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender. The exact time may vary depending on the thickness of the chicken pieces.
5. Once done, carefully remove the plate from the steamer. The dish will be filled with aromatic juices from the chicken, Chinese sausage, and mushrooms. This is what makes Chinese steamed chicken so flavorful.
6. Finish with a sprinkle of chopped spring onions for freshness and color, then serve immediately with steamed white rice.

What to Serve It With

This steamed chicken with Chinese sausage is best enjoyed with steamed rice. The flavorful juices from the chicken, lap cheong, and mushrooms soak into the rice, making every bite rich, savory, and comforting.

For a complete Cantonese-style home meal, you can also serve it with a simple stir-fried vegetable, such as Chinese greens with garlic. However, even on its own with rice, this steamed chicken recipe is already satisfying enough for an easy weeknight dinner.

Other dishes related to this Chinese recipe

If you enjoy this Cantonese steamed chicken with Chinese sausage, there are other simple and delicious recipes on this blog. Here are two of my favorites:

• Chinese sausage fried rice –  If you enjoy fried rice, this is a simple and satisfying option. The sausage adds a rich, savory flavor that enhances the entire dish.
• Steamed egg with salted egg and century egg –  Steaming is one of the simplest and healthiest cooking methods. This traditional steamed egg dish is smooth, comforting, and made even more flavorful with the addition of salted egg and century egg.

Tips for the Best Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage

• Use chicken thighs for the best texture – They stay juicy and tender after steaming, making them ideal for this Cantonese steamed chicken recipe.
• Don’t skip the cornstarch – It helps lock in moisture and gives the chicken a smooth, velvety texture.
• Use dried shiitake mushrooms, not fresh – Dried mushrooms provide a much deeper umami flavor that defines this dish.
• Spread ingredients evenly on the plate – This ensures everything cooks properly and absorbs the flavors of the Chinese sausage and mushrooms.
• Keep the heat high during steaming – Steaming on high heat ensures the chicken cooks quickly and remains tender instead of drying out.

Continue to Content

Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage

Yield: 3 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

A classic Cantonese dish bursting with the flavors of Chinese sausage, chicken, mushrooms, and cloud ear fungus.

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Ingredients

Ingredient A (marinate the chicken)

• 400g chicken meat (breast or thigh), cut into bite-size
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Ingredient B

• 5 red dates (remove the seeds)
• 7g wood ear mushrooms, soak to rehydrate, cut into thin strips
• 5 dried shitake mushrooms, soak to rehydrate, cut into thin strips
• 1 pair of Chinese sausages, blanch, then cut into thin slices

Instructions

Preparation:

1. Cut the chicken meat into bite-size pieces. 
2. Marinate the chicken with Ingredient A.
3. Blanch the Chinese sausages in boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove the sausage casing. Sliced thinly and diagonally into thin pieces.
4. Rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms by soaking them in water. Then, cut away the tough stems and slice them thinly.
5. Cut the dried red dates to remove the seeds.
6. Rehydrate the cloud ear mushrooms just like the dried shitake mushrooms.

Steam the sausage, chicken, and the rest

1. Place all the ingredients on a steaming plate. 
2. Steam for 15-20 minutes over high heat until thoroughly cooked.
3. Once it is ready, remove it from the steamer.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 459Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 133mgSodium: 1024mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 2gSugar: 8gProtein: 43g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 2/21/2024