Egg Fu Yan (蛋餚) is a traditional Cantonese street‑food style egg pancake that dates back to early 20th‑century Guangzhou. It was originally a simple way to stretch eggs with thinly sliced meat or seafood, making a hearty yet inexpensive meal for laborers.

In Guangdong, the dish is often made with shrimp or pork and served plain. In Shanghai, a sweeter soy‑sugar glaze is common, while in Sichuan versions, chili oil and peppercorns add heat. The chicken version follows the Cantonese style but uses chicken breast for a leaner texture.

It is typically plated hot, drizzled with a light soy‑sugar gravy, and eaten with steamed white rice. Sometimes a side of pickled vegetables or a small bowl of clear soup accompanies the meal.

Egg Fu Yan is a popular everyday comfort food rather than a festive dish, but it is often served at family gatherings, birthday luncheons, or as a quick weekday dinner because it can be prepared in under an hour.

Authentic ingredients include Cantonese soy sauce, chicken breast, fresh bean sprouts, and a thin cornstarch slurry. Substitutes can be tamari for gluten‑free soy sauce, turkey breast for chicken, or snow peas instead of bean sprouts without drastically changing the flavor.

It pairs nicely with steamed jasmine rice, a simple cucumber salad with rice vinegar, and a clear broth soup such as egg drop soup. For a fuller meal, serve alongside stir‑fried bok choy or a hot and sour soup.

Common errors include over‑cooking the chicken, letting the bean sprouts become soggy, using too much water in the cornstarch slurry (which makes the gravy thin), and frying the egg pancake at too low a heat, resulting in a greasy, pale crust.

The thick slurry binds the egg and chicken together, giving the pancake structure, while the thin slurry allows the gravy to coat the pancake without becoming gloopy. Using two different consistencies ensures both the pancake and sauce have the right texture.

You can marinate the chicken and prepare both slurries up to 2 hours in advance, keeping them refrigerated. Cook the pancake and gravy just before serving; leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days but will lose crispness, so re‑heat in a hot skillet.

The edges should be crisp and golden brown, while the interior remains tender and slightly fluffy. The pancake should hold its shape without falling apart when flipped.

The YouTube channel Cook! Stacey Cook focuses on approachable home‑cooking tutorials, often featuring quick Asian-inspired dishes, comfort foods, and step‑by‑step guides for busy home cooks.

Stacey Cook emphasizes simplicity and minimal equipment, breaking down classic Chinese recipes into easy‑to‑follow steps with clear visual cues, whereas many other channels may use more specialized tools or complex techniques.