You know that feeling when you’re scrolling through takeout menus at 6 PM, wallet crying, stomach growling? Yeah, me too. But here’s the thing—making asian dinner recipes at home isn’t the intimidating culinary mountain we all think it is. I’ve been whipping up Asian-inspired dishes for years now, and honestly? Most of them are easier than convincing myself to go to the gym.
Let me walk you through 20 recipes that’ll transform your weeknight dinners from “meh” to “wait, YOU made this?” Trust me, your taste buds will thank you.
Why Asian Dinner Recipes Should Be Your Go-To
Before we jump into the good stuff, can we talk about why Asian cuisine is literally perfect for busy people? These dishes pack massive flavor without requiring a culinary degree. Plus, most easy asian dinner recipes come together in 30 minutes or less. FYI, that’s faster than delivery once you factor in wait times.
I remember my first attempt at making pad thai—I was terrified. Turns out, I’d been psyching myself out for no reason. The secret to great Asian cooking isn’t some mystical technique; it’s having the right ingredients and not overthinking it.
Getting Your Pantry Ready
Let’s be real—you can’t make asian inspired dinner recipes without a few essentials. Here’s what I always keep stocked:
- Soy sauce (both light and dark if you’re fancy)
- Sesame oil (a little goes a looong way)
- Rice vinegar
- Ginger and garlic (fresh or jarred, I won’t judge)
- Sriracha or chili paste
- Oyster sauce
- Fish sauce (yes, it smells funky, but it’s magic)
Once you’ve got these basics, you’re 80% there. The rest is just protein, veggies, and carbs.
Quick and Easy Asian Chicken Dinner Recipes
1. Honey Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry
This is my weeknight MVP. You literally throw chicken, veggies, and a honey-garlic sauce into a hot pan. Done in 20 minutes, and it tastes like you spent hours on it.
The sauce? Mix honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, and a splash of rice vinegar. Boom. Serve it over rice or noodles, and watch your family look at you like you’re a Michelin-star chef.
2. Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai)
Ever wonder why Thai restaurants make this so addictive? It’s the holy basil (or regular basil if you can’t find it) and the fish sauce doing all the heavy lifting. Ground chicken, chilies, garlic, and basil—that’s literally it.
I make this when I need dinner ready yesterday. Pro tip: serve it with a fried egg on top. You’re welcome.
3. Teriyaki Chicken
Yeah, yeah, I know—teriyaki sounds basic. But hear me out. Homemade teriyaki sauce beats store-bought every single time. Soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and ginger. Simmer until it’s glossy and gorgeous.
Grill or pan-fry your chicken, slather it with sauce, and suddenly you’re eating better than takeout.
4. Korean Chicken Wings
These wings are sticky, spicy, and absolutely dangerous. I’ve watched people lose all self-control around them 🙂
The sauce is gochujang-based (Korean chili paste), mixed with honey, soy sauce, and garlic. Bake the wings until crispy, then toss them in the sauce. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top because you’re classy like that.
5. Orange Chicken
Look, I won’t pretend this is authentic Chinese food—it’s totally an American invention. But does it slap? Absolutely. Crispy chicken chunks coated in a sweet-tangy orange sauce that’s somehow both nostalgic and crave-worthy.
The trick is getting your chicken really crispy before saucing it. Double-coating with cornstarch works wonders.
Easy Asian Dinner Recipes Beyond Chicken
6. Beef and Broccoli
This is one of those asian chicken dinner recipes—wait, beef recipes—that proves you don’t need a wok to make restaurant-quality food. A regular skillet works just fine, IMO.
Slice your beef thin, marinate it in soy sauce and cornstarch, then stir-fry with broccoli. The sauce is soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, and a touch of sugar. Simple? Yes. Delicious? Also yes.
7. Korean Bibimbap
Bibimbap is basically a “clean out your fridge” meal disguised as something fancy. Rice bowl, various toppings, fried egg, gochujang sauce—mix it all up and eat.
I love this because you can use whatever veggies you have lying around. Spinach, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini—throw it all in. The gochujang sauce ties everything together.
8. Mongolian Beef
This quick and easy asian dinner recipe is sweeter than your typical stir-fry, with that sticky, caramelized sauce clinging to tender beef strips.
The sauce is soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger. Cook it down until it’s thick and glossy. Toss in some green onions at the end for color and freshness.
9. Vietnamese Pho
Okay, pho isn’t exactly “quick,” but it’s easier than you think. The trick is using store-bought beef broth as your base and doctoring it up with star anise, cinnamon, ginger, and fish sauce.
Let it simmer while you prep your toppings—rice noodles, thinly sliced beef, bean sprouts, herbs, lime. The beef cooks right in the hot broth when you serve it. Pretty clever, right?
10. Thai Green Curry
Curry paste does all the work here. I buy the jarred stuff (no shame), and it still tastes incredible. Coconut milk, curry paste, protein of choice, and veggies—that’s your formula.
This is one of those asian inspired dinner recipes that feels fancy but requires minimal effort. Serve with jasmine rice and pretend you spent all day cooking.
Noodle Lovers, This Section’s For You
11. Pad Thai
The dish that intimidated me for years! Turns out, pad thai is just rice noodles, eggs, protein, and a tangy-sweet sauce. The sauce is tamarind paste, fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice.
You need high heat and quick movements. Don’t overthink it—just keep everything moving in the pan.
12. Lo Mein
This is what I make when I want takeout flavor without leaving my house. Soft egg noodles tossed with whatever protein and veggies you have, all coated in a savory sauce.
The sauce is soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and a pinch of sugar. Cook your noodles, stir-fry your add-ins, combine, and you’re done.
13. Singapore Noodles
Despite the name, this dish is actually from Hong Kong. Go figure :/ But it’s delicious, featuring thin rice noodles with curry powder, shrimp, and veggies.
The curry powder gives it this beautiful yellow color and warm spice that’s totally addictive. I make big batches because leftovers are even better.
14. Dan Dan Noodles
These Sichuan noodles pack heat. Spicy, nutty, savory—they hit all the right notes. The sauce is chili oil, Sichuan peppercorns, sesame paste, and soy sauce.
Top with ground pork and bok choy. Warning: these are the “clear your sinuses” kind of spicy, so adjust the chili oil to your tolerance.
15. Japchae
These Korean glass noodles are sweet, savory, and slightly chewy in the best way. Sweet potato noodles stir-fried with veggies and beef, all seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil.
The noodles have this unique texture that’s nothing like wheat or rice noodles. Once you try them, you’ll get why Koreans are obsessed.
Rice Dishes That Deliver
16. Fried Rice
You already know this one, but are you making it right? The secret to great fried rice is using day-old rice (fresh rice gets mushy) and cooking on super high heat.
Scramble some eggs, add your rice, toss in veggies and protein, hit it with soy sauce and sesame oil. Each grain should be separate and slightly crispy.
17. Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
This is fried rice’s cooler, tropical cousin. The pineapple adds sweetness that balances the salty soy sauce perfectly. Add shrimp, cashews, and raisins if you’re feeling adventurous.
Serve it in a hollowed-out pineapple half if you want to impress people. Or just use a regular bowl—the taste is what matters.
18. Korean Kimchi Fried Rice
Got leftover rice and some kimchi? You’re already halfway there. The fermented kimchi adds this tangy, funky flavor that transforms basic fried rice into something special.
Top with a fried egg and some gochujang mayo. This is comfort food that happens to be one of the easiest asian dinner recipes you’ll ever make.
Bonus Favorites
19. Mapo Tofu
Don’t let the tofu scare you off. This Sichuan dish is intensely flavorful with ground pork, fermented beans, and plenty of chili oil. The tofu is just there to soak up all that spicy, numbing goodness.
Serve over rice to temper the heat. This dish converted me into a tofu believer, and I was a hardcore skeptic.
20. Chicken Katsu
Japanese comfort food at its finest. Breaded, fried chicken cutlets served with tangy tonkatsu sauce. Crispy outside, juicy inside, absolutely no complaints.
Serve with shredded cabbage and rice. The whole meal comes together in about 30 minutes, making it perfect for those nights when you want something satisfying without a huge time investment.
My Final Thoughts
Here’s what I’ve learned from making asian dinner recipes regularly: you don’t need to be a chef to make incredible food. You just need decent ingredients, a hot pan, and the willingness to try.
Start with the quick and easy asian dinner recipes like stir-fries and fried rice. Build your confidence. Then tackle the slightly more involved dishes when you’re ready. Before you know it, you’ll have a whole arsenal of go-to meals that beat takeout every single time.
The best part? Once you nail these basics, you can riff and improvise. Don’t have chicken? Use pork. Out of broccoli? Try green beans. Asian cooking is forgiving and flexible—that’s what makes it so perfect for home cooks.
So grab your soy sauce, heat up that pan, and get cooking. Your future self (and your wallet) will thank you. And hey, if I can figure this out, you definitely can too.
