Go Back

Mongolian Chicken

Mongolian chicken is a sticky soy-ginger stir fry with crispy-edged chicken pieces glazed in a dark, glossy sauce. Finished with charred green onion and sesame seeds, it’s spoon-together good over steamed white rice.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.25 cup cornstarch
  • 0.01 Salt and pepper
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
Sauce
  • 5 garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 0.5 cup soy sauce
  • 0.33 cup brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup water
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
Finish
  • 4 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 0.25 Sesame seeds and steamed rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Coat and mix
  1. Toss the thinly sliced chicken with the cornstarch, salt, and pepper until every piece is coated, with no dry starch showing.
  2. Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes until the sugar looks dissolved and the sauce turns smooth.
Sear the chicken
  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat until shimmering, then add the chicken in a single layer.
  2. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through, then remove to a plate and keep warm.
Glaze and toss
  1. Add the garlic and grated ginger to the same pan and stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant and lightly sizzling.
  2. Pour in the prepared sauce and bring it to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
  3. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened and glossy, with the sauce clinging to the spatula.
  4. Return the chicken to the pan and toss with the green onion pieces until the onions begin to char at the edges and the chicken is fully glazed.
Serve
  1. Serve the sticky Mongolian chicken over steamed white rice, then top with sesame seeds so they cling to the glossy sauce.

Notes

For best crisp edges, use thinly sliced chicken and avoid crowding the pan so it can brown during the 3-4 minute sear per side. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat until hot and saucy. Freezing isn’t recommended because the cornstarch coating can soften. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free soy sauce and check that your hoisin sauce is gluten-free.