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Mongolian Chicken

Mongolian chicken is an easy soy-ginger chicken stir fry with crispy-edged chicken pieces glazed in a dark, sticky Mongolian sauce. Finish with charred green onions and sesame so every bite clings while you serve it over steamed white rice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and coating
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts Thinly sliced.
  • 0.25 cup cornstarch For coating the chicken.
  • Salt and pepper To taste.
  • 0.33 cup vegetable oil For crisping in the pan.
Sauce and aromatics
  • 5 clove 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
Thickener and finish
  • 1 tsp cornstarch Mixed with 1 tbsp water for a slurry.
  • 1 tbsp water For the cornstarch slurry.
  • 4 green onions Cut into 2-inch pieces.
  • Sesame seeds For serving.
  • steamed rice For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Coat the chicken
  1. Toss the thinly sliced chicken with cornstarch, salt, and pepper until every piece is evenly coated and looks dry-dusted.
Mix the sauce
  1. Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks uniform.
Crisp the chicken
  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat until shimmering, then add 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.
Glaze and thicken
  1. Add garlic and ginger to the same pan and stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Pour in the sauce and bring it to a boil, then let it bubble until glossy and thickening slightly.
  3. Stir in the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) and cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce turns thick and glossy with a darker amber sheen.
  4. Return the chicken to the pan and add the green onions, then toss until the onions char slightly and the chicken is fully glazed.
Serve
  1. Serve the sticky Mongolian chicken over steamed rice and top with sesame seeds.

Notes

For the crispiest edges, spread the chicken in the pan so it browns instead of steaming; if needed, cook in batches. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days in a sealed container and reheat until hot in a skillet or microwave. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce can thin when thawed. For a lower-sugar option, use a sugar substitute that measures like brown sugar (and whisk well to prevent graininess).