Mongolian Chicken
Packed with savory, spicy flavor, this easy Mongolian Chicken recipe comes together in a single skillet for a convenient and satisfying dinner! Loaded with tender chicken and a delicious sauce, you'll love how easy it is to put this dish together.
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Somewhat similar to classic sesame chicken and General Tso's chicken, this recipe results in a delicious stir fry that's even better than what you can order at Chinese restaurants!
Why this Recipe Works
Great to serve over white rice or with rice noodles, this is a more affordable take on a popular Chinese takeout dish. A perfect choice for when the takeout craving strikes but you want to make it in your own kitchen.
And for more similar dinner recipes, try my Beef Stir Fry or this Sweet and Spicy Chicken Stir Fry!
Ingredients Needed
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: A nice, tender, and flavorful cut of chicken that's perfect as the main ingredient in this stir-fry recipe.
- Cornstarch: Helps thicken the sauce.
- Vegetable Oil: You can use canola oil as well--you'll just want an oil with a high smoke point so it doesn't burn.
- Fresh Garlic and Onion
- Homemade Mongolian Sauce: For the savory sauce ingredients, gather regular or dark soy sauce, ground ginger, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, water, red pepper flakes, and green onions.
How to Make this Mongolian Chicken
- Step 1: Cut the chicken into small chunks and toss in a bowl with corn starch until evenly coated.
- Step 2: Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large wok or skillet and cook the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden brown. You may need to do this in 2 portions. Remove crispy chicken pieces and set aside.
- Step 3: Cook onions in the same skillet until translucent and soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside with the chicken.
- Step 4: Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook about 30 seconds.
- Step 5: Whisk in soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and cornstarch slurry, then bring to a simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Step 6: Return cooked chicken and onions to the skillet and add green onions. Stir until coated with the sauce and cook until the sauce is thickened to your liking.
Recipe Tips
- Serve this chicken dish over white rice, brown rice, jasmine rice, or cauliflower rice.
- You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of thighs; just be sure to reduce the cooking time by a minute or two.
- For additional nutrition, add veggies like green beans, broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, snow peas, water chestnuts, or bok choy.
- Garnish with additional chopped green onions or scallions and some sesame seeds.
- If you have leftover Mongolian chicken, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Recipe FAQ's
This dish is inspired by the flavors of Mongolian barbecue, which is a Taiwanese stir-fry cooking method. The name was likely adopted to distinguish the style from typical Chinese/Chinese-American stir fry dishes, but it's not known to have any actual ties to true Mongolian cooking.
If the sauce turns out too thin or watery, you may need to add more of the corn starch slurry mixture to thicken it up. You could also try reducing the amount of soy sauce or rice vinegar in the sauce.
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are best for flavor and tenderness, but chicken breasts also work if you prefer a leaner option.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
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Mongolian Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil divided
- 1 large onion cur into chunks
- 4 garlic cloves minced
For The Sauce
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4-5 green onions
Instructions
- In a large bowl toss the diced chicken with the cornstarch until coated.
- Heat a large 12 inch skillet or wok on high heat and add 3 tablespoons of oil.
- Place 1/2 of the chicken thighs into the hot skillet and cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes, flipping halfway through, and remove to a plate. Cook the remaining chicken.
- Add the onion into the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes just until soft. Remove to the plate with the chicken.
- Add in the remaining tablespoon of oil and add the garlic, cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Whisk in the soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, (mix the cornstarch with water until it dissolves), cornstarch slurry, and bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes to thicken.
- Add in the cooked chicken, onion, and green onion and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste if needed.
- Serve over white rice!
Notes
- Chicken breasts can be used, but you may have to reduce the cooking time a bit.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3–4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat to maintain the chicken’s texture.
