Go Back

Mongolian Chicken

Mongolian chicken with crispy-edged, deeply golden chicken pieces glazed in a dark, sticky soy-ginger sauce. This easy Mongolian chicken stir fry gets glossy thickness from a cornstarch slurry and finishes with charred green onion and sesame seeds 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: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
  • 1.5 lb chicken breasts Thinly sliced for quick, even browning.
cornstarch
  • 0.25 cup cornstarch For coating the chicken; measure in addition to the slurry below.
salt and pepper
  • 1 salt To taste.
  • 1 pepper To taste.
vegetable oil
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil For high-heat searing.
garlic and ginger
  • 5 garlic Minced.
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger Grated.
soy-ginger sauce
  • 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
cornstarch slurry
  • 1 tsp cornstarch Mixed with water to thicken the sauce.
  • 1 tbsp water To mix with the cornstarch slurry.
green onions
  • 4 green onions Cut into 2-inch pieces.
serving
  • 1 sesame seeds
  • 1 steamed rice Serve over steamed white rice.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Coat the chicken
  1. Toss the thinly sliced chicken with cornstarch, salt, and pepper until coated, so every piece is dry-frosted with starch.
Make the sauce
  1. Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes until the sugar dissolves.
Sear and glaze
  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat, then cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through; remove to a plate.
  2. Add the garlic and ginger to the same pan and stir-fry for 30 seconds to release aroma, then pour in the sauce and bring it to a boil.
  3. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened and glossy.
  4. Return the chicken to the pan, add the green onions, and toss until the pieces are coated and the onions are slightly charred.
Serve
  1. Serve the Mongolian chicken over steamed rice with sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Notes

For the best sticky glaze, make sure the sauce reaches a steady boil before adding the cornstarch slurry, and toss the chicken right after thickening so it stays glossy. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce can thin after thawing. For a lighter option, swap brown sugar for an equal amount of light brown sugar or a sugar substitute made for baking while keeping the cornstarch slurry the same.