Try this delicious and quick Mongolian chicken recipe for a flavorful meal in no time! Marinated chicken, veggies, and a savory sauce create the perfect combination of sweet and spicy flavors.
What is Mongolian chicken?
This Mongolian Chicken Recipe combines crispy stir-fried chicken, onions, and scallions in an easy-to-make sweet and salty garlic ginger sauce. It takes less than 30 minutes to make and tastes much better than takeout. It is similar to Mongolian beef but made with tender, boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs and chicken broth.
Asian stir-fry dishes are always a hit at our house. They are quick to prepare, full of nature’s wholesome ingredients, and so delicious. You don’t have to have a wok to make great Asian food. A good heavy skillet right on the stovetop works just as well for my sesame chicken and beef chop suey.
Mongolian Chicken Ingredients
- For the main portion of the recipe, you need boneless skinless chicken breasts, cornstarch, vegetable oil, and yellow onion.
- For the sauce, you need sesame oil, grated ginger or ginger paste, garlic, rice vinegar, low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, chicken broth, red pepper flakes, and green onions.
How to make Mongolian Chicken
Start by combining the chicken and cornstarch in a large zipper bag. Then shake to coat. Next, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan in a single layer and cook until golden brown on both sides. If necessary, work in batches, adding more oil when needed. Then, plate the chicken and heat a little more oil over medium-high heat. Now cook the onion for a couple of minutes, stirring several times. Add the onion to the plate with the chicken.
Reduce heat to medium-low and add the sesame oil. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for a minute, stirring constantly. Then add the rice vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar, stirring to combine. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth and cornstarch. Then, whisk it into the skillet and cook until slightly thickened. Add the cooked chicken and onions back to the skillet and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste, but remember that soy sauce is already salty. Finally, top with the green onions and serve promptly.
Recipe Tips
- Cut the chicken into thin bite-sized pieces to ensure it is cooked through and crispy. You can use chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
- The cornstarch step is quickly done in a large zipper bag, giving the chicken crispy authentic Asian restaurant flavor and crispy texture.
- Ginger paste works great for those times when fresh ginger is just not available at the market.
- If you want to add more veggies, try snow peas, mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, and bell peppers.
- Think sriracha, red chili flakes, or sambal oelek to add a little kick.
- This recipe is best served promptly while the chicken is crisp and the vegetables are crisp tender.
What to serve with Mongolian Chicken
- White rice or brown rice
- Wonton soup
- Chicken lettuce wraps
- Crab rangoon
- Chinese noodles
- Pork dumplings
- Egg drop soup
- Classic egg rolls
- Hot and sour soup
Storage and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
More Stir-Fry Dishes
Mongolian Chicken
Ingredients
Mongolian Chicken
- 1 ¼ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into thin bite-size pieces
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion cut in 8-10 wedges
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup chicken broth or water
- 1-2 pinches red pepper flakes
- 4 green onions cut in ¾ inch segment
Instructions
- Combine the chicken and cornstarch in a large zipper bag. Shake to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan in a single layer and cook on both sides until golden brown. If necessary, work in batches adding more oil when needed. Plate the chicken.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat in the same skillet. Cook the onion for 2 minutes, stirring several times. Add the onion to the plate with the chicken.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add the sesame oil. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the rice vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar, stirring to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the chicken broth and cornstarch. Whisk it into the skillet and cook until slightly thickened. If desired, add red pepper flakes. Add the cooked chicken and onions back to the skillet. Top with the green onions and serve promptly.
Notes
- Cut the chicken into thin bite-sized pieces to ensure it is cooked through and crispy. You can use chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
- The cornstarch step is easily done in a large zipper bag and really gives the chicken that crispy authentic Asian restaurant flavor and crispy texture.
- Ginger paste works great for those times when fresh ginger is just not available at the market.
- If you would like to add more veggies try snow peas, mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, and bell peppers.
- To add a little kick, think sriracha, red chili flakes, or sambal oelek.
- This recipe is best served promptly while the chicken is crisp and the vegetables are crisp tender.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power.
Nutrition
Are you on the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Michelle
Tried this and it was so flavourful! Such a nice change up from our usual soy sauce chicken.
Tawnie Kroll
Wow, this was so easy to make ad full of flavor. Thank you for a great recipe, way better than takeout!
Susan
What type of chicken do you recommend? Chicken thighs or chicken breasts or maybe a combination of both? Also, do you have a favorite brand for sesame oil? I’ve never used it so not sure what to look for. Thank you!
Beth Pierce
I use chicken breasts but a mixture of breasts and thighs would be delicious too! I use Imperial Dragon but I am sure that any sesame oil would be fine.
Linda H McCauley
I see it mentioned in the description, but where is the scallion in the tecipe?
Beth Pierce
Green onions and scallions are the same thing.
Darleen
Very good…a little sweet for us but next time (and there will be) I will reduce brown sugar. Thanks!
Beth Pierce
Thanks! Glad that you liked it! 😉
Jill
So delicious. I always prefer homemade over takeout. Thanks for the recipe!
Saima
Love the flavors in this Mongolian chicken. A stir fry is my favourite type of food and the Mongolian sauce is something I will have to try!
Andrea
One of my favorite Asian dishes. Had no idea it was this easy to make. Will be making this all the time now.
Kate
So many gorgeous flavours in there, the sauce is incredible – and really easy to make. Thanks!
Kim at Three Olives Branch
SO good! Mongolian Beef is one of my favorites and I love being able to make this at home and use chicken instead! Definitely a keeper.
Diane
I made this for dinner tonight. It was delicious, but a little too salty. Yes, I did use low sodium soy sauce.
How do you recommend I modify the recipe? Maybe cut the soy sauce with water?
I served this over rice with sugar snap peas and some mandarin orange segments.
Tammy
How much ginger paste would you use?
Beth Pierce
1 tablespoon
Cathy
The sauce is absolutely delicious!
Mary
Just….Delicious. I could not get enough of this flavor. I loved it.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Mary! So glad that you liked it! Great flavor for sure!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
This Mongolian Chicken is the ultimate comfort food!
Amanda
This looks so full of flavor I cannot wait to try it out!