Description
Mongolian Chicken is a flavorful Asian-inspired stir-fry dish featuring tender slices of chicken coated in cornstarch, quickly pan-fried until crispy, and tossed in a sweet and savory soy-brown sugar sauce with garlic and ginger. This dish is garnished with fresh green onions and traditionally served over steamed white rice, making for a satisfying and easy weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- â…“ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce (optional)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Garnish and Serving
- 4 green onions, sliced
- Cooked white rice for serving
Instructions
- Coat the chicken: Toss the thinly sliced chicken pieces thoroughly in cornstarch until they are evenly coated. This step helps create a crispy exterior when cooked.
- Cook the chicken: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the coated chicken in a single layer and cook for 2–3 minutes per side, or until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics: In the same skillet, add minced garlic and ginger. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Make the sauce: Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, hoisin sauce (if using), and red pepper flakes (if using) to the skillet. Stir well and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it cook for 2–3 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.
- Toss chicken in sauce: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and toss to coat thoroughly with the sauce. Cook for an additional 2 minutes until everything is heated through and the sauce becomes glossy.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle sliced green onions over the top and serve hot over a bed of cooked white rice for a complete meal.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, allow the cornstarch-coated chicken to rest for 10 minutes before frying.
- This recipe works well substituting chicken with tofu or beef if preferred.
- Adjust the sweetness by varying the brown sugar amount or add more red pepper flakes for additional heat according to your taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
