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Mongolian Chicken

Mongolian chicken with crispy-edged stir-fried chicken pieces glazed in a dark, sticky soy-ginger sauce. The sauce boils to glossy thickness, clings to every bite, and finishes with charred green onions and sesame.
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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: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken coating
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts Thinly sliced.
  • 0.25 cup cornstarch For coating the chicken.
  • salt To taste.
  • pepper To taste.
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil For high-heat frying in the pan.
Mongolian sauce
  • 5 garlic Minced (about 5 cloves).
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger Grated.
  • 0.5 cup soy sauce
  • 0.333 cup brown sugar Brown sugar for the sticky glaze.
  • 0.25 cup water
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp cornstarch Mixed with 1 tbsp water to make a slurry.
  • 1 tbsp water For the cornstarch slurry.
Finish
  • 4 green onions Cut into 2-inch pieces.
  • sesame seeds For serving.
  • steamed rice For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Coat and prep
  1. Toss the thinly sliced chicken with cornstarch, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
  2. Whisk the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes until the sugar dissolves.
Sear the chicken
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat; add chicken and cook 3-4 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through, then remove to a plate.
Glaze and toss
  1. Add garlic and ginger to the same pan and stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Pour in the sauce mixture and bring it to a boil over high heat.
  3. Stir in the cornstarch slurry (1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water) and cook 1-2 minutes until thickened and glossy.
  4. Return the chicken to the pan, add the green onions, and toss until the chicken is well glazed and the green onions are coated.
Serve
  1. Serve the Mongolian chicken over steamed rice and top with sesame seeds.

Notes

For the best crispy edges, spread the coated chicken in a single layer and avoid stirring for the first couple minutes of searing. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat until hot and the sauce loosens slightly. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce texture can thin when thawed. For a lighter option, use low-sodium soy sauce and reduce added salt to taste (you can still keep the glaze glossy).