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 it tastes so much better than takeout.
It is very similar to Mongolian Beef but made with tender boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs. I love to serve this with Sweet Pork Dumplings, Crab Rangoon, and freshly cooked white rice or udon noodles.
Asian stir-fry dishes are always a hit at our house. They are quick to come together, 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 stove-top works just as well for my sesame chicken and beef chop suey.
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 keep in mind that soy sauce is already salty. Finally, top with the green onions and serve promptly.
What is in Mongolian Sauce
It is so easy to make and delicious over shrimp, chicken, beef, or even mahi mahi. Sesame oil, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, and a little chicken broth are combined and thickened to make a mouthwatering good sweet, and salty sauce.
Recipe notes and helpful 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 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.
What to serve with Mongolian Chicken
- White rice or brown rice
- Udon, soba, or rice noodles
- Crab rangoon or Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls
- Dumplings or potstickers
- Egg Drop Soup, Pork Stuffed Wonton Soup, or Hot and Sour Soup
Other stir-fry dishes you will love!
Mongolian Chicken
This quick and easy Mongolian Chicken combines crisp stir-fried chicken with sweet onions and scallions, all in a mouthwatering good savory sauce. Make some for your family this evening and soak up the compliments.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: dinner
- Method: stir fry
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
Mongolian Chicken
- 1 ¼ lbs chicken cut in thin bite size pieces
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 2–3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium 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.
Keywords: what is mongolian chicken, mongolian sauce, mongolian chicken chinese
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Khushboo
Great recipe! It was so much better then takeout!
Tammy
This Mongolian chicken was absolutely delicious! 😀 What a wonderful and flavorful dish to enjoy
Claudia Krusch
Omg! It looks soooo good and flavorful! I can’t wait to try your recipe!
★★★★★
Star Traci
I immediately saved this recipe. My husband and I love Mongolian chicken and beef and we are committed to cooking more at home once we are settled in our new place. Thanks for sharing a favorite!
★★★★★
Rosey
This looks terrific. And yes, to the snow peas! I would definitely add them to this.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Rosey! Enjoy!
Whitney Stewart
Man, I’m definitely going to have to keep tabs on your site for more tasty looking recipes! Everything has looked so good so far!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Whitney! I hope you enjoy all my recipes!
Kerrie
Instead of chicken what’s the best meat to use thankyou
Beth Pierce
Beef like strip steak, flank steak, or skirt steak. I have a beef cut that is available to me called petite shoulder and it is excellent.
Vicki O'Reilly
I made this for the first time last night. It will definitely be a repeat menu item. My husband gobbled it up! Absolutely a must try if you haven’t already.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Vicki! So glad that you and your husband liked it!
Melissa Cushing
I am pinning this recipe to make for my family as we will love it. I do not like any of our local Chinese restaurants so I want to make my own authentic dishes and will start with this fabulous recipe 😉 Thankjyou!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine! Enjoy Melissa!
Marysa
I’ve never had mongolian chicken before. Your recipe sounds easy enough to make and it would be a tasty dinner.
Brianna
This looks so good and doesn’t even have a ton of ingredients…a must for me to try!
Tasheena
I’ve never had Mongolian Chicken before, I really loved this recipe. Thanks for sharing it with us!!
★★★★★
Beeb
This recipe looks so delicious and a great alternative to eating out!
Kathy
This looks so delicious. I have never had Mongolian chicken before though. I will definitely have to try this.
Rose Ann Sales
Oh my! This was a really amazing recipe! My whole family loved it so much.
Richelle Milar
Wow! That looks absolutely delicious and tasty! I would really love to try this recipe!
MELANIE EDJOURIAN
I have to say the sweet and salty garlic ginger sauce sounds wonderful. I need to try making this for my hubby. Bet he’ll love it.
★★★★★
Tara Pittman
This sounds so delicious. Now I can make it at home instead of getting takeout.
Amber Myers
I love this dish! Normally I order it to go but I will see if I can make it 😉
Monica Simpson
I would love to try this over Udon.
Kathy
This looks so good. I have got to give it a try. I’ve never actually had this before.
ramesh
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks! So glad that the family liked it!
Rika
The flavor of this dish is so good, perfect with a bowl of white rice. Thanks for sharing, Beth!
★★★★★
Annissa
The combination of flavors on this Mongolian recipe sounds so good together! Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Emily
This Mongolian chicken recipe turned out so amazing! The scallions really taste so good in this!
★★★★★
Denay DeGuzman
This Mongolian chicken was delicious! The sauce is so tasty. I served this dish over rice. It was a big hit with the family.
★★★★★
Seema Sriram
I am adapting this sauce ( looks a million dollars) to suit y vegetarian needs. Do you reckon, I can use tofu or seitan?
★★★★★
Cathleen
Wow, this chicken looks amazing!! I wish I saw this before I made dinner tonight because I would have totally made it. Saving it for later!!
★★★★★
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!