Easy Mongolian Chicken

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This easy Mongolian Chicken is an easy version of the popular restaurant takeout. It’s rich in color and flavor and bound to become your favorite!

One of my current favorite meals is Mongolian Chicken. It’s made with chicken, cut into bite-size pieces and fried until crispy and coated with sweet and spicy sauce with chili peppers, garlic and ginger. It’s quick, easy and perfect made ahead of time. You can make this simple version or add more vegetables, like mushrooms, baby corn, water chestnuts, etc.

Ingredients:

• chicken (boneless skinless chucken breasts or chicken thighs)
• cornstarch
• vegetable oil
• low-sodium soy sauce
• dark brown sugar
• sesame oil
• ginger
• garlic
• dried chili peppers
• green onions

How to make Mongolian Chicken from scratch?

• Start by cutting the chicken into bite-size pieces.
• Coat it well with cornstarch.
• Heat up 1/2 cup of oil in a saucepan, until it reaches 350 degrees F.
• Fry chicken in batches. Remove onto a plate.

• Saute ginger and garlic in oil, in a skillet.
• Add peppers and saute until softened.

• Mix sauce ingredients in a measuring cup.
• Pour into the skillet and simmer until thickens.
• Add chicken, stir well to coat and simmer.
• Serve with fresh green onions.
• Season with salt and pepper if needed.

What is the Mongolian sauce made of?

It combines the 5 flavors you will find in Asian cooking: sweet, savory, spicy, salty and bitter. You will need soy sauce, sugar (I prefer dark brown sugar for deep rich flavor), sesame oil, ginger, garlic and chili peppers. To thicken it, I use cornstarch.

How to serve Mongolian Chicken?

As with any stir fry dish, I like to serve this one with rice. You can make the best fluffy rice by following my Instant Pot Rice recipe.

Can I make it ahead of time?

Yes! This dish can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. The chicken won’t be as crispy since it will soak more of the sauce, so please keep that in mind.

Variations:

• vegan: use tofu in place of chicken
• gluten-free: use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce; cornstarch is already gluten-free
• low-carb: use monk fruit or other sweetener in place of brown sugar

More Asian dinner recipes:

• Black Pepper Chicken
• Vegetable Stir Fry
• Kung Pao Chicken
• Honey Garlic Shrimp

For more recipes like this one, feel free to browse our Asian category.

If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment!

5 from 2 votes

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Easy Mongolian Chicken

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

This easy Mongolian Chicken is an easy version of the popular restaurant takeout. It’s rich in color and flavor and bound to become your favorite!

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: Mongolian chicken

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 430 kcal

Author: Anna

Ingredients

for the chicken

• 2 medium chicken breasts
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil

for the sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 inch fresh ginger sliced thinly
• 5 to 6 dried chili peppers chopped
• ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

garnish

• green onions chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Season with salt.
2. Sprinkle cornstarch over chicken and stir to coat it well.

3. In a saucepan, heat up ⅓ cup of oil, until it reaches 350° F.

4. Fry chicken in batches. Remove onto a plate.
5. In a skillet, heat up oil.
6. Add ginger and garlic and saute ginger until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
7. Add peppers and saute until softened.
8. Mix soy sauce, water, brown sugar, sesame oil and cornstarch in a measuring cup. Whisk it well so no clumps appear.
9. Pour the sauce into the skillet and simmer until thickens.
10. Add chicken, stir well to coat and simmer for 2 minutes.
11. Serve with rice and fresh green onions.

Recipe Notes

• Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.
• You can use 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs in place of breasts.
• This dish can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. The chicken won’t be as crispy since it will soak more of the sauce, so please keep that in mind.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Mongolian Chicken

Amount Per Serving

Calories 430 Calories from Fat 234

% Daily Value*

Fat 26g40%

Saturated Fat 16g100%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 72mg24%

Sodium 959mg42%

Potassium 490mg14%

Carbohydrates 25g8%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 14g16%

Protein 25g50%

Vitamin A 200IU4%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 24mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.