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This Mongolian chicken recipe is fast, easy, and better than takeout! Crispy bites of juicy chicken are coated in a mouthwatering savory-sweet sauce in this 30-minute meal.
Try my Easy Orange Chicken or Lemon Chicken (Chinese Style) next.
Why you’ll love it
This Asian-style Mongolian chicken recipe is really simple to make at home because you don’t need a wok or to run out to a specialty store. All the ingredients are right in the Asian aisle of any grocery store! It’s also faster than picking up takeout and way tastier.
The key to making the chicken have that irresistibly crisped-up exterior is cornstarch. Then we’re smothering them with a rich sauce that has just the right amount of brown sugar along with fresh ginger, soy sauce, and plenty of garlic. It’s the perfect 30-minute dish!
What you’ll need
- Chicken – we’re cutting up chicken breasts into small bites
- Garlic powder – along with salt & pepper, it adds flavor right into each piece
- Cornstarch – the magic ingredient to crisp ’em up!
- Olive oil – for pan frying
- Scallions – these mild green onions pull the dish together with fresh contrast and crunchy-tender texture
- Sauce – our Mongolian chicken sauce has brown sugar, low-sodium soy sauce, cornstarch to thicken it up, fresh ginger, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes (just for a gentle warmth!), and water
Helpful tips
- Keep your ginger in the freezer. It stays fresher for longer, and it’s much easier to grate that way!
- Prep everything beforehand for ease.
- Make sure the pan is very hot to get a good sear, and work in batches so that you don’t crowd the pan. If the chicken is sticking, just let it have more time to release naturally.
How to make Mongolian chicken
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cut up the chicken, and season with salt & pepper and the garlic powder. Toss with cornstarch. In another bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients. Heat up two-thirds of the olive oil in a skillet. When very hot, add in half the chicken bites.
Cook, turning halfway, until browned and 165F internally. Transfer to a plate, add the remaining oil to the skillet, and cook the second batch. Turn off the heat. Return all chicken to the pan along with the onions, and pour in the sauce (it’ll thicken fast!). Toss well.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- No wok is needed. I use cast iron like my Le Creuset or budget-friendly Lodge skillet.
- I highly recommend a splatter guard for easy cleanup!
- I grate the ginger with a Microplane and mince the garlic with this garlic press.
Substitutions and variations
- This recipe is quite family friendly as written. If you prefer a little more zing, double the ginger and crushed red pepper flakes.
- If you want tons of sauce, you can definitely double it, but keep in mind that it is quite a rich/sweet sauce that goes a long way.
- Or make my reader fave Simple Mongolian Beef instead!
What to serve with Mongolian chicken
- I love these chicken bites over a mountain of jasmine rice. Sometimes I sprinkle sesame seeds on top, but that’s totally optional.
- It’s equally good with your favorite Chinese noodles or Udon noodles.
- You can also serve it alongside my Easy Vegetable Stir Fry if you’re not feeling rice or noodles.
Leftovers and storage
- You can keep leftovers for 3-4 days in the fridge, but the chicken will lose its crispiness.
- Reheat in a saucepan over a low heat until warmed through.
- I’m not a fan of freezing this one because the texture will change.
More Asian-inspired recipes
If you tried this homemade Mongolian chicken, please leave a star rating and review below! I’d love to hear from you. Or tag me on Instagram!
Easy Mongolian Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 small bunch scallions (green parts only) cut into 1" pieces
Sauce ingredients:
- 1/3 cup (packed) brown sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and place it in a medium bowl. Season with some salt & pepper, the garlic powder, and sprinkle the cornstarch over it. Toss until coated.
- Add the sauce ingredients to another bowl and whisk together.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes.
- Once the pan is HOT, add half of the chicken to the skillet and ensure each piece isn't crowded so it browns better. Cook for 4 minutes and then flip and cook another 3-4 minutes or so using cooking tongs. Chicken should be browned and cooked through (165F). Transfer the chicken to a plate. For the second batch, add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan.
- Once the second batch of chicken is done, turn the burner off, then add the chicken that's on the plate back to the skillet, along with the chopped scallions.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet. The pan should still be very hot, so the sauce will thicken in about 30 seconds to one minute. Toss it with the chicken to coat thoroughly. Take the pan off the heat and serve immediately.
Notes
- This recipe has been modified from its original version that was published in 2019, but I have linked a PDF of it if you enjoyed it as-is.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on February 3, 2019. It’s been tweaked to be even easier, tastier, and has new photos!
sizes of chicken breasts are so varied these days, and “large” is subjective. can you please give me an idea of total weight of chicken you use here? i love your recipes, but more specific weights and volumes of ingredients would be so very helpful.
Hi Diana! Try around 1.5 lbs. total. 🙂
Another favorite of ours! We just tried this last week and my husband and toddler demolished it! I love it because these are all ingredients I usually have at home and it’s simple to put together. We always love rice with these type of dishes. The only thing I sometimes vary (or leave out) is the red chili flakes since my toddler doesn’t always love the extra spice. Thank you for sharing this one. Will definitely be making it again soon.
Thanks so much, Sarah!! 😀
Hello Natasha – could the brown sugar be replaced with coconut sugar? Or would that alter the texture and flavor too much? Thank you!
Hi Deborah! I think that should be ok. Let me know how it goes!
Hello Natasha- I made this tonight and it was incredible. What I really appreciate about your recipes is how fabulously flavorful they are while being so easy to put together. I made a few substitutions based on what I had available: coconut sugar over brown sugar; coconut aminos over soy sauce and arrow root over corn starch and it turned out amazing. Thank you for another wonderful dinner and for making me look like a better cook than I am!
Aww you’re very welcome, Deborah! 😀 XO
🙂