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If Mongolian Beef is your favorite Chinese takeout but have chicken at home, you have to try Mongolian Chicken! The chicken is so juicy and tender, and I think the flavors of the sweet and savory sauce go even better! It’s better than any restaurant version – never oily, not too sweet, and perfectly cooked. You have to try this quick and easy Mongolian Chicken at home!
Watch the Mongolian Chicken Recipe Video Below!
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Mongolian Chicken
This Mongolian Chicken recipe is such a winner and the best part is that most of the ingredients are items you already have in your pantry! (The ingredient is almost identical to Mongolian Beef.)
- Chicken Thigh: I like to use 2″ pieces of boneless, skinless chicken thigh for Mongolian Chicken. You want to cut them into similar sized pieces so the chicken can cook evenly.
- You can substitute with chicken breast if you prefer.
- light soy sauce – You will need “light” (not “low sodium”) or “all-purpose” soy sauce. Do NOT use dark soy sauce, as it is too intense for this recipe.
- Shaoxing wine – This is one of my favorite Chinese pantry staples. It adds a depth of flavor and complexity to the sauce and truly one of my “secret ingredients” for making restaurant quality Chinese food. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with mirin, sherry, or even chicken broth.
- Kosher Salt
- white pepper – I love white pepper and it’s used very commonly in Chinese cooking (another “secret ingredient” for cooking restaurant quality Chinese food at home). It has an earthier flavor than black pepper. I recommend having some in your pantry but if you can’t find it, you can always substitute with black pepper.
- Baking Soda – This is the KEY ingredient to super tender protein. Baking soda is commonly used in Chinese cooking to tenderize meat. It neutralizes acid and raises the pH level, which causes the meat to become more alkaline. This causes the protein to have trouble tightening up, which results in more tender meat.
- Cornstarch – this is for velveting, which is a key Chinese cooking technique that involves marinating the protein in cornstarch and various seasonings (such as white pepper, salt, shaoxing wine, and oils) before quickly passing it through hot oil. It’s one of my favorite ways to guarantee moist and tender meat.
- neutral oil, for frying – My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil! I don’t use olive oil when cooking Chinese food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. The flavor profile does not work with the flavors of Chinese cooking.
- chicken stock – You can also use beef or vegetable stock (or broth) – if you don’t have either on hand, you can substitute with water.
- Brown Sugar
- Scallions
- Dried Red Chilis – I can find these at most grocery stores – they’re labeled as “dried red chilis” or sometimes “japones chilis”.
- They’re not super spicy but if you are sensitive to heat, you can adjust by using less chilis OR by removing the seeds. The seeds don’t contain the chemical that make the peppers hot but they are oftentimes coated with oils that make peppers hot.
- Ginger
- Garlic
Mongolian Chicken: Recipe Instructions
1. Marinate Chicken
The first step in cooking a delicious, restaurant quality Mongolian Chicken is cutting the chicken into uniform pieces. I like to cut mine into 2″ pieces. It’s important that the chicken are similarly sized so they cook evenly when we fry them.
Place your cut chicken into a bowl with light soy sauce, shaoxing wine, kosher salt, white pepper, baking soda, cornstarch and neutral oil. Mix well with your hands and set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes.
While the chicken marinates, mince garlic and ginger; set aside in a small bowl. Cut scallions into 3″ pieces; set aside in a second small bowl. Portion out the dried chilis (I used 7 chilis and the dish was a 6 out of 10 for spice; adjust to your spice tolerance) and set aside with the minced garlic and ginger, as well as cut scallions.
2. Make the Mongolian Chicken Sauce
Make the Mongolian Chicken sauce by combining chicken stock, light soy sauce, brown sugar, white pepper, and cornstarch. I always like to premix my sauce to have it ready to go during the fast cooking process.
3. Cook the Chicken
In a large pan or wok, heat 4 tablespoons of neutral oil (I prefer avocado oil) over high heat (until just smoking). Add the chicken, in batches if needed, for 2-3 minutes until golden brown; remove and set the cooked steak aside.
4. Cook the Sauce
Add scallions and dried red chilis and stir fry for another minute.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove the excess oil and leave only about 2 tablespoons; in the remaining oil, sauté the minced garlic and ginger for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add scallions and dried red chilis; stir fry for another minute.
5. Finish the Mongolian Chicken
To the aromatics and chilis, add back the cooked chicken pieces. Pour the pre-mixed sauce along the outer edge of the wok or pan. TIP – This technique allows for the sauce to caramelize along the hot wok or pan edge (versus dumping it straight into the chicken and aromatics). This will add another layer of flavor.
Mix well to incorporate and stir-fry for a final 1-2 minutes; each piece of Mongolian Chicken should be evenly coated in the sauce, and the sauce should be thick and glossy (refer to image).
My Pro Tip
Expert Tips for the BEST Mongolian Chicken
Cut the Chicken into Uniform Pieces
Whether you use chicken breast or thigh, make sure to cut your chicken into uniform pieces to ensure that your Mongolian Chicken cooks evenly.
Velveting: My Favorite Chinese Cooking Technique
Velveting is a key Chinese cooking technique that involves marinating the protein in cornstarch and various seasonings (such as white pepper, salt, shaoxing wine, and oils) before quickly passing it through hot oil. It’s one of my favorite ways to guarantee moist and tender meat.
Adjust the Spice to your Preference
The dried red chilis are not super spicy; however, if you want to reduce the heat, you can either use less chilis or remove the seeds from inside. For Mongolian Chicken, I used 7 dried red chilis and the finished dish was a 6 out of 10 for spice; adjust accordingly based on your own spice tolerance.
Success is in the Prep!
Mongolian Chicken is one of those dishes that comes together FAST once you start cooking. For this reason, it’s crucial that you prepare your ingredients (chicken and aromatics cut and portioned, sauce mixed, etc) BEFORE you begin cooking. I like to have all of my ingredients in individual bowls, near my cook station so I can easily grab when needed.
Storage and Reheating
You can store Mongolian Chicken in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
I like reheat Mongolian Chicken in the air fryer in order to crisp up the chicken (if you love air fryer recipes – try my Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Air Fryer Chicken Tenders, or Air Fryer Orange Chicken). When reheating the chicken in the air fryer, the sauce with further caramelize and infuse into the crispy batter! Air fry at 350°F for 6-8 minutes or until warmed through and crispy.
Alternatively, reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. I don’t recommend reheating Mongolian Chicken (or any fried chicken) in the microwave unless you don’t care about the texture and just want to heat it back up as quickly as possible.
What to Serve with Mongolian Chicken
If you love American Chinese Take-Out, you have come to the right place – I absolutely love recreating BETTER versions of all of your favorite Chinese takeout dishes! Here’s how to have the perfect American Chinese Take-Out meal at home:
- You’re going to want to start with the crispiest Egg Rolls as your appetizer!
- Don’t forget about soup! Make Egg Drop Soup (or Chicken Corn Egg Drop Soup, if you want a heartier version) or Hot and Sour Soup.
- Pair your Monglian Chicken with a fluffy Egg Fried Rice or Chicken Fried Rice (if you want shrimp instead, try Shrimp Fried Rice)and Shrimp Lo Mein (if you need a chicken option, try Chicken Lo Mein)!
- You need some vegetables, so make my super easy Garlic Bok Choy or Din Tai Fung Garlic Green Beans!
Cooking with a Wok
By now, you know that I LOVE cooking with my wok! It is my #1 most recommended kitchen tool, as I believe it is perfect for high-heat cooking and results in restaurant quality Chinese food! Cooking in a wok will give your dish that signature “wok hei” or “breath of the wok”, which is a beautiful smoky flavor profile to your dish. The best part is, the wok will only get more seasoned with time, adding more flavor to your food!
If it is your first time cooking with a wok, make sure to read my “How To Season a Wok” post. There is a video included that shows exactly how to season your brand new wok and how to maintain it so it lasts for years.
If you cannot or do not want to use a wok, you can use a large pan, cast iron, or even a dutch oven.
If you tried this Mongolian Chicken Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Mongolian Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thigh, boneless & skinless, cut to 2" pieces
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce, low sodium
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
Sauce
- 1/3 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup light soy sauce, low sodium
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Aromatics
- 6 scallions, cut to 3" pieces
- 7 dried red chilis
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- Cut chicken thigh into equal 2" pieces and marinate with light soy sauce, shaoxing wine, kosher salt, white pepper, baking soda, cornstarch, and neutral oil. Mix and marinate for 20 minutes.
- Cut scallions into 3" pieces and minced garlic and ginger.
- In a small bowl, mix together chicken stock, light soy sauce, brown sugar, white pepper, and cornstarch.
- Heat 4 tbsp of neutral oil in a large pan or wok over high heat and cook chicken until golden brown (2-3 minutes) in batches if needed. Remove and set aside.
- Remove excess oil, leaving about 2 tbsp then saute garlic and ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add scallions and dried red chilis and stir fry for another minute.
- Add back chicken and the premixed sauce. Continue stir frying and mixing over high heat until the sauce has thickened and serve with freshly steamed rice. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Better than takeout!
Nothing beats Mongolian chicken!
This recipe is great!
@chongj_