Mongolian Chicken – The Best! (VIDEO)

4.94 from 16 votes
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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!

Mongolian chicken in a bowl with rice.

Watch the Mongolian Chicken Recipe Video Below!

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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 stockYou 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
Raw ingredients on a table for Mongolian Chicken.

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.

Cutting chicken on a cutting board

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.

Ingredients prepped for mongolian chicken in bowls.

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.

Marinated chicken pieces cooking in a wok.

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.

Garlic frying in oil in a wok.
Scallions, chilis, and garlic cooking in a wok with oil.

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.

Mongolian chicken in wok without sauce.

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).

Mongolian chicken cooked in a wok.

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:

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 in a grey bowl next to white rice.
4.94 from 16 votes

Mongolian Chicken

Servings: 4
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Mongolian chicken in a bowl with rice.
This Mongolian Chicken is so much better than takeout and easy to make at home for your next weeknight meal!

Equipment

Ingredients 

Sauce

Aromatics

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

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 343kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 24gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 2604mgPotassium: 415mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 269IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Tried this recipe?Mention @cj.eats_ or tag #cjeatsrecipes!

About CJ

Iโ€™m a third generation Chinese-American home cook who has always loved cooking & eating! Welcome to my food blog, where you can find trusted, tested, easy & approachable recipes for the everyday home cook that taste delicious! I am so glad you're here!

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