What’s for supper? Savory, succulent Mongolian Chicken – a stir-fry recipe that will forever change how you feel about ordering takeout!
Happiness and joy arrive at my house in the form of this flavorful Mongolian Chicken! Our easy, 30-minute, make-at-home meal of juicy, thin-sliced chicken, tangy green onions, bell peppers, and broccoli in a sweet, sticky, insanely delicious sauce will make you swoon! Break out your chopsticks and dive into the best Asian meal you’ve ever made!
Better Than Chinese Take Out – for Real!
I can tell you this: Making Mongolian Chicken at home is going to save you big money over ordering takeout. BUT, you and I both know that doesn’t matter unless this recipe TASTES like it came from your favorite Chinese restaurant. I’m excited to say, IT DOES! And it’s not just good, it’s CRAZY, caramelized, crispy, crave-another-bite SCRUMPTIOUS!
Other Recipes to Serve with Mongolian Chicken
- Sushi Rice is wonderfully sticky, so it works great with Mongolian Chicken – especially if you’re eating with chopsticks!
- Everybody’s favorite Chinese takeout item – Air Fryer Crab Rangoon is an easy and absolutely delicious appetizer to make with all your Asian recipes!
Ingredients
Stir-Fry Chicken: To make juicy Mongolian stir-fry, you’ll need chicken breasts (cut into cubes) and cornstarch (for coating the chicken) to get those perfect crispy edges.
Veggies: For this version of Mongolian Chicken, we’re using chopped green onion, bell pepper, and broccoli florets. We’re also enhancing the flavor with minced garlic and grated ginger.
Sauce: This sauce is sweet, savory, and sticky, offering everything you want in a classic Chinese chicken recipe. You’ll need low-sodium soy sauce, Asian Sweet Chili sauce, Hoisin sauce, sriracha, dry sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
How to Make Mongolian Stir-Fry Chicken
STEP ONE: Place all the sauce ingredients in a blender for 20 seconds, until well combined. Set aside.
STEP TWO: In a large zip-top baggie, add the cubes of chicken and two tablespoons of the sauce (from the blender). Gently manipulate the chicken with your hands until it is evenly coated. Add in 1/4 cup of cornstarch and toss until the chicken is evenly coated. Set aside.
STEP THREE: Heat 1 TBSP of olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until the pan is hot and sizzles when you add a drop of water. Add the chicken to the pan and cook until the chicken starts to brown, about 7-8 minutes. (Less if the chicken is in strips, more if in chunks. Just be sure it’s cooked through.) Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
STEP FOUR: Add another TBSP of olive oil to the skillet, still over medium-high, and gently add in the broccoli for 1 minute, gently browning the edges of the florets. Add 1/4 cup of water, cover the pan, and reduce the heat to medium. Steam broccoli for 2 minutes. Removed lid. Push broccoli to one side. Add another TBSP of oil and add in the red peppers, garlic, and ginger. Cook, tossing to coat with oil, about 1 minute evenly.
STEP FIVE: Add the chicken to the skillet. Add the sauce to the skillet, stirring to combine all the ingredients. Let it come to a boil, then cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and top with sliced green onions. Serve hot over freshly-made rice. Enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Cutting the chicken into thin strips rather than chunks gives the sauce more surface area to cling to, making the flavor that much better!
- The easiest time to cut thin strips of chicken is while it is still slightly frozen.
- Mongolian Chicken is phenomenal over white rice, jasmine rice, brown rice, fried rice and – if you’re watching carb intake – zucchini noodles!
- To make this entire recipe gluten-free, substitute the regular soy sauce with a gluten-free version.
- Classic Mongolian Beef typically features beef and green onions, but we add bell peppers and broccoli. You could also add zucchini, mushrooms, sliced carrots, water chestnuts, or baby corn.
- It’s easy to double the sauce recipe and you won’t be sorry if you do!
Can I Make Mongolian Chicken Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can! The best way is to “prep” the dish in advance by slicing the raw chicken and vegetables and entirely making the sauce. Seal airtight (keep the sauce/veggies/chicken all separate) and store in the fridge until later. This way, the work is practically done before you even start cooking! Heat your wok or skillet; it cooks super fast and is ready to serve over freshly made rice. Enjoy!
What’s the Difference Between Mongolian Chicken and Szechuan Chicken?
The differences between Mongolian beef (or chicken) and Szechuan chicken are pretty simple. Szechuan cuisine originates from a region in China where the cooking style is characterized by its spicy and bold flavors, incorporating ingredients such as peppercorns and chili peppers. Mongolia is a separate country from China, and though the cooking styles are similar, Mongolian cuisine is sweeter, softer, and creamier. So, the recipes for Szechuan chicken are chunky, loaded with hot peppers, and tossed in spicy sauces, while Mongolian chicken is simpler – usually just thinly-sliced meat and scallions – bathed in a sweet, sticky sauce. Both are deliciously addictive!
Other Chinese Take-Out Recipes
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Potstickers
- Wonton Soup
- Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Crispy Spring Rolls
- General Tso’s Chicken
*This post originally posted on 09/17/2015.
Equipment
- Large Skillet with a lid
Ingredients
Sauce
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
Chicken
- 3 chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons sauce (recipe above)
Stir Fry
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 1 red bell pepper cored, thinly sliced & then cut in half
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons ginger peeled and grated
- 3 green onions chopped, for garnish
- Cooked white rice for serving
Instructions
- Place all the sauce ingredients in a blender. Cover and blend until well combined, about 20 seconds. Set aside.
- To a gallon Ziploc bag, add the chicken cubes, 2 tablespoons of the sauce, and the cornstarch. Seal the bag and toss to evenly coat, set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until it makes sizzling/popping sounds. Add the coated chicken and cook until it starts to brown and the juices run clear, about 6-9 minutes. (Make sure the chicken is cooked through before moving on.) Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the same skillet over medium-high heat. Gently add the broccoli and toss to coat, cooking for 1 minute. Add ¼ cup of water, cover the pan, and lower the heat to medium. Steam the broccoli for 2 minutes.
- Remove the lid and push the broccoli to one side of the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the red peppers, garlic, and ginger. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken and remaining sauce to the skillet, stir to combine. Bring everything to a boil and cook 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and top with green onions for garnish. Serve immediately with rice.
Liz says
Yum – thank you.