This easy Mongolian chicken recipe takes just 25 minutes and simple ingredients to make tonight. It tosses crispy, bite-sized chicken in a sticky, sweet soy glaze. Skip the takeout fees for a fast dinner that your whole family will love.
I first tried this Chinese-American restaurant-style dish at a tiny mall food court. The sweet, sticky sauce was so addictive that I ran home to recreate my own recipe for Mongolian chicken. My first kitchen tests turned out too salty and soggy. I fixed this by using cornstarch for a crisp crunch and finding a perfect 2:1:1 ratio of hoisin sauce to soy sauce and brown sugar.
Why My Recipe Works
- Cornstarch creates crunch. A light dust of cornstarch makes the chicken extra crispy without using a heavy batter.
- Thighs stay juicy. After kitchen-testing both cuts, I recommend boneless chicken thighs as they stay incredibly juicy and don't dry out.
- Batch frying prevents sogginess. Cooking the meat in small groups keeps the oil hot so the chicken stays crisp in the sauce.
Ingredients & Substitutes
The exact ingredient measurements are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Chicken Thighs: Boneless, skinless thighs for best juiciness. Sub: Skinless chicken breasts. Cook to 160°F and let carryover cooking bring the internal temperature to 165°F.
- Cornstarch (for coating protein): Coats chicken for a crisp texture. Sub: Potato starch. Avoid tapioca or arrowroot starch.
- Neutral Oil: Use avocado, peanut, vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil. Avoid olive oil or any low-smoke-point oils.
- Garlic: Adds aromatic flavor. Sub: Jarred minced garlic.
- Red Chili Pepper: Adds spice and color to the sauce and used for garnishing.
- Ginger: Adds sharp flavor and cuts any gamey meat taste. Sub: ¼ teaspoon ground ginger.
- Hoisin Sauce: Adds a sweet molasses flavor. Do not sub with oyster sauce!
- Regular Soy Sauce: Adds salt and umami to the sauce. I prefer Lee Kum Kee, Pearl River Bridge, or Kikkoman. Subs: Low-sodium or light soy sauce.
- Brown Sugar: To balance salinity and add a molasses flavor. I prefer using light brown sugar but dark brown sugar works too.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: Adds a nutty aroma. I prefer Kadoya or Maruhon, but other brands work too. Avoid untoasted sesame oil.
- Cornstarch (for sauce): Thickens the sauce. Subs: Potato starch or tapioca starch.
- Cold Water: A neutral liquid base for the sauce.
- Green Onion: For garnishing, aroma, and color.
Note: Most Asian ingredients are typically found at Asian grocery stores, or you can check online.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make Mongolian chicken:
- Make the slurry: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and ½ cup (125 ml) cold water until fully dissolved. Set aside.
- Cube the chicken: Cut chicken thighs into uniform 1.5-inch cubes. Do not pat dry, as the moisture is needed for the next step.
- Coat in cornstarch: Transfer the chicken to a large bowl and add cornstarch. Toss until evenly coated, adding more if needed. Set aside.
- Fry in batches: Heat vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry the chicken in a single layer until crispy, cooked through, and golden, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to drain. Reserve 2 teaspoon of oil in the pan and discard the rest.
- Build the sauce: Reduce heat to medium. Stir-fry ginger, garlic, and half of the red chilies for 10 seconds. Add hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil. Stir the cornstarch slurry again, then pour it in. Stir to combine and simmer until the sauce thickens.
- Sauce and serve: Once the sauce has thickened, add the chicken and toss to coat evenly. Remove from heat, garnish with remaining red chilies and green onions, and serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- Cut uniform chicken cubes. Make every piece the same size. This keeps small bits from drying out while larger pieces finish cooking.
- Press starch into the meat. Use your hands to push the chicken into the cornstarch. This forms rugged edges that hold the heavy sauce.
- Drop coated meat in quickly. Cook the chicken within two minutes of dusting. Waiting lets juices soak through the starch and make paste.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pan and heat your oil to a steady 350°F. Heavy pans stop temperature drops when cold meat hits the hot oil.
- Give each piece breathing room. Never crowd the pan. Frying in small groups lets steam escape so the chicken crisps instead of steams.
Variations
- Mild: Swap the red chili with two tablespoons of finely diced red bell pepper.
- Gluten-free: Use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. Make sure your hoisin sauce label says gluten-free.
- Vegetarian version: Swap the chicken for cubed extra-firm tofu. Press the tofu dry with a towel before coating it
Pairing Suggestions
This crispy Mongolian chicken stir-fry pairs well with:
- Starters: Crispy Crab Rangoon or a comforting bowl of Egg Drop Soup.
- Grains: Fluffy white jasmine rice or brown rice to soak up the extra sauce.
- Veggies: Garlic Green Beans or steamed broccoli for a fresh, vibrant crunch.
Storage & Reheating
- Fridge: Keep in an airtight container up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Keep in a freezer bag up to 2 months. Thaw overnight.
- Best Practice: Store chicken and sauce separately to prevent sogginess.
- If Stored Together: Air fry at 350°F for 8 minutes, or bake at 400°F for 12 minutes.
- If Stored Separately: Air fry chicken at 350°F for 5 minutes or bake at 400°F for 8 minutes. Warm sauce in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water, then toss.
FAQ
Yes, you can cook this dish ahead of time. Please follow our specific storage and reheating instructions listed in the section above.
Yes! Generously spray your air fryer basket with oil and arrange the cornstarch-coated chicken in a single layer with space between each piece. Spritz the top of the chicken heavily with oil, ensuring no dry, white flour spots remain. Air fry at 400°F for 10-14 minutes until golden and crispy. While it cooks, simmer your sauce on the stove, then toss the crispy chicken into the thickened glaze.
Yes! Broccoli florets, snap peas, bell peppers, and carrots pair beautifully with this dish. To keep your chicken perfectly crispy, stir-fry the vegetables separately first until tender-crisp, remove them from the pan, and then toss them back into the sauce at the very end with the cooked chicken.
📖 Recipe
Easy 25-min. Mongolian Chicken (Shallow Fried)
Ingredients
- 1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs
- ¼ cup cornstarch or potato starch, add more if needed
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 red chili pepper sliced, divided
- 5 slices ginger
- 4 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil toasted kind
- 1 green onion finely chopped (optional garnish)
Cornstarch Slurry
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch
- ½ cup water cold
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and ½ cup (125 ml) cold water until fully dissolved to make your cornstarch slurry. Set aside.
- Cut chicken thighs into uniform 1.5-inch cubes. Do not pat dry, as the moisture is needed for the next step.
- Transfer the chicken to a large bowl and add cornstarch. Toss until evenly coated, adding more if needed. Set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry the chicken in a single layer until crispy, cooked through, and golden, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to drain. Reserve 2 teaspoon (10 ml) of oil in the pan and discard the rest.
- Reduce heat to medium. Stir-fry ginger, garlic, and half of the red chilies for 10 seconds. Add hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil. Stir the cornstarch slurry again, then pour it in. Stir to combine and simmer until the sauce thickens.
- Add the chicken and toss to coat evenly. Remove from heat, garnish with the remaining red chilies and green onions, and serve immediately.
Sandy Stiner
Oh my gosh, this was so easy! The taste was like we got it from a restaurant. Cannot wait to make it again! Thank you Christie for helping us make tasty Asian dishes at home!!!!
Tracy Palmer Dawson
Yummy! I couldn’t find red peppers so I substituted red pepper flakes. I will try air frying the chicken as suggested next time to improve the healthfulness. Quick and easy. Thanks so much for sharing.
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Tracy! Glad you enjoyed it!
Matt
Great taste good Dish except the directions are a little sketchy on the corn starch. It almost sounds like you are supposed to put the cornstarch slurry with the chicken. That is not the case, you are to coat chicken with corn starch. This measurement is not mentioned in the ingredients list.
christieathome
Apologies for the confusion! I've just revised the recipe instructions. I appreciate you flagging this and for making my recipe.
Bethany Hunter
I loved it!! The only problem I had was that the recipe was a little confusing with the cornstarch. First, I did it correctly by adding the cornstarch directly to the chicken, then, the next step says to make a slurry which confused me so I added water to the cornstarch coated chicken. I then realized that you meant that the slurry was for the sauce and the quarter cup was for the chicken and ended up adding more cornstarch to the slurried chicken. It ended up delicious but I bet it’s even more delicious don’t correctly.
That being said, it ended up so so so delicious! Thank you!
christieathome
Thank you so much for your comment and for making my recipe! I also appreciate you flagging this. I've revised the instructions again so they are more clearly written. Have a great day, Bethany!
Maria
We loved this recipe but could not figure out where the green onions mentioned in the first section went with the recipe. We ended up throwing them in with the aromatics, but the recipe is not clear.
christieathome
Thanks for making my recipe and for flagging that! I've corrected the recipe, the green onions are just for garnish.
Mommakat
I just found you and will follow. Your recipes are easy to follow and I love Asian cooking and your recipes include most all the ingredients i keep on hand. Thank You!
christieathome
Thank you so much for the kind words and I hope you enjoy my recipes!
Brendan
Cooked this one last night for some friends, they loved it. Definitely packs a punch!
christieathome
Thanks for making my recipe, Brendan! Glad you enjoyed it with your friends!
Deborah Hathaway
Deliciously sweet and spicy.
My first time making this but it’s definitely not a 25 min meal. I prepped the ingredients (added carrots, peppers and onions) and began frying. It took time working in small batches. I’ll be trying the air fryer next time.
peetje Peet
Loved this dish!!! Very tasteful.. simple and quick!!!
Thank you very much for sharing
christieathome
Thank you so much Peetje! I'm so glad you enjoyed it and I appreciate you taking the time to write such a kind review 🙂
Rachael
A very delicious meal! My whole family loved it and we will definitely be making it again! Thank you for this awesome recipe, Christie!
christieathome
Glad you enjoyed it with your family, thanks for making it!
Patryk
Hoisin sauce and sugar? Is this dish too much sweet?
Patryk
Hoisin sauce is generally sweet, wouldn't adding sugar make a dish bland and too sweet?
christieathome
Not in my experience with this dish and I haven't received that feedback from the many others who made this dish through my other social platforms. But if you feel it's too sweet, omit it and you can always add it later to the sauce.
Dan G.
Recipe as-is is great. Very nice flavor and the Corn Starch crisped chicken was just right. Wife didn't want it with rice so I used some Chinese egg noodles (like Lo Mein Noodles but just a little thicker). Cooked them most of the way first then rinsed under cold water and set aside. After cooking everything I added the noodles into my wok and mixed it well and cooked everything together a little longer. The sauce clung to the noodles nicely and it turned out great....And then...my wife said she would have liked some other vegetables in it... sometimes, you just can't win.
This recipe results in a very good Mongolian chicken, with what tastes like an authentic sauce and the perfect texture on the chicken.
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe and for this kind review, Dan! So glad you enjoyed it! Egg noodles are a great pairing with this dish!
Melody
Hello 👋
This recipe was absolutely delicious. Thank you so very much for sharing. I was just wondering if you have the nutritional values on this?
I couldn't find them. Thanks so much very much.
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe Melody! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Sorry, unfortunately I don't have values for this recipe but I can add them later.
MamaH
I've made this recipe twice but I still can't manage to get the chicken crispy. Any tips? Thanks!
christieathome
Hi there! Thank you so much for making my recipe! Here are some tips to get that chicken crispy:
1) If there is a lot of moisture on the chicken, pat it dry with a clean paper towel. The excess moisture can attribute to a less crispy crust.
2) When coating the chicken with starch, do not overmix. If you overmix, this can create moisture in the starch. Once I pour the starch onto the chicken, I use kitchen tongs and twist it 3-4 x and this evenly distributes the starch. Alternatively, instead of pouring the starch onto the chicken, you can dredge each piece of chicken into the starch to avoid overmixing.
3) Fry the chicken for a couple minutes longer until the crust is crispier. Because it's chicken thigh, this cut is more forgiving and if you do cook it for longer, it won't dry out like breast.
Hope these tips help!
Stella
Came across this recipe a few months ago and have been making it at least once a week ever since! Super tasty, easy to make and turns out great every time. Thanks Christie, excited to try your other recipes!
christieathome
I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed this Stella! Thanks for making my recipe and I hope you enjoy my other recipes 🙂