Mongolian Chicken
Who needs takeout?! Mongolian Chicken is easy to make at home and when you do it yourself, you can customize it to your tastes! Juicy chicken, crisp bell pepper and onions are stir-fried in a sticky-sweet sauce for a no-complaints dinner your whole family will love.
Whether it’s Szechuan Chicken, Easy Orange Chicken, or Kung Pao Shrimp, I love making homemade versions of my family’s takeout favorites. Honestly, by the time we agree on which restaurant to order from, pull up the menu online, and decide what to get, I could have dinner on the table if I made it myself. (Plus, when you make it yourself, you can control all the ingredients and adjust the seasonings to your liking. No MSG migraines!)
What Is Mongolian Chicken?
Mongolian chicken is a popular Chinese restaurant staple that pairs tender pieces of stir-fried chicken with a savory and sweet sauce. Despite the name, it’s really not from Mongolia, and it’s actually not very Chinese either—this is an Americanized Chinese dish like Moo Goo Gai Pan.
Ingredients for Mongolian Chicken
Don’t be intimidated by the long ingredient list! If you cook Asian food often, you probably have most of these items in your pantry or fridge already.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts – You can substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer them.
- Olive Oil – Or another oil you like to use for cooking.
- Vegetables – Garlic, onion, and red bell pepper make this Mongolian chicken tasty and add some crisp texture too.
- Orange Juice – Use fresh orange juice, which has a much brighter flavor than store-bought.
- Soy Sauce – You can swap in tamari or low-sodium soy sauce if you prefer.
- Brown Sugar – Dark brown or light brown sugar will both work.
- Hoisin Sauce – Hoisin is a paste-like sauce with a complex and sweet flavor. Don’t skip it!
- Rice Wine Vinegar – Make sure you use unseasoned rice wine vinegar, which doesn’t have sugar added to it.
- Fresh Ginger – Fresh ginger has more warmth and punch than dried ground ginger.
- Mirin/Sweet Rice Wine – Mirin is like sake, but sweeter.
- Chili Garlic Sauce – Be sure to use chili garlic sauce, not sweet chili sauce. There’s already enough sweetness in this Mongolian chicken recipe; we want to add heat with this ingredient!
- Fish Sauce – Another addition to our sauce that adds lots of complexity and umami.
- Sesame Oil – Use toasted sesame oil, which adds nutty flavor.
- Cornstarch – For thickening the sauce.
- Green Onions and Sesame Seeds – To garnish.
How to Make Mongolian Chicken
Like many stir fry recipes, most of the work comes from the measuring and prep. The cooking itself is easy!
- Mix the sauce. Whisk the orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, rice wine, ginger, mirin, chili garlic sauce, fish sauce, cornstarch and sesame oil in a bowl.
- Prep the chicken. Slice it into pieces and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the garlic. Add the olive oil and garlic to a wok over medium-high heat. Cook the garlic until fragrant and remove it from the pan.
- Cook the chicken. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes and transfer to a plate.
- Stir fry the veggies. Cook the onion for 2 minutes, then stir in the bell pepper and cook for a minute or so more.
- Finish. Add the chicken back to the pan and stir in the sauce. Cook until the sauce thickens. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Tips for Making Mongolian Chicken
This recipe is simple, but here are a few additional tips to make sure your cooking experience is totally seamless.
- Have everything ready to go. Stir fry recipes like Mongolian chicken move fast, so have your ingredients prepped before you get started. You can’t stop mid-way through to slice onions or bell peppers.
- High heat is key. Make sure your skillet or wok is very hot before adding the chicken. This ensures a quick cook, keeping the chicken juicy inside.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook the chicken in batches if necessary. Overcrowding the pan will steam the chicken, and steamed chicken is as appetizing as it sounds (not very).
- Toast the sesame seeds. This will bring out their best flavor. Add them to a dry pan over medium heat and stir frequently until they’re fragrant and just beginning to brown.
Variations on This Recipe
Here are some more ways to make a Mongolian stir fry:
- Mongolian beef. Here’s my Mongolian Beef Stir Fry recipe for something different.
- Spicy Mongolian chicken. Add more heat with additional chili garlic sauce or red pepper flakes. Or try serving this recipe with chili crisp for garnish.
- Mongolian chicken with veggies. Add broccoli or another vegetable you like.
What to Serve With Mongolian Chicken
Serve Mongolian chicken over or alongside:
- Jasmine Rice
- Hibachi Fried Rice
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Shrimp Fried Rice
- Ramen Noodle Salad
- Shrimp Summer Rolls
- Asian Cucumber Salad
- Hot and Sour Soup
More Chicken Dinner Recipes
- Caesar Chicken Kabobs
- Grilled Chicken Pesto Sandwich
- Bruschetta Chicken
- Pineapple Chicken
- Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast
- Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
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Get the Recipe: Mongolian Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp mirin/sweet rice wine
- 1 tsp chili garlic sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup chopped green onions
- sesame seeds
Equipment
- 1 skillet or wok
Instructions
- In medium bowl, whisk together the orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, rice wine, ginger, mirin, chili garlic sauce, fish sauce, cornstarch and sesame oil. Set aside.
- Slice the chicken into bite size pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Place a high sided skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the olive oil and garlic. Cook the garlic for 1 minute or until fragrant. Remove the garlic from the pan and reserve.
- Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes or until brown on all sides and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm.
- Add the onion to the pan, cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper, cook for an additional 1-2 minutes,
- Add the chicken to the vegetables. Stir to combine.
- Pour the sauce over the beef stir fry and toss to combine. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes tossing a few times to allow the sauce to thicken and caramelize.
- To serve, top the stir fry with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds, if desired.