Sweet Savory Mongolian Chicken (Printable)

Crispy chicken coated in a luscious sweet and savory sauce with garlic, ginger, and soy flavors.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

→ Sauce

06 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
07 - 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
08 - 1/4 cup water
09 - 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
10 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
11 - 2 teaspoons sesame oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
13 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
14 - 1 teaspoon red chili flakes

→ For Serving & Garnish

15 - 4 green onions, thinly sliced
16 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
17 - Steamed white rice, to serve

# How to Make:

01 - Toss the chicken pieces with cornstarch, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until evenly coated.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in batches and cook until golden brown and crisp on all sides, about 6–8 minutes. Remove and set aside on a plate.
03 - Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a medium bowl. Set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, add ginger and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Pour in the prepared sauce and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened.
06 - Add the cooked chicken back into the skillet. Toss to coat evenly in the sauce. Sprinkle in red chili flakes for heat if desired.
07 - Simmer for an additional 2–3 minutes until the sauce clings to the chicken and the chicken is heated through.
08 - Serve hot over steamed rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce achieves that perfect restaurant-quality gloss without any complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients
  • Everything comes together in one pan, meaning maximum flavor with minimum cleanup afterward
  • The balance between sweet and savory hits that magic spot where everyone at the table reaches for seconds automatically
02 -
  • Crowding the pan while searing the chicken will cause steaming instead of crisping, so work in batches for the best texture
  • The sauce continues thickening off the heat, so pull it slightly earlier than you think is necessary
  • If your sauce looks too thin, let it simmer an extra minute, but remember it also naturally coats better as it cools slightly
03 -
  • Cutting the chicken into slightly larger pieces than usual helps them stay juicy through the high-heat cooking process
  • Grate your ginger against the grain to avoid tough fibrous bits in your finished sauce
  • Let the rice finish steaming while you make the sauce so everything hits the table piping hot together

Go Back