This Mongolian Chicken is super easy to make, ready in less than 15 minutes, and rivals your favorite takeout!
Seriously, less than 15 minutes. And if you make the sauce and chop up the chicken and green onions in advance, it’s literally ready in 5 minutes!
Mongolian Chicken definitely isn’t a low-sugar meal, but it’s an indulgence we really enjoy from time to time. It tastes fantastic. If you’re a fan of this popular Chinese-American dish give this recipe a try and you may just decide you never need to order takeout again.
Let’s get started!
Cut up the chicken and chop the green onions, keeping the white parts separate (they take longer to cook). Mince the garlic and ginger. It’s important to have all the ingredient prepped in advance because the cooking process is so fast.
Sprinkle the chicken with the cornstarch and toss to coat.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl.
Heat the wok over high heat.
Once the wok is good and hot pour in the oil. I use avocado oil for high heat cooking because it doesn’t oxidize – in other words, it’s a healthy and high heat-friendly oil.
Add the chicken and fry until cooked through. It will only take about a minute.
Add the garlic and ginger and fry for another 30 seconds.
Add the sauce and the white parts of the green onions.
Cook for a minute or so until the sauce is thickened.
Add the remaining green onions and stir to coat. Remove from the heat. You don’t want to cook the soft green onions for long because you want them to remain a little crispy.
Your Mongolian Chicken is ready! It’s that quick and easy!
Serve with steamed rice and enjoy!
Prefer it with beef? Try this fabulous Mongolian Beef!
Looking for more great Chinese recipes?
Be sure to try our Chinese Beef and Broccoli!
Quick to make and phenomenally delicious, this Mongolian Chicken rivals your favorite Chinese restaurant or takeout!
- 1 lb chicken breast or thighs cut into thin strips
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch for coating
- 2 tablespoons high heat cooking oil (I recommend avocado oil as a healthy high heat-friendly oil)
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger ,minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic ,minced
- 2 bunches green onions ,cut into 2 inch pieces, white parts kept separate
- For the Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (a critical ingredient)
- OR Best Homemade Hoisin Sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ cup brown sugar
- Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl, stirring until the cornstarch and brown sugar are dissolved, and set aside.
- Sprinkle the cut up chicken with the cornstarch and toss to coat.
- Heat a wok or heavy frying pan over high heat. Once hot, add the oil.
- Add the chicken and fry until cooked through, about one minute. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for another 30 seconds.
- Add the sauce and white parts of the green onions and simmer until thickened, about a minute. Add the remaining green onions, stir to coat and remove from heat (the green onions should remain a little crispy).
- Serve immediately with steamed rice.
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Claudia says
I do have question about this dish, is it diabetic friendly? Would love to try it and us something other than white rice. Thanks for the help.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Claudia, I would not recommend this for diabetics as it’s high in sugar.
Carl says
You can try to substitute the sugar with stevia or splenda. 18 to 24 packets of spends to 1 cup of sugar. I have a type 1 diabetic son and he loves spicy Chinese food.
Melissa Taylor says
I’m going to try with less sugar tonight. Partner has just been diagnosed type 1 and this much sugar is 98g carbs alone! I think the whole dish is around 115g carbs. Hoison sauce is also surprisingly high carb.
Kate says
One of my all-time faves to order out and this looks sooooo delicious! Will be trying this tomorrow, thank you!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Kate, you’re going to love this!
Cori Landon says
Yummy! I’ve always been a big fan of both Mongolian beef and chicken but have never made my own. Can’t wait to try this! Thanks also for the introduction to Oxo’s new cookware, I’m also a fan of their products.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
You’re going to love this, Cori! Happy cooking!
Adina says
It looks delicious! I can’t wait to try this.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Adina!
Jennifer says
Tasty! My mom made this dish and we all enjoyed it. Wasn’t too sweet. BTW, I think I got my mom hooked on your site :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Jennifer, you’re awesome!! Thanks so much for referring your mom my way :) Glad you all enjoyed the Mongolian Chicken!
Christa says
This was fantastic! I made it last night for my husband, myself, and a friend that eats with us every week. They both said to put it into my regular cooking rotation. I added steamed broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots to it as well to make it a complete meal. Can’t wait to try more recipes here.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Yayyyy!! So thrilled to hear that, Christa, thank you!
Anonymous says
I forgot to add the brown sugar and ginger but it was still delicious. Can’t believe I forgot to add those ingredients even though I had them. Definately prepare all items ahead of time.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Haha! Well, I’m glad you still enjoyed it even though it was missing two major ingredients! :) As much as you liked it this time, you’ll enjoy it even more the next time with those ingredients intact. But it’s so true, with quick Asian dishes like this the cooking time is so fast that unless you have everything set out in advance you’re bound to forget something. I really appreciate the feedback – happy cooking!
Brendan says
Made this for dinner last night. It was great. Everyone loved it. I like mine a little spicier so next time I will be adding a little chili oil but this is really good “as is”. Thank you very much Kimberly.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic! So glad it it was a hit, Brendan, and I really appreciate your feedback, thank you!
Valerie says
I am eating this now, and it’s really delicious. I modified it by adding carrots and broccoli for a one-pot meal. I also added some dried chiles (about 10-12) with the ginger and garlic for a little heat. Question, though, my sauce never thickened, so I pulled it off the heat when everything was close to being overcooked. Maybe 3 teaspoons of corn starch for so much liquid?
This is a keeper with amazing flavor.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Valerie, so glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the feedback! This sauce isn’t supposed to be really thick, more like a thin gravy. But if it didn’t thicken at all there are two likely reasons: 1) The addition of the carrots and broccoli will have added extra liquid and watered it down or 2) If a sauce with cornstarch is boiled too long it will liquify again. In other words, you only want to boil it for a minute or so just until thickened and then turn off the heat.
Valerie says
Oh, that’s good to know, Kimberly, thank you. I will keep this in mind when I make again, and I will! You have a wonderful blog and I am only beginning to explore your recipes. Beautiful pictures and very direct instructions. I found you through your preserved lemons post, and I have two jars preserving in the fridge right now. :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you so much, Valerie, I really appreciate that. And I’m excited that you’ve got those lemons in the fridge – you’re going to love what they do to your food!
Joy says
I made this tonight for my kids and I. We love Asian inspired food, and this hit the mark!! Instead of plain white rice, which we rarely eat, i made a coconut ginger jasmine rice. It was a hit even for my pickiest little eater!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Joy, I’m thrilled to hear that and really appreciate the feedback!
Anonymous says
Amazing! Thank You! What a success!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, thanks so much for the feedback!
Darron says
Just made this for the family. I could not find Hoisin in the local shops, so i used a homemade substitute which i found online. Fair to say all plates are now empty. Fantastic recipe, and i am sure it wont be the last time its made in this house. Many thanks.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m thrilled to hear that, Darron, thanks so much for your feedback!
Sara says
What a delicious, FAST, meal! Start to finish in 20 minutes! A new stable at my dinner table!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
YES!! So glad you liked it, Sara, thanks for the feedback!
Joyce says
Wow……made this last night and it was delish! The kids loved it. I turned it into a nourish bowl without the rice. Shredded lettuce, julienne carrot/cucumber, black beans, shredded red cabbage etc. It will be a favourite from here on in!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
What a great idea, Joyce! And I’m so happy this was a family hit, thanks so much for the feedback!
Michelle | A Latte Food says
You had me 15 minutes! This looks amazing!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I know, Michelle, with a 3 and a 5 year old I always welcome fast dishes, too! :)
Lauren @ Hall Nesting says
I love making take out meals from home! I’ve never tried this w/ chicken. Sounds great!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I do, too, Lauren! I have both a beef and a chicken version. Both are really popular and I’m not really sure which I prefer – they’re both great!
Sharon @ What The Fork Food Blog says
I’m a big fan of Mongolian Beef and your chicken version looks just as delicious!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Sharon! We’re huge fans of both, it just depends on whether we’re in the mood for beef or chicken :)
Valerie | From Valerie's Kitchen says
I have a bag of pot stickers in my freezer that I think would make the perfect side for this dish. Looks delicious and love the easy prep!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That does sound perfect, Valerie, I’ll join you for dinner! :)
Joanie @ Zagleft says
I love finding a recipe that cooks so quickly and looks like you’ve spent hours preparing it. This Mongolian Chicken sounds like the perfect meal for my busy family. I’m looking forward to adding it to my menu next week.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
For a busy schedule this is definitely a perfect dish, Joanie!
Cathy Trochelman says
I really love the sound of this recipe! Adding it to my menu for the week!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Cathy! You’ll love how quick and easy it is, not to mention dang delicious!
Loretta Graves says
I am going to try it tonight for dinner, so right now can’t tell you how it will taste but sounds good.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Sounds great, Loretta! Happy cooking and let us know what you think!
Michelle says
Love this recipe. I cooked it for tonight’s dinner and it passed. I will cook this again.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
So glad it was a hit, Michelle, thanks!
Baiba says
I loved this recipe and will try it with beef next time. I also added snow peas and sprouts. Yum!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Baiba, thanks for the feedback! I actually have a recipe for Mongolian Beef and for Beef Stir Fry with Snow Peas and Mushrooms :) I love Chinese dishes like these, so fast and so good.
Kate says
Made this for my husband for dinner last night. Absolutely delicious! Sauce was perfect and the chicken came out so tender. I also added white button mushrooms. My husband was thrilled. I will definitely make again and again.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Kate, I’m so glad to hear it and appreciate the feedback, thank you!
Cori says
I’ve made this twice already and my whole family LOVES it! It’s so quick and easy and tastes way better than the stuff we used to get take-out. Thank you!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Cori, I’m so glad to hear that, thank you!
Tawni Scroggins says
This is the absolute best recipe for Mongolian Chicken!! My husband is one of the pickiest eaters I’ve ever met and he requests this one! Thank you so much for sharing!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s awesome, Tawni, I’m glad it won him over!!
PolySammo says
I made it with 2x as much meat and 1/2 as much sugar. Lots of garlic and ginger. My sweetie and roomies loved it. Next time he gets to cook it. Mongolian beef is his favorite Chinese food, but he is trying to eat healthier. It never occurred to him that it would be so easy to make. Thank you for the recipe
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s awesome, PolySammo! It really is super quick and easy to make and it’s one of my favorite go-to’s for a quick and delicious meal. I’ll sometimes add some healthy veggies to it as well like broccoli and peppers. (By the way, here’s my recipe for Mongolian Beef which is of course is very similar.) Thanks so much for the feedback!
Anisa says
Hi, thanks so much for this recipe. I had never tried hoisin sauce despite seeing it in the supermarket, made the stir fry really tasty. I added some more veg in the stir fry and it was delicious
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Anisa, I’m glad to hear it – thank you!
nick mead says
Made the black bean sauce and hoisin sauce from your recipes, then the Mongolian chicken. All are absolutely terrific. Well done you! At last I’ve found a real chef who makes dishes the way they are meant to be, who doesn’t ‘twist (yuck)’ the life out of everything as the so called ‘celebrity cooks’do. Thankyou. 5 stars awarded
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Nick, I’m positively thrilled you enjoyed each of these recipes as much as we do and greaty appreciate the feedback – thank YOU!
T. Memos says
Very good but a little too salty..
Any suggestions?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi, you can either use lite soy sauce (less sodium) or just cut back on the amount of soy sauce used.
Hannah_Canada says
Hi Kimberly,
After seeing the picture of this dish, I was so very much looking forward to try it, as it looked fabulous, and today I made it. And really, it tastes just as great as it looks….AND the finished dish also looks exactly like the picture that got my attention in the 1st place!!!!Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe, the only thing I did that wrong was allow the green onions to cook several minutes longer than was suggested, but that’s an easy fix, still was fantastic, LOVED it :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Hannah, I’m so happy to hear that :) Thank you!
Anonymous says
Plaese take me off your email. Thank you!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s a little hard to do when you leave an anonymous comment without an email address! :)
Tim Wiedman says
Fabulous. I took a chance and made this for some dinner guests without taking it on a test run first. Everyone loved it, a total hit.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad to hear that – thanks, Tim!
Ken says
single dad without a lot of time and a limited culinary skill…going to try this tonight because THIS is one of our favorites and IF I can make it at home, sure beats the long drive to the nearest Chinese restaurant! I also liked reading some of the other comments and gleaning what I can from them. For intstance…I had planned on adding some mushrooms and didnt think about how the extra moisture from the shroom could throw off the sauce …I am a fan from here on out! Thanks for your work!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Ken, let us know how it turned out!
Tim Wiedman says
Absolutely fantastic recipe, so easy and even more delicious. Thanks for making me a star tonight!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, thanks so much, Tim!
Judi Murphy says
I love this recipe..I do not add the brown sugar, that way it isn’t as sweet . It still tastes the same as any good chinese restuarant.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, thank you, Judi!
Linda Gagliardi-Lynch says
This was awesome and I use only part of the brown sugar. My sons girlfriend is vegan and was wondering is there a vegan recipe for this? The funny thing is later on my son said just don’t invite her when we have this. The recipe is awesome and I am so looking forward to others. Thank you so much for sharing.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Linda, thank you! I think your son is onto something, lol. But you could make it vegan by substituting something like Yves Meatless Chicken Strips or Butler’s Soy Curls in place of the chicken.
Nicole says
Both my boyfriend and I really enjoyed this, and it was very easy to make, would definitely make again.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Nicole, thanks so much!
Remis says
Just a quick question, would this work with turkey breasts instead of chicken breasts?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Remis, yes, you can use turkey. Happy cooking!
Julie says
Made the recipe tonight. I halved the recipe (for 2 people), cooked two cups of broccoli on the side, and served everything on rice. It was incredibly delicious!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Julie, thanks so much!
TR says
This was amazing. I added a little bit of Chinese rice wine because I just bought it and love the flavor and I also added a few red chilis. The sauce has incredible flavor. Sweet, spicy, salty. Really delicious!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, TR, thanks so much!
Heather Vaz says
Amazing!! I love this,great full flavor! Definitely adding this to the repeat list. I added asparagus,and it was delicious!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Heather, thank you!
Anonymous says
I made this tonight for the 1st time. Delicious. I added some bok choy, water chestnuts and baby bella mushrooms. I think next time I’ll reduce the brown sugar. :-) Thanks for sharing!