Name: Mongolian Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, (cut into bite-sized pieces); ½ cup cornstarch; ¾ cup low-sodium soy sauce; ¼ cup chicken stock; ¼ cup honey; 1½ tablespoon cornstarch; 1½ tablespoons water; 2 tablespoons canola oil; 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil; 2 cloves garlic, (minced); 1½ tablespoon fresh grated ginger; 4 green onions, (roughly chopped, use green parts only)

Dinner in under 30 minutes? Who could say no to that!? This Mongolian chicken is made with juicy, bite-sized pieces of chicken sauteed to golden brown and then finished in a velvety, savory-sweet sauce loaded with punches of garlic and ginger.

Mongolian chicken in a pan near a bowl of rice and some limes.

Like many, I have a special fondness for Chinese takeout, particularly Mongolian Chicken. The ability to recreate this dish at home in about 30 minutes is even more appealing. It features juicy chicken pieces perfectly caramelized and tossed in a deliciously smooth garlicky sauce. This sauce balances the sweet and savory, ensuring each bite of chicken is coated with a burst of tasty Asian-inspired flavors.

What Is Mongolian Chicken?

Mongolian chicken is a highly popular Chinese-American entree. It’s generally comprised of bite-sized pieces of chicken that are browned up in a hot pan and then finished in a savory, slightly sweet sauce that coats every bite in a velvety blanket of flavor.

Why We Love This Recipe

Quick. This Mongolian chicken recipe literally only takes minutes from start to finish. It’s the perfect busy weeknight meal.
Dynamic flavors. Between the bright bite of the fresh garlic and ginger, the salty umami of the soy sauce, the nuttiness of the toasted sesame oil, and the slight hint of sweetness from the honey, the sauce for this delicious entree is just exploding with flavor.
Customizable. It’s easy to experiment with this Chinese-American classic. Add some sauteed veggies, turn up the heat with red pepper flakes or sauteed chilis, use a different protein, etc.

Overhead image of the ingredients used for Mongolian Chicken.

Ingredients For Mongolian Chicken

Boneless skinless chicken breasts: You could easily use sliced pork or beef here instead.
Cornstarch: This really helps the meat get a nice golden brown finish. It is also used in the sauce to help thicken it, giving it a luscious, velvety consistency.
Low-sodium soy sauce: Using low-sodium soy sauce gives you more control over the flavor profile of the finished product.
Chicken stock: Vegetable stock would also work.
Honey: A little brown sugar is a good substitution.
Canola oil: You could also use vegetable oil or avocado oil.
Toasted sesame oil: I like the rich and nutty flavor that toasted sesame oil brings.
Garlic: I used fresh garlic, but you could use garlic powder in a pinch.
Freshly grated ginger: You could use ground ginger, but the fresh stuff lends a much brighter flavor.
Green onions: You’ll only need the green parts. Save the white bulbs for another recipe.

How to Make Mongolian Chicken

Coating chicken pieces in a cornstarch. — Coat the chicken in cornstarch.

Whisking together sauce for Mongolian chicken. — Coat the chicken in cornstarch.

Coat the chicken. Toss the chicken in 1/2 cup cornstarch.
Make the sauce. Whisk together the soy sauce, chicken stock, and honey. Separately, whisk together 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch and water and then whisk that into the sauce.

Adding chicken pieces coated in cornstarch to a pan. — Brown the chicken.

Browning chicken pieces in a pan. — Brown the chicken.

Brown the chicken. Heat the canola oil over medium-high heat and add the chicken, sauteing until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the wok.

Adding garlic and ginger to a pan. — Saute the aromatics.

Mongolian chicken in a pan. — Saute the aromatics.

Sauté the aromatics. Add the toasted sesame oil, minced garlic, and grated ginger to the wok and sauté until fragrant.
Add the sauce. Stir in the sauce and simmer for a couple of minutes.
Put it all together. Stir the chicken into the sauce and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the green onions.

Chopsticks lifting a bite of Mongolian chicken out of a bowl.

Recipe Tips

Even-sizes. Be sure to slice your chicken into even-sized pieces to ensure even cook time.
Low-sodium soy sauce. I highly recommend using low-sodium soy sauce. You can always add a little salt (or extra soy sauce) but you can’t take it away. Using a low-sodium product will give you much more control over the final flavor of the dish.
Use the right pan. It’s best to use a wok for this recipe. Woks do a great job at evenly distributing heat over their entire surface area, making them ideal for quick-cooking stir-fry dishes such as this one. If you don’t have a wok, use a large, heavy-bottomed skillet to achieve similar results.
Prep Ahead. Once you start adding things to the wok, everything is going to move relatively quickly. You want to have all of your ingredients prepped and close by so that you can keep up with the pace of this quick-cooking dish. Mince your garlic, grate your ginger, and whisk together the sauce before you turn on the heat.
Don’t crowd the wok. When browning the chicken, be careful not to crowd the wok. If you do, the chicken will steam instead of brown, resulting in a tough, rubbery meat.

Mongolian chicken in a bowl with rice, garnished with herbs and lime.

Serving Suggestions

Chinese Mongolian chicken is commonly served with a side of steamed white rice. You could try my Instant Pot Jasmine Rice or make my favorite, Shrimp Fried Rice or Teriyaki Noodles. I also love Mongolian chicken topped with Sesame Snap Peas, Baby Bok Choy, or my Crispy Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli. For something more refreshing, make this Sesame Cucumber Salad.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

To store, let the chicken cool completely before sealing it in an airtight container. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge before reheating.
To reheat, warm a bit of oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the leftovers and saute until heated through. You could also heat individual portions in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until warm.

Mongolian Chicken