Sweet Savory Mongolian Chicken (Printer-friendly)
Crispy chicken in a luscious sweet-savory sauce with garlic, ginger, and soy flavors.
# What You'll Need:
→ 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
# Directions:
01 - In a large bowl, toss the chicken pieces with cornstarch, salt, and black pepper 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 - In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. 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. If desired, sprinkle in red chili flakes for heat.
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.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce strikes that perfect balance between sweet and salty that makes you want to lick the plate
- Crispy chicken stays crunchy even after tossing in the glossy sauce, thanks to a simple cornstarch coating trick
- It comes together in under 45 minutes but tastes like you spent all day perfecting it
02 -
- Crowding the pan while searing chicken will trap steam and prevent proper crisping, so cook in batches if necessary
- The sauce will continue thickening as it cools slightly, so remove from heat when it still looks a bit thinner than desired
- Pat chicken pieces dry before coating with cornstarch or the moisture will create a gummy texture instead of crispy
03 -
- Double-frying the chicken creates extra crunch, fry once until cooked through, let rest, then fry again briefly before adding to sauce
- Add sliced bell peppers or snap peas during the final 2 minutes of cooking for color and texture variation