Mongolian Chicken
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
25 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Total Time
35 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
210 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Asian
Mongolian Chicken
Description
This recipe begins by mixing sliced chicken with vegetable oil and coating it lightly in cornstarch to generate a crisp crust upon frying. The pieces are fried in hot oil until golden and crispy on all sides, then drained to remove excess oil. Removing most of the oil from the wok before stir-frying the aromatics eliminates greasiness while preserving flavor.
Fresh ginger, garlic, and white parts of scallions provide a fragrant base, with the optional dried red chili peppers adding subtle heat. The sauce combines savory soy sauce and sweet brown sugar, balanced by water or chicken stock. A cornstarch slurry is added to thicken the sauce, which is poured over the chicken to coat it in a glossy, flavorful glaze.
The resulting dish combines tender chicken with a crispy crust and a sticky, sweet-savory sauce. It works well served with steamed rice or vegetables to soak up the sauce.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces chicken breast pat dry with paper towels and cut into ¼-inch/6mm thick slices, boneless skinless, or thighs
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (plus ⅓ cup/80ml for frying)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ginger (julienned or minced)
- 5 red chili pepper optional, dried
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 3 scallions (cut on a diagonal into 1-2 inch / 5cm slices)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ cup water or low sodium chicken stock, hot
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (mixed into a slurry with 2 tablespoons water)
Instructions
- Mix the sliced chicken with 1 tablespoon of oil. Dredge all of the chicken in the cornstarch, shaking off the excess until the chicken is just lightly coated.
- Heat ⅓ cup oil in a wok over high heat. At this point, if the chicken has absorbed the cornstarch and gets moist again, dredge the pieces again before frying. Just before the oil starts to smoke, spread the chicken pieces evenly in the wok and fry for 1 minute, or until browned and crispy.
- Turn the chicken, and let the other side fry for another 30 seconds, or until browned and crispy. Transfer to a sheet pan or plate lined with paper towels. The chicken should be fried on all sides with a crusty coating.
- Drain the oil from the wok, leaving 1 tablespoon behind, and set over medium high heat. Add the ginger fry for 20 seconds, until fragrant. Add the dried chili peppers (if using), the garlic, and the white portions of the scallions. Stir-fry for another 15 seconds, and add the soy sauce, brown sugar, and water/chicken stock. Bring the sauce to a simmer, and stir constantly until the brown sugar is completely dissolved.
- Let the sauce simmer for another 2 minutes, and slowly stir in the cornstarch-water slurry until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Add the chicken and the green portions of the scallions. Toss everything together for another 10 seconds.
- There should be almost no liquid; the sauce should cling to the chicken. If you still have excess sauce, add more of the cornstarch slurry, and increase the heat slightly. Stir until thickened. Serve.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 210 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 210kcal | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 19g | 6% |
| Protein | 20g | 40% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 54mg | 18% |
| Sodium | 733mg | 31% |
| Potassium | 375mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 280IU | 6% |
| Vitamin C | 3.2mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 18mg | 2% |
| Iron | 0.7mg | 4% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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