Mongolian Chicken

Total Time

Prep: 20 min. + marinating Cook: 15 min.

Makes

4 servings

Updated: Aug. 11, 2023
This is a fun way to make chicken. Mongolian chicken has a lot of flavor and a bit of heat for good measure. —Mary Ann Lee, Clifton Park, New York

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
  • 1/4 cup sherry
  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Mongolian Fire oil or sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
  • 2 cups fresh pea pods, cut into thirds
  • 3 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
  • Hot cooked rice

Directions

  1. In a shallow dish, combine the soy sauce, cornstarch and brown sugar. Add the chicken; turn to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sherry, hoisin, cilantro, sugar and Mongolian Fire oil until smooth; set aside. Drain chicken and discard marinade.
  3. In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry chicken in 1 tablespoon canola oil until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm. Stir-fry the pea pods, tomatoes, garlic and ginger in remaining oil until vegetables are crisp-tender, 2-4 minutes.
  4. Add sherry mixture to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Add chicken; heat through. Serve with rice.
Mongolian Chicken Tips

Can you use different cuts of chicken to make Mongolian chicken?

Mongolian chicken is commonly made by cutting boneless, skinless chicken breasts into thin strips, but you could also make this dish with chicken tenderloins or make it a chicken thigh recipe. Regardless of what cut of chicken you use, make sure it’s cut into small, even pieces so the sauce coats each bite.

How can you adjust the spice level in Mongolian chicken?

Mongolian chicken gets its spice from Mongolian fire oil, a sesame oil infused with chili peppers and other aromatic ingredients. To increase the spice level, add fresh chilies, spicy chili crisp, your favorite chili paste or hot sauce like Sriracha. For less spice, substitute sesame oil for the fire oil.

What do you serve with Mongolian chicken?

Serve Mongolian chicken with other homemade Asian recipes like egg rolls, steamed dumplings, lo mein or chow mein noodles, steamed rice, fried rice or stir-fried vegetables.

How long will leftover Mongolian chicken last?

Mongolian chicken lasts for 3 to 4 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

—Lindsay Mattison, Taste of Home Contributing Writer

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition Facts: 1-1/2 cups equals 376 calories, 13g fat (2g saturated fat), 94mg cholesterol, 651mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate (14g sugars, 3g fiber), 38g protein.