Quick & Easy Mongolian Chicken

Crispy fried chicken tossed in a sticky, sweet, savory sauce. This quick and easy Mongolian chicken is better-than-takeout and made with simple ingredients in 25 minutes or less! A great main that'll easily become a family favorite! I also share how to air fry the chicken in the Notes section below.

4.97 from 55 votes

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Servings

Calories per serving 224 kcal

Ingredients

1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs
¼ cup cornstarch or as needed (or sub with potato starch)
⅓ cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 red chili pepper sliced (optional)
5 slices ginger
4 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 tablespoon regular soy sauce
2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon sesame oil

Cornstarch Slurry:

1 tablespoon cornstarch or sub with potato starch)
½ cup water

Optional Garnishes:

1 green onion finely chopped
1 red chili pepper sliced

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch and ½ cup water until well combined. This is your cornstarch slurry. Set aside.
Dice chicken thighs into 1.5-inch pieces, about 4-6 pieces per thigh. Avoid patting the chicken dry as moisture is needed for the next step.
In a large mixing bowl, add diced chicken thighs, followed by ¼ cup cornstarch. Give it a few tosses with tongs until each piece is coated in cornstarch. Set aside. If the starch is falling off, feel free to add more cornstarch.
Then in a large pan or wok on medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil. Fry chicken in small batches until golden brown on both sides, about 6-8 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and transfer to a wire rack or a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil. (To Air Fry the chicken, please see Notes below for instructions).
On medium heat, add ginger, garlic, and red chili. Fry for 10 seconds.
Next add hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and mix well before adding cornstarch slurry. (You may need to give the cornstarch water another stir before adding to the hot pan). Mix sauce ingredients until combined. Simmer to thicken.
Toss in fried chicken and mix everything together. Remove off heat. Transfer to serving dish. Optional: Garnish with red chili and green onions if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

To air fry the chicken:

1. Lightly spray air fryer basket with sufficient oil.

2. Place coated chicken into the basket in a single layer, giving each piece enough room. Do not overlap. You may need to air fry in two batches.

3. Lightly spray the chicken with oil.

4. Air fry at 400 F for 10-14 minutes until desired crispiness.

Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!

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