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Mongolian Chicken

The chicken doesn’t get patted dry because you need moisture for the cornstarch to stick and create that light, crispy coating. Mixing the cornstarch slurry right before adding prevents it from separating and leaving you with lumpy sauce.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1.25 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • ~1/3 cup canola oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1-2 red chili peppers optional, sliced
  • 6 slices ginger
  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
  • 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp cane sugar
  • 2 tsp sesame oil

For the Cornstarch Slurry

  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

  • Dice chicken thighs into 1.5-inch pieces.
  • Coat chicken pieces evenly with cornstarch in a large bowl.
  • Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl to create slurry and set aside.
  • Heat canola oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat.
  • Fry chicken in small batches until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes total.
  • Transfer chicken to a wire rack to drain.
  • Fry ginger, garlic, and red chili on medium heat for 10 seconds until fragrant.
  • Add hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil to the pan and mix well.
  • Stir the cornstarch slurry and add it to the pan.
  • Simmer sauce until thickened.
  • Toss fried chicken into sauce until fully coated.
  • Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Notes

Do not pat chicken dry before coating with cornstarch.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & let me know!