This Mongolian chicken is one of those recipes that quietly earns its place on the regular dinner rota. Tender strips of chicken cooked in a glossy garlic-ginger soy sauce, finished with spring onions and spooned over hot rice — it’s quick (ready in 25 mins!), comforting and full of flavour without being heavy. And just look at how that sauce soaks into the rice 😋.
Nicky’s Notes (or something relevant to recipe)
This Mongolian chicken is all about tender chicken and a glossy, well-balanced sauce. A light coating of cornflour helps keep the chicken juicy while giving the sauce something to cling to.
Cooking the chicken first and setting it aside means it stays tender. It also gives you control over the sauce, so it has time to thicken properly before the chicken goes back in.
The sauce itself is simple but carefully balanced. Garlic and ginger are cooked briefly so they stay fragrant, then the sauce is simmered for a couple of minutes to create that rich, glossy finish.
This is one of those dishes where soy sauce choice really matters. I tend to reach for a reduced-salt option at home, as it gives plenty of savoury depth without overpowering the rest of the flavours.
📋 Ingredients for Mongolian Chicken
***Full recipe with detailed quantities in the recipe card below***
Note on the Chicken
I’m using chicken breast fillets sliced into thin strips as it works really well and reminds me of that takeout style Mongolian chicken. If you wanted you could swap it out for boneless chicken thigh fillets, they’d work just fine too.
Note on the sugar
I prefer to use Muscovado sugar for this as it has a beautiful roasted molasses flavour. So it’s preferable that you use it. But if you absolutely cannot find it any light brown or dark brown sugar will work.
Note on the Soy Sauce
I’ve tested this recipe with various different soy sauces, I originally used regular dark soy sauce in this recipe, but the salt amount can vary so much between brands that some readers were finding it too salty. For example Amoy dark is 15.8g of salt per 100ml, compared to Pearl River Bridge which is 23.5g salt per 100ml.
A low sodium soy sauce is now my favourite choice (Amoy reduced salt, Kikkoman green cap) or I’ll use regular Amoy dark, as it’s naturally a bit lower in salt.
Abbreviated Recipe
***Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card below***
Lightly coat the chicken strips and pan-fry until just cooked through, then set aside.
Simmer garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sugar until thick and glossy.
Return the chicken to the pan, toss to coat, then serve over rice.
Recipe Tips
- Let the sauce simmer until it looks glossy and lightly coats the spoon — that’s your sign it’s ready for the chicken.
- Add the chicken back right at the end and only cook long enough to warm it through, so it stays tender.
Deeply savoury with a gentle sweetness, warm garlic and fragrant ginger, all wrapped in a glossy sauce that brings everything together — and it’s ready surprisingly quickly.
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🍽️ What to serve it with
I love serving this Mongolian chicken over plain boiled rice, finished with a light sprinkling of sesame seeds or chilli flakes if you fancy a little extra kick.
- Egg Fried Rice – perfect for soaking up that glossy sauce
- Stir-Fried Greens (such as broccoli, pak choi or green beans) for a fresh contrast
- Simple Noodles with beansprouts also work
Got Leftovers?
- This sticky chicken stir fry tastes best when made right before serving as that’s when the meat will be most tender.
- However, you can quickly cool, cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to a day in the refrigerator.
- Reheat in the microwave until piping hot.
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Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan until very hot.
3 tbsp oil
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Mix the cornflour with a good pinch of salt and pepper and toss the chicken strips in the seasoned cornflour.
2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch), pinch salt and black pepper, 550 g (1.1lb) Skinless boneless chicken breasts
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Cook the chicken strips in the oil (turning occasionally) until cooked through and slightly golden. You can do this in two batches, but I usually manage this in one.
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Use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken from the pan. Place it in a bowl whilst you make the sauce.
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Pour out all but 1 tbsp of oil from the pan, turn the heat down to medium/low and allow the oil to cool a little. Add the sesame oil, ginger and garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds – stirring often to avoid burning the garlic.
1 tbsp minced ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp sesame oil
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Mix together the water and cornflour then add it into the wok along with the soy sauce, pepper and sugar.
120 ml (1/2 cup) reduced sodium soy sauce, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 6 packed tbsp light brown muscavado sugar, 90 ml (1/3 cup) water, 1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
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Give it a good mix and turn up the heat and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
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Then add the chicken back to the wok and cook for a further 2 minutes.
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Stir in the spring onions (scallions) and cook for another minute.
8 spring onions (scallions)
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Turn off the head and serve over boiled rice.
boiled rice, or egg fried rice
Soy Sauce
I’ve tested this recipe with various different soy sauces, I originally used regular dark soy sauce in this recipe, but the salt amount can vary so much between brands that some readers were finding it too salty. For example Amoy dark is 15.8g of salt per 100ml, compared to Pearl River Bridge which is 23.5g salt per 100ml.
A low sodium soy sauce is now my favourite choice (Amoy reduced salt, Kikkoman green cap) or I’ll use regular Amoy dark, as it’s naturally a bit lower in salt.
Can I make it ahead?
This stir fry tastes best when made right before serving as that’s when the chicken will be most tender.
However, you can quickly cool, cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to a day in the refrigerator.
Reheat in the microwave until piping hot.
I can’t find muscovado sugar. Can I use something else instead?
Muscovado sugar has a beautiful roasted flavour. So it’s preferable that you use it. But if you absolutely cannot find it any light brown or dark brown sugar will work.
Nutritional Information is per serving, without the serving suggestion of boiled rice.
Calories: 314kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 1331mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This Mongolian Chicken Recipe was first posted in Jan 2026. Updated since with recipe improvements and for housekeeping reasons.
🥡 More Sticky Chicken recipes
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