Mongolian Chicken Garlic Ginger (Print version)

Golden chicken coated in thick garlic-ginger sauce with scallions. Quick 30-minute Asian stir-fry.

# What you'll need:

→ For the Chicken

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
02 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
03 - 1/4 tsp salt
04 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
05 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil

→ For the Sauce

06 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
07 - 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
08 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
09 - 1/2 cup water
10 - 2 tsp cornstarch
11 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
12 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

→ For Serving

13 - 4 scallions, sliced
14 - Steamed rice, to serve (optional)
15 - Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

# How to make it:

01 - Toss chicken slices with cornstarch, salt, and black pepper in a bowl until evenly coated.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.
03 - Whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, water, and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth.
04 - Add a splash of oil to the same skillet if necessary, then add garlic and ginger. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Pour in the sauce mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens.
06 - Return the chicken to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes more until heated through.
07 - Stir in half of the sliced scallions. Serve immediately over steamed rice, garnished with remaining scallions and sesame seeds if desired.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • The sauce strikes this perfect balance between savory and sweet that makes everyone instinctively reach for seconds
  • It comes together in 30 minutes flat but tastes like something you'd order from your favorite restaurant
  • The cornstarch coating creates this incredibly tender texture that makes the chicken practically melt in your mouth
02 -
  • Don't crowd the pan when cooking the chicken or it will steam instead of sear, working in batches if necessary
  • The sauce thickens rapidly once it hits the heat, so have your whisk ready and don't walk away
  • Slicing the chicken while it's slightly chilled makes it easier to get those thin, even strips
03 -
  • Cut all your ingredients before you start cooking once that heat is on, everything moves fast
  • Room temperature cornstarch dissolves more easily than cold, preventing lumpy sauce
  • Reserve a little pasta water or stock if you need to thin the sauce at the end

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