Mongolian Chicken

What’s so special about Mongolian beef, anyway? But it’s actually Chicken Mongolian!

Among Chinese dishes, Mongolian Beef may be the most popular in the United States. It’s coated in a sauce that’s both salty, sweet, and spicy, and it goes wonderfully with steaming white rice. Here at HQ, we’ve developed our very own take on Mongolian beef. Everyone who has tasted our recipe has nothing but praise for it.

However, the reality is that there are those who would rather eat chicken than beef. And eventually, you become tired of the same old Orange Chickens, Sesame Chickens, and General Tso’s Chickens and want to try something else. We have the solution for you: Mongolian Chicken.

Throw the chicken into the sauce, and you’ve got yourself a delicious meal of Mongolian chicken.

INGREDIENTS:

• 340g boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs (chop into ¼-inch thick slices)
• 5 dried red chili peppers
• 3 scallions (cut into 1-inch slices)
• 2 cloves of chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup of cornstarch
• ¼ cup of hot water or low sodium chicken stock
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and more for frying
• 1 teaspoon of julienned or minced ginger

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Coat the chicken slices uniformly with the oil by mixing the chicken with 1 tablespoon of oil. Shake off any excess cornstarch and dredge the chicken in it until it is gently covered.
2. In a wok, heat a third of a cup of oil until very hot. If the chicken absorbs the cornstarch and becomes moist again, redredge it before frying. Just before the oil smokes, spread chicken in a single layer in the wok and fry for 1 minute.
3. Cook for 30 seconds more or until browned and crispy. Place on a paper towel-lined plate or sheet pan. The chicken needs to be fried until it is crispy on both sides.
4. Remove all except 1 tablespoon of oil from the wok, then place it on the stovetop over moderately high heat. Toss in the ginger and cook for 20 seconds, or until fragrant. Mix in the garlic and the scallion whites (if using), as well as any dried chili peppers.
5. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, and chicken stock and stir fry for another 15 seconds (or water). Slowly heat the sauce to a simmer while constantly stirring to dissolve the brown sugar.
6. Simmer the sauce for 2 minutes before adding cornstarch-water and stirring until thick. Include the chicken and the scallion greens. Mix the ingredients for another 10 seconds.
7. There shouldn’t be much liquid, and the sauce should stick to the chicken.
8. If there is still too much sauce, increase the heat and add a bit more cornstarch slurry. Be patient while the mixture thickens as you stir.