• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

My Sugar Free Kitchen

  • By Category
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Baking
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • By Category
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Baking
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Healthy Asian Takeout

    Chinese Mongolian Chicken

    LAST UPDATED: March 12, 2023 | PUBLISHED: March 12, 2023 | BY: Kim

    mongolian chicken pin

    This Chinese Mongolian Chicken is quick and easy and on the table in 20 minutes. This is a healthier version of Mongolian Chicken Rice yet has loads of Asian flavors with a thick sweet and savory sauce and colourful vegetables.

    Jump to Recipe
    mongolian chicken and rice in a bowl ready to eat

    Recipe Highlights

    • Made with chicken breast, but you could also use chicken thigh
    • Its naturally sweetened with no added sugars and no honey
    • Base flavors of ginger, garlic, soy, with hints of BBQ and sesame
    • Perfect for meal prepping for weekday dinners or lunches
    • The sauce perfectly coats the chicken and wont slide off
    • Its not too spicy, but can be easily adjusted up or down
    • It’s a one pan meal and everything is cooked in a skillet, wok or pan.
    • You can even Air fry the chicken if you have an Air Fryer

    Ingredients

    Ingredients needed to make mongolian chinese chicken

    Love recreating Asian dishes at home that are healthier but still packed with flavor? Me Too! Check out my Chinese Pineapple with Chicken, Asian Chicken Meatballs, healthy Chinese Orange Chicken, or this Szechuan Style Beef.

    Ingredient Notes

    • Chicken:  I use skinless chicken breast for this recipe to keep it lower in fat and the chicken breast also cooks quicker.  However you can certainly use skinless chicken thighs in the same manner, however the calories will be slightly more and they will take a little longer to cook.
    • Cornstarch:  This is used to coat the chicken to help it to brown and crisp and to make the sauce thicken.  Also called cornflour.   
    • Vegetable Oil:  used for lightly shallow frying the chicken pieces.  Alternatively canola oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, or canola oil may be used.
    • Sesame Oil:  a little of this added to the sauce adds an earthiness and smokiness to the sauce.  Toasted or untoasted sesame oil both work equally well. 
    • Sweetener:  any type of granulated sweetener that measures like sugar is fine to use.  My preferred varieties are granulated stevia and monkfruit.  For this particular recipe, I used Raw Earth Brown monkfruit which looks like brown sugar.  I buy mine from the baking aisle at the supermarket.  Alternatively you could use honey however this will change the amount of calories.
    • Soy Sauce:  light or regular soy sauce will work well here.  Avoid sweet soy sauce (Kecap Manis), or dark soy as they don’t work well – too sweet and too bitter.
    • Hoisin Sauce:  this is the secret ingredient for Mongolian sauce and add is the savory base of the sauce.
    • Long Red Chili:  This is optional and provides a little spice and heat but its not overpowering.  Alternatively you could use red chilli flakes.
    • Garlic and Ginger:  Whilst fresh ginger and garlic will almost always give a more pleasing flavor, I often use garlic paste and ginger paste from the jars as this is what I typically have on hand.

    How To Make

    1. Flour the chicken:  Add cornflour to a ziplock bag and add the chicken.  Toss to coat the chicken.
    1. Cook Chicken:    Heat non stick skillet/pan on high and add the oil.  Remove chicken from the bag and add to pan, frying off chicken for about 10 min or until golden and crispy.
    chicken and flour in a ziplock bag
    1. Add veges:  Add veges to the pan and toss for 3 minutes until just cooked
    2. Sauce:  Whisk the sauce ingredients in a small jug and pour into the pan, stirring through evenly coating the chicken and vegetables.  Once sauce is heated through and covering everything, remove from heat and serve with rice.  Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
    cooking chicken and veges in wok
    mongolian chicken and veges in a mok

    Recipe Tips

    • Fresh garlic and ginger:  If you can, try to use fresh garlic and ginger as it tends to bring out the other flavours.  Otherwise use the paste or jar varieties
    • Vegetable Alternatives:  snow peas, asparagus, bok choy, choy sum, broccoli, broccolini, chopped cabbage
    • More Spicy:  add half a teaspoon of chilli paste to the sauce, stirred through.  Or, add additional diced red chili to serve.
    • Extra saucy:  If you love mopping up the sauce with the rice, double the sauce ingredients but keep the chicken the same. Beware however that the chicken will be swimming in sauce and might look a bit “soupy”.
    • Storing Leftovers:  store the chicken (without the rice) in an air tight container in the fridge for upto 3 days.
    • Freezing:  this recipe can be frozen for upto 3 months.  Its best to freeze without the rice and just freeze the chicken in serving sized portions on its own.
    fork stuck in a bowl of mongolian chicken

    Meal Prepping

    Mongolian style chicken with rice is great for meal prepping because its quick and easy and keeps well in the fridge.  For meal prepping I recommend the following:

    • Portion out chicken into 4 servings across 4 containers
    • Don’t add the rice to the containers as it will soak up all the sauce and make the dish dry when reheated.
    • Store the rice in a separate container, or use minute microwave cup rice.
    • Reheat in the microwave and eat within 3 days.
    • Also check out my Chinese Garlic Chicken which is also one of my go to meal prepping recipes

    Variations

    • Turkey:  slice turkey breast  into thin strips and follow the same method as for the chicken
    • Beef:  thinly sliced lean beef strips work well with this sauce to create deliciously healthy Mongolian Beef

    Have an Air Fryer?

    I love my air fryer and use it weekly.  To make your Chinese Mongolian Chicken even healthier with practically no oil, the air fryer is a must.  To air fry Mongolian chicken:

    • Add the chicken to a ziplock bag to coat with flour
    • Arrange chicken pieces to air fryer in a single layer and lightly spray with oil
    • Cook for 6 to 8 minutes at 180C/320F (time will vary depending on how big the chicken pieces are)
    • Repeat if needed to cook remaining chicken
    • Add chicken to wok or pan along with veges at step 3.
    saucy mongolian chicken on a fork

    Common Questions

    Is Mongolian Chicken Spicy?

    Not really, its on the milder side but can be made spicier with addins like chili flakes, diced red chili, or chili paste.

    What's the difference between Mongolian Chicken and Szechuan Chicken?

    Szechuan Chicken uses Szechuan pepper as its flavor base which makes is more spicy and bold and in my opinion more suited to those who prefer spicy dishes.  It also can have a pleasant tingling mouth feel when eating. It has less sweetness and more heat from the dried chilis.  Mongolian chicken is a good option for people who prefer milder Asian dishes with less spice and less heat.

    Quick and easy Chinese Mongolian Chicken is a perfect Asian recipe to whip up mid week when you’re looking for something healthy with lots of flavor, can be made with pantry staples, has fresh veges and a delicious sweet and savory sauce without the added sugars.

    Skip the pre-made bottled Mongolian sauces and make you own healthier version in just a few minutes!

    More Healthy Asian Dinner Recipes

    • Lemon Chicken Stir Fry
    • Thai Sweet Chilli Chicken
    • Chicken Broccoli and Mushroom in Brown Sauce
    • Cashew Nut Chicken
    mongolian chicken with rice in a grey bowl

    Chinese Mongolian Chicken

    Kim
    In just 20 minutes, you can enjoy a fast and effortless Chinese Mongolian Chicken dish that's both healthy and bursting with Asian flavors. This version puts a nutritious spin on Mongolian Chicken Rice, featuring a mouthwatering sweet and savory sauce and vibrant veggies that add a pop of color to your plate.
    5 from 1 vote
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine Asian
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 570 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    For the Chicken

    • 500 grams / 1 pound skinless Chicken Breasts - chopped into 4 cm pieces
    • ⅓ cup Cornflour or cornstarch
    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

    For the Sauce

    • 1 tablespoon Garlic paste - or 2 cloves garlic, crushed
    • 1 tablespoon Ginger paste - or finely grated fresh ginger
    • 1 Diced Red Chilli - chopped finely (or 1 teaspoon red chili flakes)
    • 2 Teaspoons Sesame Oil - toasted or plain
    • 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
    • 4 Tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
    • 2 Tablespoons Brown sweetener that measures like sugar
    • ⅓ Cup water

    Veges

    • 12 Green Beans (diced into 3 cm lengths)
    • 1 small Zucchini (chopped into rounds)
    • 1 small Red Capsicum/Bell Pepper (roughly chopped)

    To Serve

    • 2 cups Rice - cooked
    • Sesame seeds to garnish
    • Green onions to garnish

    Instructions
     

    • Flour the chicken: Add cornflour to a ziplock bag and add the chicken. Toss to coat the chicken.
      500 grams / 1 pound skinless Chicken Breasts, ⅓ cup Cornflour or cornstarch
    • Cook Chicken: Heat non stick skillet/pan on high and add the oil. Remove chicken from the bag and add to pan, frying off chicken for about 10 min or until golden and crispy.
      2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • Add veges: Add veges to the pan and toss for 3 minutes until just cooked
      1 small Zucchini (chopped into rounds), 1 small Red Capsicum/Bell Pepper (roughly chopped), 12 Green Beans (diced into 3 cm lengths)
    • Sauce: Whisk the sauce ingredients in a small jug and pour into the pan, stirring through evenly coating the chicken and vegetables. Once sauce is heated through and covering everything, remove from heat and serve with rice. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
      1 tablespoon Garlic paste, 1 tablespoon Ginger paste, 1 Diced Red Chilli, 2 Teaspoons Sesame Oil, 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce, 4 Tablespoons Hoisin Sauce, 2 Tablespoons Brown sweetener that measures like sugar, ⅓ Cup water

    Notes

    • Chicken: I use skinless chicken breast for this recipe to keep it lower in fat and the chicken breast also cooks quicker.  However you can certainly use skinless chicken thighs in the same manner, however the calories will be slightly more and they will take a little longer to cook.
    • Cornstarch: This is used to coat the chicken to help it to brown and crisp and to make the sauce thicken.  Also called cornflour.   
    • Vegetable Oil: used for lightly shallow frying the chicken pieces.  Alternatively canola oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, or canola oil may be used.
    • Sesame Oil: a little of this added to the sauce adds an earthiness and smokiness to the sauce.  Toasted or untoasted sesame oil both work equally well. 
    • Sweetener: any type of granulated sweetener that measures like sugar is fine to use.  My preferred varieties are granulated stevia and monkfruit.  For this particular recipe, I used Raw Earth Brown monkfruit which looks like brown sugar.  I buy mine from the baking aisle at the supermarket.  Alternatively you could use honey however this will change the amount of calories.
    • Soy Sauce: light or regular soy sauce will work well here.  Avoid sweet soy sauce (Kecap Manis), or dark soy as they don’t work well – too sweet and too bitter.
    • Hoisin Sauce: this is the secret ingredient for Mongolian sauce and add is the savory base of the sauce.
    • Long Red Chili: This is optional and provides a little spice and heat but its not overpowering.  Alternatively you could use red chilli flakes.
    • Garlic and Ginger: Whilst fresh ginger and garlic will almost always give a more pleasing flavor, I often use garlic paste and ginger paste from the jars as this is what I typically have on hand.
    • Storing Leftovers: store the chicken (without the rice) in an air tight container in the fridge for upto 3 days.
    • Nutritional information includes half a cup of brown rice to serve.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 570kcalCarbohydrates: 88gProtein: 50gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gFiber: 19gSugar: 12g

    Note: Sugars contained in this recipe are from naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables or other natural sweeteners.

    Keyword chinese mongolian chicken
    Looking To Cut Out Sugar? Get the FREE Healthy Food Swaps Checklist Pack!Get your FREE Healthy Food Swaps Checklists with over 65 Healthy Food Alternatives to Help you Ditch The Sugar Without Feeling Deprived.

    More Asian Dinners

    • Asian Chicken Meatballs
    • Chinese Chicken with Pineapple
    • Healthy Chinese Orange Chicken
    • Honey Soy Garlic Chicken Bowls
    • Facebook

    Hi there! I’m Kim and I'm passionate about living a life infused with mindfulness, simplicity and self-care. Here I share my recipes, tips, insights and wisdom for eating well, slowing down and reconnecting with the things that matter.

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Kim Morris Hi there! I’m Kim. My sugar free kitchen is a site dedicated to creating healthy and delicious clean eating dinners and sweet treats with less sugar using simple ingredients and natural sweeteners. Read More...
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Healthy Asian Dinners

    mongolian chicken with rice in a grey bowl

    Chinese Mongolian Chicken

    6 chicken meatballs in a bowl with rice and broccoli

    Asian Chicken Meatballs

    Chinese pineapple chicken and rice in a bowl

    Chinese Chicken with Pineapple

    a bowl of thai sweet chilli chicken with chopsticks

    Thai Sweet Chilli Chicken

    Most Popular

    lots of date snickers with chocolate and sea salt spread out on a rack

    Date Snickers

    low calorie bliss balls

    Low Calorie Energy Balls

    a glass of chocolate mousse pudding

    Healthy Chocolate Cocoa Avocado Pudding

    close up inside of of dark chocolate pumpkin truffle

    Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Truffles

    places where this blog has been featured

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Amazon Disclosure

    Free Stuff

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Clean eating Tips
    • Mindful Eating Tips

    Contact

    • Contact
    • About

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 My Sugar Free Kitchen