If you like Mongolian Beef (and we hope you do, we have a great recipe for it here) then you’re going to love this week’s Mongolian Chicken recipe! Fans of recipes with juicy and tender Halal chicken that’s a little sweet, savory, and spicy all in one, rejoice and read on because this is one takeout favorite that you’ll be glad you made for yourself.
This is a recipe that’s great to just jump into without the need for much preparation, so we’ll start off with the meat-of-the-matter and get into the Halal chicken. We used chicken thighs from Midamar that brought a lot of great flavor to an already flavorful recipe. Chicken breast is another great option but is milder in flavor than the thigh, which adds its own savory chicken flavor to the sauce that will be a little sweet and a bit spicy. Do yourself a big flavor favor and go for thighs to maximize the sweet, savory, and spicy that this recipe has to offer!
This is a great recipe to get done in a single pan. Slice the chicken into thin strips, coat with cornstarch, and cook in a little bit of oil until each piece is golden brown with a deliciously crispy outside, then you’re already halfway there. You’ll make the sauce in the same pan, and this is a great way to deglaze the pan and infuse that chicken goodness into the sauce and aromatics. Aside from the classics like ginger and garlic, we used 10 dried red chiles in ours for a little bit more heat in the final dish, but if you aren’t a huge fan of flamin’ hot meals, feel free to reduce this amount but a little bit of heat goes a long way towards making this recipe that much more flavorful.
As for the sauce, this is where the sweetness of the recipe comes in from the generous amount of brown sugar mixed in, and it works well to cut some heat and pair with the savory chicken and soy sauce also mixed in. If simmering the sauce isn’t enough to get it to reduce, add a few tablespoons of a cornstarch slurry! To make that, put a tablespoon of cornstarch into about a half cup of water and this will get the sauce nice and thick in no time without diluting the flavor. Then mix back in the chicken and some sliced green onions and you’re all set to enjoy this over some steamed white rice for a recipe that beats the takeout version any day of the week.
That’s all there is to it, there isn’t a lot required for this recipe, but with its mix of amazing flavors all in one place, it pays off massively. Next time you’re thinking of ordering takeout, or just want to expand your list of dinner favorites with something new, keep this recipe in mind. When you do try it for yourself, don’t forget to share it with someone else that would enjoy it, and we hope you stop by again for more fantastic recipes.
