Mongolian Chicken with Noodles (Printable)

Tender chicken and veggies in a bold Mongolian-style sauce served over rice noodles.

# What Goes In:

→ Chicken

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced
02 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
03 - 1/2 tsp salt
04 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Sauce

05 - 4 tbsp soy sauce
06 - 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
07 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
08 - 2 tbsp water
09 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
10 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce (optional)
11 - 1 tsp sesame oil
12 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
13 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
14 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ Vegetables & Noodles

15 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
16 - 1 cup snap peas or snow peas, trimmed
17 - 4 spring onions, sliced (plus more for garnish)
18 - 7 oz dried rice noodles or 3 cups cooked leftover pasta
19 - 2 tbsp neutral oil (e.g., canola, sunflower)
20 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)

# How to Make It:

01 - Cook dried rice noodles following package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water, then set aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, toss chicken slices with cornstarch, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
03 - Whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, water, rice vinegar, oyster sauce if using, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl; set aside.
04 - Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and stir-fry until golden and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
05 - Add remaining oil to pan; stir-fry bell pepper and snap peas for 2 to 3 minutes until tender-crisp.
06 - Return chicken to pan, add spring onions, pour in sauce, and stir to coat. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
07 - Add cooked noodles or leftover pasta, tossing well to combine and heat through.
08 - Plate immediately, garnished with additional spring onions and toasted sesame seeds.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout and tastes just as satisfying.
  • The sauce clings to every strand of noodle and piece of chicken, so nothing goes to waste.
  • You can toss in whatever vegetables are hanging out in your crisper drawer.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the cooked noodles, they'll clump together and turn gummy if you leave the starch on.
  • Make sure your wok or skillet is really hot before adding the chicken, otherwise it will steam instead of sear.
  • Taste the sauce before adding it to the pan, you can always adjust the sweetness or saltiness now but not later.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for a minute until they smell nutty, it makes a bigger difference than you'd think.
  • Keep a small bowl of water next to the stove, if the sauce gets too thick, a tablespoon or two loosens it right up.
  • Use kitchen shears to snip the spring onions directly over the pan, it saves a cutting board and makes cleanup faster.
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