Mongolian Chicken with Noodles (Print)

Tender chicken and vibrant vegetables coated in savory sauce served with rice noodles for bold flavor.

# Components:

→ 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 extra for garnish)
18 - 7 oz dried rice noodles or 3 cups cooked leftover pasta
19 - 2 tbsp neutral oil (canola or sunflower)
20 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)

# Directions:

01 - Cook dried rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
02 - Toss chicken slices with cornstarch, salt, and 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 of oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry chicken in a single layer until golden and cooked through, 4–5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
05 - Add remaining oil to the pan. Stir-fry bell pepper and snap peas for 2–3 minutes until tender-crisp.
06 - Return chicken to the pan, add spring onions, and pour in the sauce. Stir to coat and simmer for 1–2 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
07 - Toss cooked rice noodles or leftover pasta into pan and heat through.
08 - Plate immediately and garnish with extra spring onions and toasted sesame seeds.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout, yet tastes like you've been cooking all day.
  • The sauce is forgiving—a little more sugar here, a splash more vinegar there, and it bends to your mood.
  • It rescues leftover pasta or rice noodles and turns them into something that feels intentional and special.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the pan when searing the chicken—if pieces overlap, they steam instead of browning, and you lose a layer of flavor.
  • Tasting the raw sauce before it hits the pan taught me that balance matters; if it tastes too intense, the noodles and vegetables will dilute it perfectly, so don't second-guess yourself mid-cook.
  • Rice noodles break if you stir them too aggressively; treat them gently, or they'll become a pile of fragments instead of silky strands.
03 -
  • High heat is your friend—the hotter your pan, the faster everything cooks and the more flavor you develop on the chicken before it dries out.
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for 30 seconds before sprinkling them on; this doubles their flavor and keeps them from tasting raw or dull.
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