Air fryer Mongolian chicken gives you that sweet, savory, sticky sauce you’d order from your favorite takeout spot, but the chicken gets crispy in the air fryer instead of being deep fried. You end up with perfect little strips of chicken coated in a rich soy and brown sugar glaze, all ready in about 30 minutes.
I’ve made our Easy Mongolian Beef Recipe more times than I can count, so it was only a matter of time before I swapped in chicken for a lighter weeknight version. The sauce is not only a favorite of mine, but it’s a reader favorite too!
The chicken in this one has a really light breading made of cornstarch so that it gets crispy in the air fryer while the sauce comes together separately on the stove, and the two meet up right at the end.
If you’re a fan of takeout style chicken dinners, this one fits right in with our Air Fryer Orange Chicken. Both come together faster than delivery and taste every bit as delicious.
My favorite part of this recipe is tossing the chicken in cornstarch before it goes into the basket. That thin coating is what gives you those slightly crispy edges that hold onto the sauce instead of getting lost in it.
3 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
Better than takeout. The sauce is sweet, savory, and just sticky enough, and you control exactly how much sugar and salt goes into it.
Crispy chicken without deep frying. A light cornstarch coating and the air fryer give you those crispy edges without a pot of hot oil.
Ready in about 30 minutes. Between the air fryer and the stovetop sauce, this comes together just as fast as ordering in.
Ingredient Notes, Swaps, & Tips:
Chicken breasts sliced thin against the grain cook quickly and stay tender. Chicken thighs work too if that’s what you have on hand.
Cornstarch gives the chicken that light, crispy coating. Don’t skip the 5 minute rest after tossing it on, since that helps it stick.
Low sodium soy sauce keeps this from turning out too salty. If you only have regular soy sauce, thin it out with extra water as noted below in the recipe card.
Brown sugar brings the sweetness that balances the savory soy sauce. Light or dark brown sugar both work fine.
How to make Mongolian Chicken in the Air Fryer:
Slice and Coat the Chicken – Slice the chicken against the grain into thin strips, then toss with the cornstarch and garlic powder and let sit for 5 minutes.
Air Fry the Chicken – Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees, spread the chicken in the basket, spritz with oil, and cook for 8 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes and spritzing again if you see dry spots.
Start the Sauce – While the chicken cooks, heat oil in a skillet on the stove and cook the garlic and ginger for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant. Add the soy sauce, water, and brown sugar to the skillet, bring to a boil, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes until thickened.
Combine and Serve – Add the cooked chicken to the sauce, toss to coat, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes before sprinkling with green onions.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat, warm gently in a skillet on the stove or in the microwave until heated through. The air fryer will dry the sauce out, so stick to the stove or microwave for this one.
I haven’t tested freezing this one so I can’t make recommendations there.
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