Mongolian Chicken couldn't be easier to make when prepared in the crock-pot. This Slow Cooker Mongolian Chicken is made with a naturally sweetened rich and spicy sauce and fresh vegetables for a delicious family meal.
Serve Mongolian Chicken with Instant Pot Brown Rice, Pineapple Rice, or cauliflower rice, for an easy, healthy meal.
I am a bit obsessed with Mongolian Chicken. It has always been one of my favorite meals to order from Chinese restaurants, but it happens to be pretty simple to make at home--especially with this hands-off Slow Cooker version.
The dish is made with tender pieces of chicken or beef and vegetables that are enveloped in a slightly sweet, slightly spicy, rich sauce. It is spicy enough to wake you your palate but sweet enough that even the kids LOVE the Mongolian Sauce.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken: Use boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs.
- Mongolian Sauce: Mongolian sauce is made with soy sauce, hot sauce, garlic, ginger, and a sweetener. I use pineapple juice as my sweetener. I find it pairs perfectly with the soy sauce and garlic. Plus, it lets me use less added sugars, keeping this Mongolian Chicken lighter than what would be served at a Chinese restaurant.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch is needed to help thicken up the Mongolian sauce.
- Vegetables: It is optional, but I love to add vegetables into the crock-pot for the last 30 minutes of cooking. Fresh sugar snap peas, snow peas, or broccoli florets are all great options. My kids would prefer I serve steamed veggies on the side though--so do what works best for your family!
How to Make Mongolian Chicken in the Slow Cooker
Step One: Prepare Chicken
- Cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes.
- Place in a Ziploc plastic bag and add cornstarch.
- Toss to coat the chicken in the cornstarch.
- Place chicken in the slow cooker.
Step Two: Prepare Mongolian Sauce
- Whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes together.
- Pour over chicken in crock-pot.
Step Three: Slow Cook Mongolian Chicken
- Cook on low for 5 hours and 30 minutes.
- Cook on high for 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Step Four: Add in Veggies
- Add fresh vegetables into the slow cooker and toss to coat.
- Turn Slow Cooker to HIGH, if not already, and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
Step Five: Serve
- Serve with steamed rice, Instant Pot Brown Rice, Pineapple Rice, or Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with hot sauce if desired.
More Homemade Chinese Recipes
- Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
- Instant Pot Orange Chicken
- Easy 30 Minute Orange Chicken
- Stir-Fried Chicken and Bok Choy
- Easy Homemade Ramen
- Easy Vegetable Fried Rice
Slow Cooker Mongolian Chicken
Made with a naturally sweetened Mongolian sauce that is rich, spicy, and sweet, this Mongolian Chicken recipe comes together easily when prepared in the crock-pot.
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Servings: 4 -6
Calories: 226kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ⅓ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- ⅓ cup pineapple juice
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce like Sriracha
- 1 pound fresh vegetables snow peas, broccoli florets, or sugar snap peas
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch chunks. Place in a freezer bag and place the cornstarch into the bag and toss to coat the chicken.
- Remove the chicken from the bag and shake off the excess cornstarch.
- Mix the soy sauce, pineapple juice, honey, garlic, ginger, hot sauce, and chili flakes togther. Pour over chicken.
- Cook on low for 5 hours and 30 minutes, or cook on high for 2 hours and 30 minutes.
- Add fresh vegetables (if using) into the slow cooker and toss to coat. Turn Slow Cooker to HIGH, if not already, and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
- Serve over rice.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- Use gluten-free soy sauce to keep this dish gluten-free.
- The vegetables are completely optional. Be sure to add in fresh vegetables, frozen vegetables will get soggy. If you only have frozen vegetables, steam them and then tossed in sauce immediately before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 876mg | Potassium: 504mg | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1.1mg
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Brandi
The flavor was so interesting. I bit spicy and perfectly sweet- just what we were looking for!
Meagen Brosius
I'll try anything that can go in the slow cooker but this has becomes a fast favorite around here! Everyone loves it and we will keep making it! Yum!
Cindy
I'm a big fan of Mongolian Beef, so am going to give this a try! Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts? tysm!
Marshie Boswell
I've been struggling getting dinner done in time after getting home from the pool. I need to pull out my slow cooker!
Kristen Chidsey
Pull out the slow cooker for sure!!
Marye
This looks so good, I cant wait to try it!
Kristen Chidsey
Enjoy!!
Shashi @ RunninSrilankan
You inspire me to break out my slow cooker, Kristen! I am all about dishes that are "bit spicy, a bit sweet, a bit salty. " and a whole lotta bits tasty! Loving the pineapple and apricot preserves sweetening and flavoring this Mongolian chicken recipe!
Kristen Chidsey
Shashi--sweet, spicy, and salty are where it is at!
Maria
Love these flavor punches!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks!
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats
This looks so good! We love stir-fry because it's healthy an fast.
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats
Lol! I just realized this is slow-cooker...still "quick" when you put all the ingredients in the pot, and let it do all the work while you go out and "play" all day!
Kristen Chidsey
Exactly!! That is my kind of cooking in the summer 🙂
Aimee @ ShugarySweets
I'm always on the hunt for new slow cooker recipes. LOVE the snow peas in here 🙂
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks Aimee!