Mongolian Chicken

4.20 from 5 votes

Servings: people

2 tablespoons avocado oil, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
8 green onions, white and light green parts sliced thin; dark green parts cut into 2-inch pieces
1 inch knot of ginger, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks
2 cloves garlic, minced

Using a meat mallet or the bottom of the skillet, pound chicken until it is an even 1/4 inch thickness (this tenderizes the meat and helps it cook more evenly). Now, using a sharp knife, carefully slice the chicken into slices about 2 inches wide but thin. I do this by cutting the chicken at a horizontal angle.
Place the sliced chicken in a large bowl with 1 tsp of avocado oil, the salt, pepper and the arrowroot, and toss until evenly coated.

In a small bowl, combine all of the sauce ingredients. Whisk until well combined.

In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 tbsp of oil over medium-high heat. In batches so that you do not overcrowd the pan, brown the chicken on both sides until a golden brown crust forms and the chicken is just cooked through. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate and continue until all of the chicken is browned, adding more oil to the skillet as needed throughout the cooking process.
Once all the chicken is browned and set aside, add the sliced white and light green parts of the green onions (save the dark green pieces until the end), the ginger, and the garlic and saute, stirring, for 20 to 30 seconds being careful not to burn. Immediately pour in the prepared sauce mixture and let come to a rapid simmer. Cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the chicken back into the skillet along with the red chili flakes (if using) and the dark green pieces of the green onion. Toss so that the chicken is well coated in the sauce and cook just long enough to heat the chicken back up so it's nice and hot for serving.
Remove from heat and serve immediately.