Developing　efficient　and　stable　non-precious　metal　oxygen　reduction　reaction　(ORR)　catalysts　in　an　environmentally　benign　and　economically　affordable　way　is　highly　desirable　but　remains　challenging.　Manganese　and　nitrogen　co-doped　porous　carbon,　Mn-N-C,　has　recently　been　studied　as　a　promising　electrocatalyst　for　the　ORR,　with　high　catalytic　efficiency　and　long-term　stability.　In　this　paper,　we　report　the　preparation　of　a　highly　active　Mn-N-C　catalyst　using　the　metal-organic　framework　ZIF-8　synthesized　by　a　minimal-water-assisted　grinding　method　as　the　precursor.　Due　to　the　mechanical　force　exerted　by　the　grinding,　the　manganese　salt　is　finely　dispersed　on　the　ZIF-8　framework　and　formation　of　manganese　oxides　upon　pyrolysis　is　efficiently　alleviated,　and　the　single-atomic　Mn-N-C　catalyst　was　obtained　using　the　mechanochemically　synthesized　manganese　salt-incorporated　ZIF-8　as　the　precursor.　Moreover,　the　minimal-water-assisted　mechanochemical　method　enables　the　synthesis　of　manganese-doped　ZIF-8　with　a　high　yield　compared　with　the　theoretical　value　and　much　higher　than　the　yield　obtained　for　the　widely　used　organic　solvent　synthesis　method.　The　resultant　Mn-N-C　catalyst　delivers　a　half-wave　potential　of　0.80　V　in　0.1　M　HClO4　solution　and　0.94　V　in　0.1　M　KOH　solution;　excellent　stability　was　also　achieved.　The　Mn-N-C　was　used　as　the　cathode　to　assemble　a　zinc-air　battery　and　a　peak　power　density　of　185　mW　cm-2　was　achieved,　demonstrating　its　promise　as　a　practical　and　useable　ORR　catalyst.　©　2022　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.