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General Tso’s Chicken Recipe

serving bowl with general tso's chicken
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Skip the takeout and make your own General Tso’s chicken!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Sauce

  • 1/3 cup water or chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic chili paste or similar chili paste
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Marinade

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dry sherry
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless, chicken thighs, cut into bite-size cubes

Coating

  • 1 1/2 cups cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Stir-Fry

  • canola or peanut oil for deep-frying, plus 1 tablespoon for stir-frying
  • 3 to 4 small dried red chile peppers, seeds removed, broken up
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • Thinly sliced green onions, for garnish
  • Sesame seeds, for garnish, optional

Instructions

  1. Sauce: combine the broth or water, ketchup, 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, chili paste, sesame oil, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  2. Marinade: In a large bowl, combine 1 12 tablespoons of soy sauce, sherry, and egg whites; whisk to blend and add the chicken. Stir to coat the chicken and let stand for 15 minutes.
  3. Breading: In a bowl or food storage bag, combine the cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Remove the marinated chicken pieces from the marinade and let excess drip off; transfer them to the cornstarch mixture and toss to coat.
  4. Fry: Add about 1 1/2 to 2 inches  of oil to a deep, heavy pot or deep fryer and heat to 365 F (185 C). When the oil is hot, add 8 to 10 of the chicken pieces to the oil and fry for 4 to 6 minutes or until golden brown. Turn them frequently to ensure even browning. With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
  5. Stir Fry: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chili peppers and garlic and stir-fry for 30 to 45 seconds or until aromatic. Add the sauce mixture from step 1 and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until thickened. Add the chicken pieces and stir-fry until well coated and heated through.
  6. Serve: Serve the chicken over rice or noodles with a garnish of sliced green onions or sesame seeds. Enjoy!!

Find it online: https://classic-recipes.com/general-tsos-chicken/