General Tso Chicken is a moderately spicy dish that is mostly served in Chinese-American restaurants. If you don't feel like ordering the dish, you can make your own version. You'll know which ingredients you're going to use and you can modify the taste – making it healthier and tastier. Make sure you make more than enough!
Ingredients
Makes 2 to 4 servings
Chicken
- 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh
- 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) salt
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground black pepper
- 3 cups (750 ml) and 1 tbsp (15 ml) cooking oil
- 8 whole dried red chilies
Marinade
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) sake
- 2 egg whites
Sauce
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) cooking oil
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) chicken stock
- 1 1/2 tbsp (22.5 ml) tomato paste
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar
- 1 tsp (5 ml) hoisin sauce
- 1 tsp (5 ml) chili paste
- 1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) sugar
- 1 tsp (5 ml) cornstarch
Decoration
- Sesame seeds
- Leek
- Hot rice
Step
Part 1 of 4: Seasoning Chicken
Step 1. Mix the marinade ingredients
Mix soy sauce, rice wine, and egg whites in a large bowl.
If you don't have sake, you can also use dry sherry
Step 2. Cut the chicken into small pieces
Each piece measures approximately 2.5 cm in width and length.
Chicken should be liquid before preparing; however, leaving the chicken half frozen will make it easier to cut
Step 3. Put the chicken into the marinade
Place the chicken pieces in the marinade bowl and stir gently with a fork or spoon so that all the pieces are exposed to the marinade.
Marinate the chicken in the marinade for 10 to 30 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and leave it in the refrigerator to soak in the spices
Step 4. Prepare the bread dough
In a large bowl, add 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Stir until the ingredients are evenly mixed.
- To coat the chicken more easily, use a shallow wide bowl. You can also use a large plate with a rim.
- Prepare the bread dough while the chicken is marinating in the spices and set aside when you remove the chicken.
Step 5. Coat the chicken with the bread dough
Remove the chicken pieces from the spices and sprinkle the cornstarch mixture all over the surface of the chicken pieces.
- Before coating the chicken in the cornstarch, hold the chicken pieces over the seasoning bowl for a few seconds, allowing the chicken to drip into the bowl.
- When you're done dusting each piece of chicken with flour, shake it slightly to remove excess flour.
Part 2 of 4: Preparing the Sauce
Step 1. Heat the garlic
Heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) of cooking oil in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat. Once hot, add chopped garlic for 1 minute or until fragrant and browned.
- Keep stirring while frying the garlic so it doesn't burn.
- Check to make sure the oil is hot enough by dropping a few drops of water into the oil. If the water sizzles when it hits the oil, the pan is hot enough.
- Use vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil.
Step 2. Mix the other sauce ingredients separately
In a medium bowl, combine the chicken stock, tomato paste, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, chili paste, sesame oil, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Make sure the cornstarch and sugar are completely dissolved.
- If you don't have rice vinegar, you can use white distilled vinegar.
- If you don't have chicken bone stock, you can use chicken stock or water.
- If you don't have chili paste, you can use 2 tsp (10 ml) of large red chili as a substitute.
Step 3. Put the sauce in the hot skillet
Slowly pour the chicken stock into the skillet with the garlic. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens.
- The sauce will become slightly glossy as it thickens.
- Once thickened, reduce the heat, cover the pan, and let it warm until ready to use with the chicken.
Part 3 of 4: Fried Chicken
Step 1. Heat the cooking oil
Step 2. Heat 3 cups (750 ml) of cooking oil in a large heavy skillet or deep fryer
- Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature of the oil. The oil is ready to use when it reaches a temperature of 177 to 182 degrees Celsius.
- Use vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil, or grapeseed oil.
Step 3. Fry the chicken
Fry the chicken in two to four batches until the chicken is golden brown in color and crispy on the outside. The insides are also cooked through, and each batch should take about 4 to 5 minutes to fry once.
Before starting to fry, check the oil by putting a piece of chicken in it and cook for 4 minutes. When cooked well, slowly add the remaining chicken into the oil a little at a time
Step 4. Drain the chicken
After each batch of chicken is thoroughly cooked, remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
Gently tap the slotted spoon on the side of the skillet or electric fryer as you lift the chicken, to reduce oil splatter on your countertop
Part 4 of 4: Stir-fry Chicken and Sauce
Step 1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat
If you are using a heavy skillet to fry the chicken, add the oil and heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) of new oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- If you are using a deep fryer to fry the chicken, you will need to use a different skillet to do this step.
- Use the same type of oil used in the other steps in this recipe.
Step 2. Saute the chili
Add the dried red chilies to the oil, and sauté until fragrant. This step only takes 20 to 30 seconds.
If desired, you can chop the chili before adding it to the dish so that it dissolves more evenly
Step 3. Transfer the sauce to the skillet
Pour the warm sauce into the skillet, and cook for 1 minute, stirring to combine with the sautéed chilies.
Since the sauce is thickened separately and allowed to warm, you don't need to heat it too long in this step. You need to heat it long enough for a few air bubbles to appear
Step 4. Add the chicken
Transfer the drained and fried chicken to the sauce and toss until each piece is covered in the sauce.
Depending on how long the chicken has been draining, you will need to let the chicken sit in the sauce for a few minutes to heat it up
Step 5. Serve over rice and garnish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and scallions
General Tso Chicken should be enjoyed while warm.
