How To: Make General Tso's Chicken

I first became acquainted with this dish when I worked across the street from a Chinese restaurant. After that I ordered it every time! Now that I don't work by there anymore I don't get to eat it but I sure do still crave it! So I researched and tried a couple recipes and this was my favorite. Hopefully this version lives up to your expectations.

General Tso's is a classic Chinese-American dish that every fat cow cook should learn how to make. It's sweet, spicy and did I mention deep-fat fried? Let's get to it!

Ingredients:

Chicken

• 1 lb Boneless Chicken
• 1 Cup Cornstarch
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
• 3 Cups Peanut Oil
• 8 Dried Red Chili Peppers (or 1/4 tsp chili flakes)
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 Small thumb-sized piece of Ginger, minced
• Sesame seeds, for garnish

Marinade

• 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Sherry
• 2 Egg Whites

Sauce

• 1/4 Cup Chicken Stock
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
• 1 Tsp Hoisin Sauce
• 1 Tsp Sriracha
• 1 Tsp Sesame Oil
• 2 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 Tsp Cornstarch

Instructions

Step 1:

Cut the chicken into equal sized cubes or strips. Add the soy sauce, sherry and egg whites to a bowl and give it a gentle whisk, just to combine a bit. Marinade the chicken for at least 10 minutes or cover with plastic and place in the fridge overnight.

Step 2:

Combine the chicken stock, tomato paste, sugar, soy suace, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, chili paste, sesame oil, sugar and cornstarch (1 Tbsp) in a bowl. Stir until sugar dissolves. Set aside for later.

Step 3:

Add the cup of cornstarch, salt and pepper to a bowl and mix lightly. Dredge each piece of chicken one at a time by gently rolling them in the cornstarch mixture. Lay them out on a cooling rack to allow excess powder to fall off.

Step 4:

Add the peanut oil (vegetable oil works fine too) to a wok over high heat. When the oil is between 350ºF and 375ºF add the chicken in small batches. Cook for about 4 minutes or until it's golden brown and the inside of the chicken is white. Afterwards, let the oil cool then safely discard of it and wipe the wok down with a paper towel.

Step 5:

Add another tablespoon or so of oil to the wok over med-high heat. Add the dried chilis, garlic and ginger to the wok and cook for about half a minute until fragrant. Pour the sauce mixture into the wok and cook for another minute or two until thickened.

Step 6:

Add the chicken back to the wok and stir until the chicken is well coated. Plate the chicken and garnish with sesame seeds. I like to serve it over steamed vegetables and jasmine rice!

If everything turns out right you'll have nice crispy chicken coated in a luscious sauce. The above image is how mine turned out. Be sure to upload a pic of yours to the inspiration section if you make it and detail any problems or mods you made!

Several of these ingredients are a bit uncommon. If you don't cook Asian dishes often then you probably don't have them on hand. No fear! Google "Asian Food Near Me" to find a store nearby.

Questions, comments, recipe suggestions? Let us know!