General Tso's Chicken
Crispy fried chicken pieces tossed in a glossy sweet, tangy, and mildly spicy sauce. The American-Chinese takeout classic, made crunchier and fresher at home.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 0.5 cup cornstarch
- 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups vegetable oil, for frying
- 0.33 cup soy sauce
- 0.25 cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 0.5 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water, for slurry
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 6 dried red chiles
- 3 green onions, sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, toss the chicken pieces with the beaten egg, then in a separate bowl combine the cornstarch, flour, and salt.
- Dredge the egg-coated chicken pieces in the cornstarch mixture, pressing to adhere a thick, craggy coating.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven to 350 F, using a thermometer to monitor the temperature.
- Fry the chicken in batches for 4 to 5 minutes, until deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165 F; drain on a wire rack.
- Increase the oil temperature to 375 F and fry all the chicken a second time for 1 to 2 minutes to make the crust extra crispy; drain again.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, hoisin sauce, tomato paste, and chicken broth to make the sauce.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large wok or skillet over medium heat and add the garlic, ginger, and dried chiles, stir-frying for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the sauce mixture and bring to a simmer.
- Stir the cornstarch slurry again and pour it into the simmering sauce, stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until it thickens to a glossy coating consistency.
- Add the twice-fried chicken to the wok and toss quickly to coat every piece evenly in the sauce.
- Serve immediately, garnished with sliced green onions, over steamed white rice.
Why You'll Love This
- Double-frying keeps the coating shatteringly crisp under the sauce
- Sweet, tangy, savory sauce with a gentle chile kick
- Better texture and fresher flavor than most takeout versions
Frying the chicken twice, once to cook it through and again at a higher temperature, is the classic technique that keeps the crust crunchy even after saucing.
Tossing the fried chicken in the sauce only right before serving, rather than letting it sit, prevents the crispy coating from turning soggy.
Nutrition
| Calories | 560 |
| Protein | 32 g |
| Fat | 28 g |
| Carbs | 44 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sodium | 980 mg |
Estimated per serving
