General Tso’s Chicken is a sweet, saucy Chinese-style fried chicken. In addition, it is an easy alternative to Chinese takeout, and can be made in a timely fashion. This recipe can be made with a limited pantry, making it great for weekdays.
THE SAUCE
The sauce for General Tso’s chicken is simple to make, yet complex in flavour. It uses a few pantry staples: soy sauce, mirin, rice wine vinegar, chicken stock, sugar, sesame oil, cornstarch, and some aromatics. You can substitute the chicken stock for water, and the mirin for any vinegar (preferably white wine vinegar), plus a tablespoon of granulated sugar. The combination of these ingredients will result in a sweet, tangy sauce that will keep the chicken slightly crispy.
Whisk the egg white in a bowl until frothy.
Mix in the remaining ingredients for the sauce. Add in the chicken, and let it marinate for 20 minutes.
Heat oil in a frying pot to 350°F. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the breading. Then, add in some of the marinade until some clumps form.
Coat the chicken in the flour mixture, and set aside.
Saute the aromatics in a non-stick pan until fragrant.
Mix in the sauce ingredients, and bring to a simmer.
Fry the chicken until fully cooked. Cool on wire rack.
Boil the sauce for 1 minute before tossing in the chicken.
Serve with rice and/or vegetables, and garnish with scallions. Enjoy!
- 1 large egg white
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 2 tbsp chicken stock
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp marinade
- 4 scallions, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
- 4 Thai chilies, sliced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
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In a small bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy.
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Whisk in the remaining ingredients for the marinade until incorporated.
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Add in the chicken, and toss to thoroughly coat.
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Set aside for 20 minutes to marinate.
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In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cornstarch, and salt.
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Mix in the marinade until clumps form.
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Heat oil in a frying pot until it heats up to 350°F.
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Dredge the chicken in the breading, and set aside.
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Fry the chicken until fully cooked, about 4-5 minutes.
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Cool on a wire rack.
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In a bowl, mix together the ingredients for sauce until smooth.
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In a saute pan, cook the scallions, garlic, ginger, and chilies in sesame oil over medium-high heat until fragrant.
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Add in all the ingredients for the sauce.
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Stir frequently until it boils.
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Boil for 1 minute to thicken before tossing in the chicken.
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Thoroughly coat the chicken in the sauce.
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Serve with extra chopped scallions on top.
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Enjoy!