General Tso's Chicken
General Tso's Chicken is a popular Chinese-American dish known for its crispy, deep-fried chicken coated in a flavorful, sweet, and slightly tangy sauce.
Ingredients
- 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
- 1 large egg
- 1½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 pinch white pepper
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons chopped green onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 6 dried whole red chilies
- 1 strip orange zest
- ½ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large pan until it reaches 375°F (190°C), ensuring the oil is hot enough for frying.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg and then add the chicken, salt, sugar, and pepper, mixing thoroughly. Gradually stir in the cornstarch, ensuring each piece of chicken is evenly coated.
- In batches, gently add each piece of chicken to the hot oil. Fry for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown and floating. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate to cool while frying the next batch.
- After frying all the chicken, refry each batch, beginning with the first one. Fry for an additional 2 minutes, or until the chicken reaches a deep golden brown. Let the chicken drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- For the sauce, heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the green onion, garlic, whole chiles, and orange zest, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic becomes golden and the chiles intensify in color.
- Stir in the sugar, soy sauce, chicken broth, peanut oil, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and ginger, then bring the mixture to a boil. Let it simmer for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, dissolve 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in water, then whisk it into the boiling sauce. Allow the sauce to return to a boil and cook for about 1 minute, until it thickens and becomes clear.
- Add the chicken to the boiling sauce and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 3 minutes, allowing the chicken to heat through and soak up some of the sauce.