Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 10 mins | Servings: 4-5 people
General Tso’s Chicken is another one of my family’s favorites! Crispy chicken pieces tossed and covered in a delectable savory, sweet, and spicy sauce. Make your favorite Chinese takeout at home with this easy recipe!
Ingredients
SAUCE/CHICKEN MARINADE:
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce – light or all-purpose (NOT dark soy)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (sub white wine vinegar)
1 tablespoon cornflour/cornstarch
2 teaspoons chili paste, any (Sambal Oelak is great)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 c. chicken stock/broth, low sodium
1 teaspoon sesame oil, toasted preferably
CHICKEN:
1 teaspoon garlic, finely grated
600 grams/1.4-pound chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into 2.5 cm/1-inch pieces (breast/tenderloin)
1 teaspoon ginger, finely grated
1-4 c. oil, for frying (peanut, vegetable, or canola)
1 c. cornflour/cornstarch
STIR FRY SAUCE:
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons oil (peanut, vegetable, or canola)
1/2 tsp red chili flakes (red pepper flakes)
2 teaspoons ginger, finely chopped
GARNISHES (AT LEAST 1 RECOMMENDED):
Sesame seeds
Finely sliced green onion
How to make General Tso’s Chicken
Step 1: To make the sauce-marinade, whisk the soy, hoisin, vinegar, chili, and sesame oil until well combined.
Step 2: Toss the chicken into 2 tbsp sauce-marinade. Then, add the ginger and garlic. Mix well and marinate for about 30 minutes.
Step 3: Into the chicken, coat the cornflour, making sure to completely coat every piece. Place the chicken into a colander and shake the excess cornflour off.
Step 4: Add the sugar and cornflour to the rest of the sauce-marinade. Stir well. Then, add the chicken stock and stir well until blended.
Step 5: In a deep skillet or large pot, add oil to cover about 2 cm or 1-5 inches of the pot. Heat the oil to 200 degrees C or 390 degrees F. Add the chicken and cook for about 3 minutes until crispy and golden, flipping the chicken halfway. Transfer the cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Step 6: Discard the oil, then wipe the skillet clean. Place the skillet back on the heat. Or you can just use another large skillet.
Step 7: Heat the oil in the same (or a new large) skillet over medium heat, Once hot, add the garlic along with the ginger and chili flakes. Cook for about 30 seconds until the garlic is lightly golden. Pour in the sauce and bring it to a simmer while stirring often, until the sauce has thickened.
Step 9: Add the chicken to the sauce and quickly toss to coat. To a serving plate, transfer the chicken, garnish, and serve right away with rice. Enjoy!
Notes:
For this recipe, use light soy or all-purpose. I do not recommend using dark soy sauce.
It is best to use chicken thighs for this recipe.
If using chicken breast or tenderloin, lightly pound the chicken to keep them from drying out. To the marinade sauce, add 1/4 tsp baking soda (bi-carb) and marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.
For the chicken marinade, I suggest using a Microplane or other fine grater for the garlic or ginger.
Finely chop the garlic or ginger for stir-frying.
Add enough oil to the skillet/pot, making sure the oil comes at least halfway up the sides of the chicken. This will ensure crispy chicken. For an even crispy coating, you can deep fry the chicken.
Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat before serving, adding a bit of water if the sauce gets too thick. But note that the chicken will not be crispy.
NUTRITION FACTS:
Calories: 465cal (23%) | Carbohydrates: 22g (7%) | Protein: 32g (64%) | Fat: 28g (43%) | Saturated Fat: 14g (88%) | Cholesterol: 143mg (48%) | Sodium: 974mg (42%) | Potassium: 446mg (13%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 10g (11%) | Vitamin A: 110IU (2%) | Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) | Calcium: 26mg (3%) | Iron: 2mg (11%)
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