General Tso's Chicken
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
25 mins
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Total Time
45 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
513 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
General Tso's Chicken
Description
This General Tso's Chicken recipe begins by marinating chicken thigh cubes with Shaoxing wine, salt, white pepper, and sesame oil, then coating them with a mixture of toasted sesame seeds, all-purpose flour, and cornstarch, which creates a textured crust upon frying. Deep-frying in hot peanut oil crisps the chicken evenly and quickly.
The sauce is a blend of low-sodium chicken stock, dark and regular soy sauces, brown sugar for sweetness, and rice wine vinegar for acidity, giving a balanced flavor that is both bright and rich. The chicken is tossed in this sauce to coat thoroughly. Broccoli is briefly blanched to keep a vibrant green color and a crisp-tender bite and is added to the dish for a vegetable element.
The dish is popular for its contrast between crispy chicken and sticky, flavorful sauce, and the mild bitterness of broccoli contrasts well with the sweetness. It is typically served hot and goes well over steamed rice to absorb the sauce. Preparing the chicken coating and precise frying temperature are key to maintaining texture.
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN:
- 1 pound chicken thigh 450g, cut into 1-inch pieces, boneless, skinless
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds toasted
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
FOR THE GENERAL TSO SAUCE:
- 1/3 cup chicken stock low sodium
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or seasoned soy sauce)
- 3 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
TO COMPLETE THE DISH:
- 3 cups broccoli about 8 ounces/225g, florets
- 4 cups peanut oil (for frying, plus 1 tablespoon; can substitute canola or vegetable oil)
- 5-6 red chili pepper dried
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (mixed into a slurry with 2 tablespoons water)
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken pieces in a bowl with the Shaoxing wine, water, salt, white pepper, and sesame oil. Mix until the chicken absorbs all the liquid. Next, add the toasted sesame seeds, all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Stir to coat, and set aside.
- Make the sauce mixture by combining the low-sodium chicken stock, dark soy sauce, regular soy sauce, brown sugar and rice wine vinegar in a bowl or measuring cup. Set aside.
- In a wok or pot, boil 6 cups water, and blanch the broccoli for 30 seconds to a minute, depending on whether you like your broccoli soft or crunchy. Drain in a colander and set aside. To keep it super green, you can also transfer them to an ice bath, and then drain and set aside.
- Heat the frying oil in a small but deep pot to 335 degrees F/170 degrees C. Carefully drop the chicken pieces into the oil in small batches. Make sure the batter/sesame seeds have really coated all sides of the chicken before frying. The chicken should float at the top of the oil. Fry until light golden brown (about 5 minutes) and transfer to a wire rack or plate lined with paper towels to drain.
- Be sure to manage the oil temperature using a thermometer, as it will drop every time you add raw chicken. Continue frying in batches. Once all of the chicken has been fried once, fry the chicken a second time for 3 to 5 minutes until super crispy. Be careful not to burn it!
- Heat a clean wok over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil along with the dried chilies. Cook the chili peppers for about 5 seconds. Add the minced garlic and Shaoxing wine.
- Next, add the General Tso’s Chicken sauce you prepared earlier. Bring the sauce to a simmer, and stir in the cornstarch slurry until it thickens to a glossy sauce. Add the chicken and broccoli, and toss until everything is coated in the sauce. Plate and serve immediately with steamed rice!
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 513 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 513kcal | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 29g | 10% |
| Protein | 25g | 50% |
| Fat | 34g | 52% |
| Saturated Fat | 24g | 120% |
| Cholesterol | 108mg | 36% |
| Sodium | 497mg | 21% |
| Potassium | 536mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 618IU | 12% |
| Vitamin C | 61mg | 68% |
| Calcium | 59mg | 6% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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