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GENERAL TSO'S CHICKEN

Name: GENERAL TSO'S CHICKEN
Cook time: 2700 s
Total time: 2700 s
Yield: 2 Servings
Ingredients: For the Chicken and Marinade; 2 egg whites; 3 tbsp dark soy sauce; 3 tbsp Chinese cooking wine; 3 tbsp vodka; 1/4 tsp baking soda; 3 tbsp cornstarch; 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs; For the Breading; 1 cup all purpose flour; 1 cup cornstarch; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp salt; 3 tbsp reserved marinade; For the Sauce; 4 tbsp dark soy sauce; 4 tbsp Chinese cooking wine; 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar; 4 tbsp chicken stock; 1/4 cup sugar; 1 tsp roasted sesame seed oil; 1 tbsp cornstarch; 6 scallions, sliced; 4 cloves garlic, grated; 2 inch piece of ginger, grated; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 12 Arbol chiles (optional); white rice

cook:

45 min

6,522,838 views General Tso's can be more than the saccharine, gloopy sauce soaked into flabby, over-breaded chicken to which we've become accustomed. With just a little technique and a little love, the 45-minute wait for this takeout mainstay can be better spent making it yourself. The recipe below is adapted from

2 Servings

original

metric

INGREDIENTS

For the Chicken and Marinade

2 egg whites

3 tbsp dark soy sauce

3 tbsp Chinese cooking wine

3 tbsp vodka

¼ tsp baking soda

3 tbsp cornstarch

1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

For the Breading

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup cornstarch

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp reserved marinade

For the Sauce

4 tbsp dark soy sauce

4 tbsp Chinese cooking wine

3 tbsp rice wine vinegar

4 tbsp chicken stock

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp roasted sesame seed oil

1 tbsp cornstarch

6 scallions, sliced

4 cloves garlic, grated

2 inch piece of ginger, grated

2 tbsp vegetable oil

12 Arbol chiles (optional)

white rice

TOOLS

mixing bowls

whisk

shallow dish

measuring cups and spoons set

Chef’s knife

saute pan

cutting board

plastic wrap

mini prep bowls

grater

wooden spoon

wire rack

rimmed baking sheet

metal tongs

DIRECTIONS

For the Chicken and Marinade

2 egg whites

3 tbsp dark soy sauce

3 tbsp Chinese cooking wine

3 tbsp vodka

mixing bowls

whisk

measuring cups and spoons set

In a large bowl separate egg whites from eggs and beat the whites until frothy. Add dark soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, and vodka. Beat together and set aside half for later use.

2 egg whites

3 tbsp dark soy sauce

3 tbsp Chinese cooking wine

3 tbsp vodka

mixing bowls

whisk

In the same large bowl where half mixture remains, add baking soda and cornstarch, and whisk until smooth. Cut chicken into 1 inch pieces and add to mixture. Mix together by hand, making sure every piece is coated. Cover and set aside for about 20 minutes.

¼ tsp baking soda

3 tbsp cornstarch

1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

mixing bowls

whisk

Chef’s knife

cutting board

plastic wrap

For the Breading

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup cornstarch

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp reserved marinade

shallow dish

In your shallow breading dish, combine all purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Pour in reserved marinade and incorporate using your fingers until it’s clumpy. Set aside.

For the Sauce

Make the sauce: In a small bowl combine dark soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, rice wine vinegar, chicken stock, sugar, roasted sesame seed oil, and cornstarch. Whisk until completely smooth.

4 tbsp dark soy sauce

4 tbsp Chinese cooking wine

3 tbsp rice wine vinegar

4 tbsp chicken stock

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp roasted sesame seed oil

1 tbsp cornstarch

mixing bowls

whisk

From scallions, thinly slice all whites and 2 inches of the green. Next grate cloves garlic and ginger.

6 scallions, sliced

4 cloves garlic, grated

2 inch piece of ginger, grated

Chef’s knife

cutting board

grater

In a saute pan over medium high heat, simmer vegetable oil and add most of the scallions, grated garlic, and grated ginger. Saute for one minute. Add Arbol chiles (optional) and saute for another minute. Pour in sauce and saute for one more minute until sauce has thickened.

2 tbsp vegetable oil

6 scallions, sliced

4 cloves garlic, grated

2 inch piece of ginger, grated

4 tbsp dark soy sauce

4 tbsp Chinese cooking wine

For the Sauce

saute pan

wooden spoon

Heat a quart of vegetable oil to 375°F. Coat chicken in the breading flour mixture while it’s heating. Then add to frying oil one piece at a time and make sure not to crowd, cooking each batch for about 4 minutes.

2 tbsp vegetable oil

For the Chicken and Marinade

For the Breading

saute pan

metal tongs

Place batches on a wire rack that’s set on a rimmed sheet pan, and place in the oven on low heat. Repeat until all chicken is fried.

For the Chicken and Marinade

wire rack

rimmed baking sheet

Add chicken to sauce mixture and coat over low heat. Serve with white rice and garnish with leftover sliced scallions. Enjoy!

For the Chicken and Marinade

For the Sauce

white rice

6 scallions, sliced

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