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General Tso's Chicken

🇹🇼 Taiwan · Hunan-style

Servings: 4 Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 10 minutes Total: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon peanut oil
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 7 to 8 dried Chinese chili peppers
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

Steps

  1. Mix all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
  2. Combine chicken, 1 tablespoon oil, and salt in a bowl. Mix well and marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Add beaten egg to the chicken and stir well. Add cornstarch and stir to coat chicken unevenly, leaving a little dry cornstarch unattached.
  4. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy skillet until it just starts to smoke. Add chicken in a single layer, separating pieces with tongs or chopsticks.
  5. Cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes until golden on the bottom, then flip and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and let the pan cool for 2 to 3 minutes.
  6. Return pan to medium heat with 1 to 2 tablespoons oil remaining. Add chili peppers, garlic, and ginger; cook briefly until fragrant.
  7. Stir the sauce to dissolve the cornstarch, then pour into the pan. Cook, stirring, until thickened enough to leave a trail when a spatula is drawn across the bottom.
  8. Add the chicken back to the pan and stir to coat with sauce for about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate and serve hot.

Source: omnivorescookbook.com