General Tso's Chicken

20m
Prep Time
25m
Cook Time
45m
Ready In


"Believe it or not, General Tso's Chicken is New York City born and bred. Sure, it has its roots in Hunan cooking - but only because of two Taiwanese chefs that developed this recipe to please the American palate for sweet foods. Nowadays you can order this in almost any Chinese restaurant. But believe me, it's as New York as a Coney Island Dog."

Original is 4 servings
  • FOR THE CHICKEN
  • FOR THE MARINADE
  • FOR THE SAUCE

Nutritional

  • Serving Size: 1 (325.5 g)
  • Calories 717.6
  • Total Fat - 25.3 g
  • Saturated Fat - 6.2 g
  • Cholesterol - 115.4 mg
  • Sodium - 1108.1 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate - 92.2 g
  • Dietary Fiber - 2.9 g
  • Sugars - 5.2 g
  • Protein - 30.2 g
  • Calcium - 167.3 mg
  • Iron - 4.5 mg
  • Vitamin C - 15.4 mg
  • Thiamin - 0.5 mg

Step by Step Method

Step 1

Prepare the marinade: In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, and egg whites. Add the chicken to coat, and set aside for 10 minutes.

Step 2

Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the chicken stock, tomato paste, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, chili paste, sesame oil, sugar, and the 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Stir until the sugar and cornstarch are dissolved. Set the sauce aside.

Step 3

In a large bowl, toss the 1 1/2 cups cornstarch with the salt and pepper. Coat the marinated chicken in the cornstarch and shake off any excess before frying.

Step 4

Heat the 3 cups of peanut or vegetable oil in your wok until it registers 350°F on an instant-read oil thermometer. Working in 2 or 3 batches, add the first batch of chicken cubes and fry until golden brown on the outside and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.

Step 5

Drain the oil into a heatproof container and save for discarding. Wipe the wok with a paper towel to remove any brown bits, but don’t wash.

Step 6

Reheat the wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add another 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat the base and sides. Add the dried chilis and garlic to the wok and stir-fry until just fragrant, about 20 seconds. Pour in the sauce mixture and stir until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 7

Return the chicken to the wok and stir well to coat with sauce. Transfer the chicken to a serving dish.

Step 8

Garnish with white sesame seeds and scallions. Serve immediately with white rice and vegetables.

Tips


  • Wok

2 Reviews

pelysma

Love this. General Tso's chicken is one of our absolute favorites. This was a delicious recipe.

5.0

review by:
(25 Aug 2016)

Peggy Bright

We live in Australia and have often wondered what all the hype is about General Tso's chicken. Hubby had it once in the USA, and I'd never tried it. But this recipe has changed everything. Followed the recipe as written and enjoyed every mouthful. Really, really tasty. And hubby says this version is way better than what he ate in the USA. We have a French exchange student and he wolfed down enough for several people and asked me to make it again soon. Thanks for posting.

5.0

review by:
(17 Aug 2016)

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