General Tso's Chicken

This General Tso's chicken recipe is simply the best you will ever have. Don't be fooled by other imposters — this recipe features crispy, twice-fried chicken in a deliciously sweet and sticky glaze. This mouthwatering dish delivers a combination of Asian flavors that will knock your chopsticks off! Serve with steamed broccoli and white rice and garnish with sliced green onions.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 634 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
• 1 pinch white pepper
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons chopped green onion
• 6 dried whole red chilies
• 1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 strip orange zest

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Prepare sauce: Heat vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Step 2

Whisk egg in large mixing bowl. Add chicken, salt, sugar, and pepper; mix well. Mix in cornstarch, a little bit at a time, until chicken is well coated.

Step 3

Working in batches, carefully drop one piece of chicken at a time into the hot oil. Fry until chicken turns golden brown and begins to float, about 3 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and allow to cool as you fry the next batch.

Step 4

Once all of the chicken has been fried, refry the chicken, starting with the batch that was cooked first. Fry each batch until chicken turns deep golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Step 5

Prepare sauce: Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir in green onion, garlic, whole chiles, and orange zest. Cook and stir until garlic turns golden and chiles brighten, 1 to 2 minutes. Add sugar, soy sauce, chicken broth, peanut oil, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and ginger; bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.

Step 6

Whisk 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in water until dissolved. Stir into the boiling sauce. Return to a boil and cook until the sauce thickens and is no longer cloudy from the cornstarch, about 1 minute.

Step 7

Stir chicken into the boiling sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook until chicken is heated through and has absorbed some of the sauce, about 3 minutes.