General Tso's Chicken (Made the RIGHT Way!)

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 1 tsp Shaoxing wine (for marinade)
• 1 tbsp water (for marinade)
• 0.25 tsp salt
• 0.25 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp all purpose flour
• 0.25 cup cornstarch (for chicken coating)
• 0.333 cup low sodium chicken stock
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 3.5 tbsp brown sugar
• 0.5 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 3 cup broccoli florets (about 8 ounces/225g)
• 4 cup peanut oil (for frying, plus 1 tablespoon; can substitute canola or vegetable oil)
• 5 dried red chili peppers (5-6 peppers)
• 2 garlic (cloves, minced)
• 2 tsp Shaoxing wine (for the stir-fry stage)
• 2 tbsp cornstarch (mixed into a slurry with 2 tablespoons water)

Steps

1. 1

   Marinate the chicken pieces in a bowl with the Shaoxing wine, water, salt, white pepper, and sesame oil.

2. 2

   Mix until the chicken absorbs all the liquid.

3. 3

   Add the toasted sesame seeds, all-purpose flour and cornstarch to the chicken. Stir to coat, and set aside.

4. 4

   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.

5. 5

   In a wok or pot, boil 6 cups water.

6. 6

   Blanch the broccoli for 30 seconds to a minute, depending on whether you like your broccoli soft or crunchy.

7. 7

   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.

8. 8

   Heat the frying oil in a small but deep pot to 335 degrees F (170 degrees C).

9. 9

   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.

10. 10

    Fry until light golden brown (about 5 minutes) and transfer to a wire rack or plate lined with paper towels to drain.

11. 11

    Be sure to manage the oil temperature using a thermometer, as it will drop every time you add raw chicken. Continue frying in batches.

12. 12

    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!

13. 13

    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.

14. 14

    Add the minced garlic and Shaoxing wine.

15. 15

    Add the General Tso’s Chicken sauce you prepared earlier.

16. 16

    Bring the sauce to a simmer, and stir in the cornstarch slurry until it thickens to a glossy sauce.

17. 17

    Add the chicken and broccoli, and toss until everything is coated in the sauce. Plate and serve immediately with steamed rice!

Notes

For a classic takeout style with a heavier coating, add an egg and double the flour and cornstarch during the coating step. Ensure you extend frying times if using this method. You can use boneless chicken thighs or debone skin-on thighs yourself and use the bones for stock.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• chicken
• fried
• takeout
• Chinese
• spicy
• dinner