Description
General Tso’s Chicken is a popular Chinese-American dish featuring crispy battered chicken pieces tossed in a flavorful, tangy-sweet sauce with garlic and ginger notes. Perfect as a main course, it pairs beautifully with steamed rice or vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (for thickening)
Garnish
- Green onions, chopped
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. Toss them in the beaten eggs to coat, then evenly coat the chicken pieces with cornstarch ensuring all sides are covered.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Fry the coated chicken pieces in batches for about 5-6 minutes each until they turn golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towel-lined plates to absorb excess oil.
- Make the Sauce: In a small saucepan, heat 1 ½ tablespoons of vegetable oil. Sauté the minced garlic and ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sugar, and water. Bring this mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Thicken the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to create a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the simmering sauce while stirring continuously until the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency.
- Coat the Chicken: Transfer the fried chicken pieces into the thickened sauce. Toss thoroughly to ensure each piece is evenly coated with the flavorful sauce.
- Serve: Garnish the coated chicken with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately while hot, ideally over steamed rice or alongside your favorite steamed vegetables.
Notes
- For extra crispy chicken, double coat the pieces by dipping again in egg and cornstarch before frying.
- Adjust the amount of sugar in the sauce to balance sweetness according to taste.
- Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point like vegetable or canola oil for frying.
- Ensure the oil is hot enough before frying to prevent soggy chicken.
- Serve immediately for the best texture, as the chicken may lose crispiness if left too long.
