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General Tso Chicken
Crackling crisp chicken nuggets in a sticky sweet, savory, and mildly spicy glaze. The American Chinese icon, perfected in your kitchen.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
General Tso Chicken, in 5 ideas
- Thighs stay juicier than breast through the double cooking process
- The cornstarch coating should be thin and even, shake off the excess
- Let the glaze get properly thick before the chicken goes in so it clings instead of sliding off
- Serve immediately, the crisp coating softens as it sits in the sauce
- Dried chilies add aroma more than heat here, the dish is sweet first
What you need
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken thighs, cubed
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 eggs, beaten
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 4 dried red chilies
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, minced, plus 1 tsp sesame oil
How to make it
Directions
- Coat the chicken in egg, then dredge in cornstarch. Fry in 350F oil 5 to 6 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Drain on a wire rack.
- Whisk the stock, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, hoisin, and sesame oil.
- In a wok, sizzle the chilies, garlic, and ginger 30 seconds in a little oil.
- Pour in the sauce and simmer 2 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch slurry until thick and glossy.
- Toss the crispy chicken in the glaze, garnish with green onions, and serve over rice.
Money saver. Making this at home costs a few dollars versus fifteen or more for takeout, and you control the sweetness.