General Tso’s Chicken

Sometimes, takeout is all about crisp-tender vegetables in savory sauces. Sometimes, it’s that craving for a crispy egg roll or some soul-warming soup. But, when the yearning for General Tso’s chicken hits you, it’s a whole different feeling! General Tso’s is a finger-licking, crispy-crunchy, deep-fried favorite that comes smothered in a beautiful sticky sauce. It’s a mouthwatering dish that’ll really fill you up! Sweet and sour meets sticky and spicy in this savory General Tso’s Chicken dish that the whole family will love! These crispy breaded chicken pieces are glazed in an unbelievably flavorful sauce to make your take-out dinner dreams a reality without ever having to leave the house.

For the Chicken:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 egg, beaten
1 t Shaoxing wine
2 t light soy sauce
1 t dark soy sauce
2 T cornstarch

For the Chicken Batter:
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ cup all purpose flour
3 T cornstarch
1½ t baking powder
8 T water
2 to 3 T olive oil

For the General Tso’s Sauce:
2 T soy sauce
1 t sesame oil
1 t rice vinegar
1 t chili powder
1 T cornstarch
2 T soy sauce
2 T hoisin sauce
2 T brown sugar
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup water
1 t sriracha, or chili garlic sauce
1 T ketchup
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons green onion, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Toasted sesame seeds for garnish

3-4 cups vegetable oil or peanut oil for frying

Instructions:
Mix the chicken pieces with the chicken marinade ingredients, except cornstarch; let rest for 10 to 20 minutes while you make the batter. Combine all the ingredients for the batter except olive oil: egg, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and water. Mix well so there are no lumps. The batter should be very thick. Add the olive oil one spoonful at a time, to thin the batter slightly.
Add the marinated chicken pieces to the batter, stirring to coat.
Heat up the vegetable oil in a heavy pot or deep-sided frying pan. The chicken will fry twice in order to get a really crispy coating. It will fry once at about 300°F and again at 375°F.
Test the oil’s temperature with a candy thermometer, or by dropping a small amount of batter into it. The batter should sizzle and float immediately, but it should not turn golden brown right away.
When the oil reaches a temperature of 300˚F, carefully lower the battered chicken pieces into the hot oil, working in batches to prevent crowding. Let the chicken cook until it is a light golden color, and then place them on a paper-towel lined plate to drain. Measure two tablespoons of the frying oil into a separate small bowl, to use for later.
Bring the oil up to the higher temperature, about 375˚F. At this stage, a drop of batter should turn golden-brown faster than before, but it should not sizzle furiously or burn.
Re-fry the chicken pieces, again working in batches. Remove the chicken when it is golden-brown, and let it drain again.
To make the sauce, set a clean skillet or saucepan on the stove. Heat the reserved oil from the first frying in the skillet. Add the chili powder, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry for 1 minute to release the fragrances.
Add the sliced bell peppers and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Whisk together the General Tso’s Sauce ingredients. Be sure to whisk until smooth. Pour the sauce over the bell peppers in the skillet, stirring to combine.
If the sauce is too thick, thin it with water. If it is too thin, you can thicken it by stirring a small amount of cornstarch in water, and whisking that into the pan.
Add the fried chicken pieces to the sauce in the skillet, and stir gently to coat.
Take the skillet off the heat, and arrange the chicken in a serving dish. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Serve.

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