Chinese | General Tso's Chicken

Posted on March 25, 2017

There are many recipes out there for General Tso's Chicken, I love this one because it's really good and includes broccoli. I got the recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks The Take-Out Menu Cookbook. The cookbook includes Thai, Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Greek, French, Japanese, Jewish and Spanish popular recipes. I also recommend The Fortune Cookie Chronicles book which includes a chapter on the history of General Tso's Chicken and it's a fun read.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 large egg, beaten

4 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons mirin

1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons hoisin

1 tablespoon chili paste with garlic

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil

vegetable oil, for frying

5 hot chiles, cut in half

1 (1-inch) knob fresh ginger, peeled and minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups broccoli florets

1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

3 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish

white or brown rice, for serving

 

Method

In a medium bowl, combine the egg, 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of mirin. Add the chicken and let it marinate at room temperature while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.

In a separate bowl, combine the remaining tablespoon of cornstarch, the remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce, the remaining 2 tablespoons mirin, and the rice vinegar, sugar, hoisin, chili paste, pepper, sesame oil, and 1/2 cup of water. Set aside.

In a heavy pot over medium heat, heat oil to 360°F. Add about 10 pieces of chicken to the hot oil and fry until brown and crispy, about 2 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Set aside.

Remove all but 3 tablespoons of oil from the pot and add the chiles, ginger, and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Add the broccoli and bell pepper and stir-fry, tossing the vegetables for 2 minutes or until they are brightly colored and partially cooked.

Add the cooked chicken to the pot along with the reserved sauce and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and the vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes.

To serve, sprinkle green onions over the top and serve hot with rice.

 

(Ref. "General Tso's Chicken" recipe, The Take-Out Menu Cookbook, page 25.)