General Tso's Chicken Recipe
The ideal blend of sweet, savory, spicy, and tangy flavors with crispy Chinese chicken bites. This is a beloved Chinese takeout classic that hits all the right notes!
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Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
Sauce/chicken marinade:
- 3 tbsp soy sauce - light or all-purpose NOT dark soy, Note 1
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar sub white wine vinegar
- 2 tsp chilli paste any (Sambal Oelak is great)
- 1 tsp sesame oil toasted preferably Note 6
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 3/4 cup chicken stock/broth low sodium
Chicken:
- 600 g/ 1.4 lb chicken thighs boneless skinless, cut into 2.5cm / 1" pieces (breast / tenderloin - Note 2)
- 1 tsp ginger finely grated
- 1 tsp garlic finely grated
- 1 cup cornflour/cornstarch Note 5
- 1 - 4 cups oil for frying (peanut, vegetable or canola; Note 4)
Stir fry sauce:
- 2 tbsp oil peanut, vegetable or canola
- 2 tsp ginger finely chopped (Note 3)
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped (Note 3)
- 1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes red pepper flakes
Garnishes:
- Finely sliced green onion
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Sauce-Marinade: Combine the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, chilli paste, and sesame oil in a bowl.
- Marinate Chicken: Reserve 2 tablespoons of the Sauce-Marinade and mix with the chicken pieces. Add the finely grated ginger and garlic to the chicken, stir well, and let it marinate for 30 minutes.
- Dust Chicken: Coat the marinated chicken pieces with cornflour, ensuring each piece is thoroughly covered. Separate the pieces to ensure they are fully coated.
- Shake off Excess: Place the coated chicken in a colander and shake off any excess cornflour. Alternatively, you can grab handfuls of the chicken and shake off the excess cornflour through your fingers.
- Finish Sauce: Add the brown sugar and cornflour to the remaining Sauce-Marinade, mix well, then add the chicken stock and stir until combined.
- Heat Oil: Heat about 2 cm (4/5") of oil in a deep skillet or large pot to 200°C/390°F. Refer to Note 4 for tips on using less oil.
- Fry: Fry the chicken pieces for about 3 minutes, turning them halfway through, until they are golden and crispy. Drain the fried chicken on a plate lined with paper towels.
- New/Clean Skillet: Discard the used oil, wipe the skillet clean, and return it to the heat. Alternatively, use a new large skillet.
- Stir Fry Sauce: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the finely chopped garlic, ginger, and red chilli flakes for about 30 seconds until the garlic turns light golden.
- Toss: Add the prepared sauce to the skillet, bring it to a simmer, and cook until it thickens enough to draw a path across the pan base. Quickly add the fried chicken to the sauce, toss to coat thoroughly, and immediately transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with your choice of finely sliced green onions or sesame seeds and serve with your preferred rice.
Notes
- Use all-purpose or light soy sauce, but avoid dark soy sauce as it can overpower the flavor and darken the sauce.
- Chicken thighs are ideal for their juiciness, while breasts can dry out easily, especially when frying. If using breast meat, tenderize it with 1/4 tsp baking soda mixed into the marinade and let it sit for an hour or overnight to help keep it moist.
- For the chicken marinade, finely grate the garlic and ginger using a microplane. For stir-frying, finely chop them with a knife to avoid burning.
- When frying, use enough oil to reach halfway up the chicken pieces for shallow frying or more for deep frying. If using minimal oil, just cover the pan’s base and cook the chicken, turning frequently, for 3-4 minutes.
- Although 1 cup of cornflour may seem excessive for 600g of chicken, it ensures a proper coating. You can reduce it to 3/4 cup if you toss quickly or 1/2 cup if you coat each piece individually.
- Toasted sesame oil, which is brown and more flavorful, is preferred over the yellow, untoasted variety.
- The dish can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat with a bit of water if the sauce thickens, though the chicken won't be as crispy. Despite this, reheated leftovers are still delicious.