General Tsao’s Chicken II

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Description

A genuinely mouthwatering dish with an Asian kick that will knock your chopsticks off! Don’t be fooled by other General Tsao impostors: this is simply the best Chinese chicken you will ever have. With a flair of peanut oil, a streak of sesame, a dash of orange, and a sweet spot for hot, this is sure to be a favorite. Just don’t forget to deep-fry twice! Serve with steamed broccoli and white rice.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 egg
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 1 pinch white pepper
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons chopped green onion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 6 dried whole red chilies
  • 1 strip orange zest
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 3 tablespoons chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • ¼ cup water

Instructions

  1. Prepare sauce: Heat vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. Whisk egg in large mixing bowl. Add chicken
  3. salt
  4. sugar
  5. and pepper; mix well. Mix in cornstarch
  6. a little bit at a time
  7. until chicken is well coated.
  8. Working in batches
  9. carefully drop one piece of chicken at a time into the hot oil. Fry until chicken turns golden brown and begins to float
  10. about 3 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and allow to cool as you fry the next batch.
  11. Once all of the chicken has been fried
  12. refry the chicken
  13. starting with the batch that was cooked first. Fry each batch until chicken turns deep golden brown
  14. about 2 minutes more. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
  15. Prepare sauce: Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir in green onion
  16. garlic
  17. whole chiles
  18. and orange zest. Cook and stir until garlic turns golden and chiles brighten
  19. 1 to 2 minutes. Add sugar
  20. soy sauce
  21. chicken broth
  22. peanut oil
  23. rice vinegar
  24. sesame oil
  25. and ginger; bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.
  26. Whisk 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in water until dissolved. Stir into the boiling sauce. Return to a boil and cook until the sauce thickens and is no longer cloudy from the cornstarch
  27. about 1 minute.
  28. Stir chicken into the boiling sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook until chicken is heated through and has absorbed some of the sauce
  29. about 3 minutes.

Prep Time: 25 mins

Cook Time: 25 mins

Total Time: 50 mins

Servings: 6

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