General Tso’s Chicken Recipe

How do you cook the best General Tso’s Chicken every time? Watch this video and find out! As the story goes General Tso’s Chicken is named after Zuo Zongtang, a Qing Dynasty official. General Tso’s chicken is deep-fried chicken in a spicy and sweet sauce.

General Tso’s Chicken Recipe

Serves: 2 people
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

For the chicken:
1 ½ pound chicken breast
1 egg white
Pinch of salt
Pinch of white pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
6 cups canola oil, for frying

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chili oil
1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn oil
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

For the coating:
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water chestnut flour
1/2 cup glutinous rice flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt

For the stir-frying:
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 stalks scallions, the white parts, finely sliced
8 dried chili peppers

Instructions

To prepare:

1. Tenderize both sides of the chicken breast with the back of your knife.
2. Cut the chicken breast into 1 inch pieces.
3. In the bowl, add the egg white, salt, white pepper, and cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water). Combine until evenly distributed. Marinate for 10 minutes.
4. To make the sauce, in a bowl, add soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, sugar, salt, chili oil, Sichuan peppercorn oil, and chicken stock. Whisk and set aside.
5. To make the coating, in a large mixing bowl, add the cornstarch, water chestnut flour, glutinous rice flour, baking soda, and salt.

To fry the chicken:

1. Dip the chicken into the starch and flour mixture. Transfer to a plate while you do the same with the rest of the chicken.
2. In a large pot, over high heat, add the canola oil, and heat it to 350°F/177°C.
3. Carefully transfer the chicken into the oil, and fry for 5 minutes until lightly golden.
4. Remove the chicken and place them on a plate. Skim off any crumbs.
5. Then heat the oil to 375°F/191°C, and return the chicken and deep fry for 2 minutes until crispy. (Double frying makes the chicken crispier and less oily. When the exterior temperature is hotter than the interior temperature, it forces the oil from the inside to come out. So it’s crispy and not greasy.) Take out the chicken and drain it on a paper-towel lined plate.

To stir-fry the chicken:

1. In a wok, medium heat, add in the canola oil. Also put in the garlic, scallions, dried chili peppers, and stir-fry until aromatic. Pour in the sauce, bring it to a simmer, and add in the cornstarch slurry (which is made with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water). Return the fried chicken and stir until combined.
2. Serve!