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General Tso's Chicken crispy golden pieces in glossy sweet spicy sauce

General Tso's Chicken

Crispy chicken bites coated in a sweet, spicy, and tangy sauce. Better than Chinese takeout and ready in about 25 minutes of active cooking.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 portions
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American Chinese, Chinese
Calories: 465
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tbsp soy sauce light or all-purpose only, not dark soy
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar sub white wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp chili paste Sambal Oelek recommended
  • 1 tsp sesame oil toasted preferred
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch for the sauce
  • 0.75 cup chicken stock low sodium
  • 1.4 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 tsp ginger finely grated, for marinade
  • 1 tsp garlic finely grated, for marinade
  • 1 cup cornstarch for coating the chicken
  • 2 cup oil peanut, vegetable or canola, for frying
  • 2 tbsp oil peanut, vegetable or canola, for stir fry
  • 2 tsp ginger finely chopped with a knife, for stir fry
  • 2 garlic cloves finely chopped with a knife, for stir fry
  • 0.5 tsp red chili flakes red pepper flakes
  • green onion finely sliced, for garnish
  • sesame seeds for garnish

Equipment

  • Deep skillet or large pot
  • colander
  • Paper towels
  • Cooking thermometer

Method
 

  1. Combine the soy sauce, hoisin, rice vinegar, chili paste, and sesame oil in a bowl to form the Sauce-Marinade.
  2. Remove 2 tablespoons of the Sauce-Marinade and toss with the cut chicken thighs, grated ginger, and grated garlic. Marinate for 30 minutes.
  3. Add 1 cup of cornstarch to the marinated chicken and toss to coat, keeping pieces separated.
  4. Tip the chicken into a colander and shake to remove excess cornstarch.
  5. Whisk the brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and chicken stock into the remaining Sauce-Marinade. Set aside.
  6. Heat about 3/4 inch of frying oil in a deep skillet to 390 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  7. Fry chicken pieces in batches for 3 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
  8. Discard frying oil, wipe skillet clean, and return to medium heat with 2 tablespoons of fresh oil.
  9. Add finely chopped garlic, ginger, and red chili flakes. Saute for 30 seconds until garlic turns light golden.
  10. Pour in the prepared sauce and simmer, stirring, until thickened enough to draw a line across the pan base.
  11. Add crispy chicken, toss quickly to coat, transfer to serving plate, garnish with green onion and sesame seeds, and serve immediately with rice.

Notes

Use chicken thighs for best results. If using breast, tenderize with 1/4 tsp baking soda in the marinade, rest for 1 hour, then rinse before coating. Always use light or all-purpose soy sauce, never dark. Chop garlic and ginger with a knife for the stir fry stage to prevent burning.
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