My husband loves so-called General Tso's Chicken. He always orders it at Chinese restaurants, but he's asked how we could make it at home. Do you have a recipe?
My husband loves so-called General Tso's Chicken. He always orders it at Chinese restaurants, but he's asked how we could make it at home. Do you have a recipe?
— Christina L., via email
Fondness for this Americanized dish has been around for at least a couple of decades, when the Miami Herald test kitchen first adapted this recipe.
General Tso's Chicken
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
1 egg white
Dash each salt and pepper
1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Vegetable oil, as needed
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon each: hoisin sauce and good-quality sherry
1 tablespoon chicken broth
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 large slices fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 scallion, white part only, thinly sliced
6 dried red chiles, crushed
Marinate the chicken overnight in a mixture of the beaten egg white, salt, pepper, minced ginger and cornstarch.
When ready to cook, heat 8 to 10 cups of the oil in a large pot until very hot. Cook a few pieces of chicken at a time in oil for a minute or so, so outside is crispy and inside is moist. Drain on paper towels.
Combine the soy and hoisin sauces, sherry, broth, sugar, vinegar and sesame oil; set aside. Coat a wok or large skillet with oil from deep-frying and heat until it begins to smoke. Briefly stir-fry the ginger, garlic, scallion and peppers. Add sauce, then fried chicken; stir-fry briefly until chicken is nicely glazed. Serve immediately with rice.
Makes 6 servings.
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