General Tso's Chicken

Lori at All That Splatters

Yield: 4-6 servings

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

1/4 cup white vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1-1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced (I followed Lori's lead and grated using a Microplane.)

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 large egg whites

1-1/2 cups cornstarch

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Vegetable oil for frying

Garnish: 2 green onions, green parts thinly sliced

To make the sauce, whisk together the hoisin sauce, white vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch, and water in a bowl. Set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the hoisin mixture. Stir until the sauce is dark brown and has thickened. Remove from heat and cover.

Cut chicken into 1-inch chunks. Whisk the egg whites in a shallow dish until foamy. Thoroughly combine cornstarch, flour, and baking soda in a separate shallow dish. Toss half the chicken into the foamy egg whites until well-coated, and then dredge the chicken in the cornstarch mixture, making certain that all sides are coated. Transfer the chicken to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken.

Heat oil in a fryer (or Dutch oven, or a large wok) until it registers 325ºF. Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes, turning pieces over halfway through cooking. Transfer cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.

Re-warm the sauce over medium heat until bubbling. Add the chicken pieces tossing to coat. Garnish with sliced green onions.