General Tso's Chicken

General Tso's Chicken is a popular Chinese-American dish known for its sweet, savory, and slightly spicy flavors. Originating in the 1950s in Taiwan, it was later adapted in the United States, where it became a staple in Chinese restaurants. The dish features crispy chicken pieces coated in a rich, flavorful sauce made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a blend of spices.

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

• 4 cups vegetable oil for frying

• 1 large egg

• 1½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1½-inch pieces

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon white sugar

• 1 pinch white pepper

• 1 cup cornstarch
  
  

For the Sauce:

• 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 cup soy sauce

• 3 tablespoons chicken broth

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

• ¼ cup water

Directions

1. Prepare the Chicken:

   • Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to 375°F (190°C).

   • Whisk egg in a large mixing bowl. Add chicken, salt, sugar, and white pepper; mix well.

   • Gradually mix in cornstarch until chicken is well coated.

2. Fry the Chicken:

   • Working in batches, carefully drop one piece of chicken at a time into the hot oil. Fry until chicken turns golden brown and begins to float, about 3 minutes.

   • Remove chicken to a plate and allow to cool as you fry the next batch.

   • Once all of the chicken has been fried, refry the chicken, starting with the batch that was cooked first. Fry each batch until chicken turns deep golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

3. Prepare the Sauce:

   • Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir in green onion, garlic, whole chiles, and orange zest. Cook and stir until garlic turns golden and chiles brighten, 1 to 2 minutes.

   • Add sugar, soy sauce, chicken broth, peanut oil, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and ginger; bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.

   • Whisk cornstarch into 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, about 1 minute.

4. Combine and Serve:

   • Stir chicken into the boiling sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook until chicken is heated through and has absorbed some of the sauce, about 3 minutes.

Nutritional Information (per serving)

• Calories: 634 kcal

• Total Fat: 37g (47% DV)

  • Saturated Fat: 6g (31% DV)

• Cholesterol: 101mg (34% DV)

• Sodium: 1192mg (52% DV)

• Total Carbohydrates: 55g (20% DV)

  • Dietary Fiber: 1g (3% DV)

  • Sugars: 18g

• Protein: 24g (49% DV)

• Vitamin C: 8mg (9% DV)

• Calcium: 58mg (4% DV)

• Iron: 4mg (19% DV)

• Potassium: 530mg (11% DV)
  
  

Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.