Description
General Tso’s Chicken is a popular Chinese-American dish featuring crispy fried chicken pieces coated in a sweet, spicy, and tangy sauce. This recipe combines tender chicken thighs with a flavorful sauce made from soy, hoisin, and rice vinegar, garnished with spring onions and sesame seeds for an authentic taste perfect for a satisfying main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 500 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 100 g cornstarch
- 50 g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water (cornstarch slurry)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 4–6 dried red chilies (optional)
Garnish
- Sliced spring onions
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the coating and dredge chicken: In a bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. In another bowl, combine the cornstarch, all-purpose flour, and salt. Dip the chicken pieces first into the beaten eggs, then thoroughly coat them in the flour and cornstarch mixture to ensure a crispy texture when fried.
- Fry the chicken: Heat 2–3 cm of vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Carefully fry the coated chicken pieces in batches, cooking each batch for 4–5 minutes or until they turn golden and crispy. Remove and drain them on paper towels to discard excess oil.
- Sauté aromatics: In a separate pan or clean wok, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and heat over medium heat. Sauté the minced garlic, grated ginger, and dried red chilies (if using) for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and the cornstarch slurry. Pour this sauce mixture into the pan with the aromatics and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
- Toss chicken in sauce: Add the fried chicken pieces into the thickened sauce and toss well to coat each piece evenly with the flavorful glaze.
- Garnish and serve: Transfer the sauced chicken to a serving plate. Garnish with sliced spring onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve hot, ideally alongside steamed rice and steamed broccoli for a complete meal.
Notes
- Best served with steamed rice and broccoli for a balanced meal.
- You can substitute chicken thighs with chicken breast if you prefer a leaner option.
- Adjust the heat level by increasing or omitting the dried red chilies according to your spice preference.
