General Tso's Chicken

classic American/Chinese dish

Category
Dinner
Cuisine
Asian
Serves
4-6 servings
Time
30 minutes
From
Jet Tila

chicken

Adapted from: https://www.foodnetwork.com/fnk/recipes/general-tsos-chicken-7963921

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups (335 grams) broccoli florets
  • 1 1/2 quarts (1.8 liters) vegetable oil, plus 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) for stir-frying
  • 2 pounds (900 grams) boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch (3-centimeter) dice
  • 1 1/2 cups (335 grams) tempura flour, plus 1 cup (223 grams) for dredging
  • 1 cup (240 milliliters) cold water
  • 1/2 onion, cut into large dice
  • 10 to 12 whole dried Thai chiles
  • 1/2 tablespoon (8 grams) minced ginger root
  • 1/2 tablespoon (5 grams) chopped garlic
  • 1/2 cup (90 milliliters) oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) chili garlic sauce
  • 1/2 cup (95 grams) sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon (7 grams) cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) water
  • 1 drop red food coloring (optional)
  • 3 scallions, sliced on the bias

Instructions

For the chicken

  1. Heat the oil in a 4-quart (3.8-liter) Dutch oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) using a frying thermometer.
  2. Rinse the chicken in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Mix 1 1/2 cups (335 grams) of the tempura flour and 1 cup (240 milliliters) water into a thick batter. It should look like thick pancake batter.
  3. Dredge the chicken cubes in the 1 cup (223 grams) of tempura flour and then coat them in the batter.
  4. Fry them in two batches until golden brown and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes.
  5. Drain the chicken on paper towels or a rack.

Sauce

  1. Place your broccoli florets in a medium bowl and add 2 tablespoons water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 2 minutes, until tender. Drain and set aside until ready to use.
  2. Heat a wok or large skillet to high and add 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) of oil. When you see the first wisps of white smoke, stir in the fried chicken, onion, chiles, broccoli, and 1/3 of the ginger and garlic and cook them for about 30 seconds.
  3. While the chicken cooks, add the oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce, sugar, white vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch slurry, red food coloring if using, 1/3 cup water and the remaining chopped ginger and garlic into a 1-quart (946-millileter) saucepan and bring the heat up to medium. Whisk gently as it comes to a simmer. Allow it to simmer and keep whisking it for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and reserve it.
  4. Stir in the sauce and allow it to coat the chicken and simmer. Cook it, folding all the ingredients until they are well coated, about 2 minutes.
  5. Garnish with the scallions.

Notes

  • This is also good (better) with air fryer crispy shrimp
  • You can use pre-made chicken nuggets