How to make Chicken General Tsao

General Tso’s, Tao’s, or Tsao’s chicken, whichever way you to want spell it, is one of the most popular dishes in Chinese restaurants today. This wonderful dish is actually an American born recipe that has many variations. Basic General Tso’s chicken consists of pieces of thigh or breast meat battered and deep fried and then tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. Some chefs make their chicken with a very dough like coating; some make it crispy, while others use almost no coating at all. This video shows the cooked chicken put on a paper towel, but as with fried chicken, the chicken will remain crispier if you drain it on a cake rack sat over a paper towel lined cookie sheet.

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Ingredients:

·         1 pound chicken thighs, boneless

·         1 tablespoon light soy sauce

·         1 egg, lightly beaten

·         freshly ground black or white pepper, to taste

·         Cornstarch, as needed

·         Sauce:

·         2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

·         1 tablespoon rice vinegar

·         2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

·         1 tablespoon granulated sugar

·         3 tablespoons chicken broth or water

·         1 tablespoon minced ginger

·         2 teaspoons minced garlic

·         2 teaspoons cornstarch for thickening sauce, optional

·         Other:

·         3 green onions (spring onions, scallions)

·         5 to 10 small dried red chili peppers, according to taste

·         3 – 4 cups oil for deep-frying and stir-frying, as needed

Preparation:

1. Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Combine the chicken cubes with the egg, soy sauce, and pepper. Add enough cornstarch to nicely coat the chicken, using cooking chopsticks or your fingers to mix it in.
2. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside. Thinly slice the green onions.
3. Heat the oil in a wok to between 350 and 360 degrees Fahrenheit (175 - 180 degrees Celsius). Drop the chicken cubes into the hot oil, a few pieces at a time, and deep-fry until crispy (3 to 4 minutes). Remove the chicken cubes and drain on paper towels.
4. Drain and clean out the wok. Heat 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the sliced green onions and the dried chili peppers. Stir-fry until aromatic (about 30 seconds).
5. Add the deep-fried chicken cubes back into the wok. Stir-fry until the chicken cubes are browned (about 1 minute).
6. Push the chicken up to the sides of the wok. Give the sauce a quick re-stir and add into the middle of the wok. If you added cornstarch to the sauce, stir it continually for 1 - 2 minutes to thicken.
7. Mix the sauce with the chicken. Cook and stir for another 2 minutes, stirring, until the chicken is nicely coated with the sauce. Serve immediately.

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