Easy recipe for General Tso's chicken
Crispy chicken coated in a tangy sweet spicy sauce - this Chinese favourite is so easy to make at home.
Ingredients
For the chicken marinade
- 500 g boneless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 egg white
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons of Shaoxing wine
For the chicken coating
- 50 g cornflour
- 50 g plain flour
- 800 ml vegetable oil for frying extra for stir-frying sauce
For the sauce
- 1 inch piece of ginger peeled and finely chopped grated
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 100 ml chicken stock
- 2 tbsps oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tbsps brown sugar
- 1 tbsp corn flour
- 2 tbsps light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp red chilli flakes
Garnish
- chopped spring onions
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a bowl large enough to fit the chicken, add the egg white, soy sauce and Shaoxing wine. Using a spoon or your hands, mix the ingredients together so the chicken is well coated. Set aside.
- In another bowl, combine the sauce ingredients - the soy sauces, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, cornflour, brown sugar and chicken stock. Put to one side.
- Time to coat the chicken. Mix together the corn flour and the plain flour. And getting a piece of chicken, coat the chicken in the flour mix and shake off any excess. Put on a plate or baking tray and continue to coat the rest of the chicken pieces.
- To cook the chicken, get a large pan or wok and heat the vegetable oil to about 180c. You can check with a thermometer or test with a tiny piece of chicken and it will sizzle. Carefully add the chicken to the hot oil and fry for around 3-4 minutes until crispy and golden. You'll want to move the chicken around to make sure they evenly cook. Remove the chicken once done, and place on some kitchen paper to drain any excess oil.
- In a clean wok, or pan, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil, then add the garlic, ginger and chilli flakes. Stir-fry on a high heat for 30-40 seconds and then add the sauce.
- Stir the sauce for around a minute. The sauce will bubble up and begin to thicken. At the last moment, add the chicken pieces and combine with the sauce - making sure all the chicken is coated in the sauce. Don't keep it too long in the sauce, so the chicken retains its crispiness.
- Serve with a sprinkle of spring onions and sesame seeds on top. Perfect with boiled rice.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 430kcalCarbohydrates: 34gFat: 18g