General Tso Chicken

According to Google, General Tso's Chicken is an American Chinese dish, especially served in North America.

We both like Chinese and Indo-Chinese dishes, so American Chinese is also right up our alley. If you remember, a while ago, I shared a copycat recipe of Mongolian Beef at the famous American Chinese chain restaurant P F Chang's.

One difference I've noticed between Indo-Chinese and American Chinese dishes is, the Indian ones tend to be spicy and tangy with a hint of sweetness while the American one leans towards the sweet and tangy with a hint of spiciness.

This General Tso Chicken is also kinda sweet and tangy with a subtle spiciness. However, you can always adjust the heat level to suit your preferences.

We had it with Burnt Garlic Fried Rice and it was a welcome change from the usual Indo-Chinese that we have. It's definitely worth trying if you are looking for a different Chinese recipe from the usual one.

Do give it a try and let me know, ok?

Recipe adapted from here

General tsos chicken
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General Tso Chicken

A perfect combination of crispy chicken bites in sweet, spicy and tangy sauce.
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Course: Appetiser, Dinner
Cuisine: American, American Chinese
Keyword: General Tso's Chicken recipe, sweet and spicy chicken recipe, american chinese recipes, american chinese chicken recipes
Author: Maria Jose Martin

Ingredients

  • 450 gms Boneless skinless chicken thighs diced
  • 1/4 cup Cornflour
  • 2 tsp Jukienned ginger
  • 1/2 stalk spring onion finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup Vegetable oil
  • 1/4 tsp White Sesame seeds (optional for garnish)
  • General Tso Sauce:
  • 2.5 tbsp Hoisin sauce
  • 2 tbsp Regular soy sauce (not light or dark!)
  • 2 tbsp Brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp Rice vinegar or white vinegar (I used white vinegar)
  • 2 tsp Garlic minced
  • 2 tsp Sesame oil (I used the chinese kind sesame oil)
  • 1-2 tsp Red chilli flakes (refer notes)
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

  • In a bowl, combine sauce ingredients and set aside.
    Step 1 General Tso chicken
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  • Cut each thigh into bite size pieces, about 6-8 pieces per thigh depending on size. Do not pat chicken thighs dry, some moisture is needed for the next step.
  • In a bowl, add chicken pieces followed by cornstarch. Mix to coat each piece evenly.
    Step 2 general Tso chicken
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  • In a wok or pan, set over medium high heat, add vegetable oil. Allow this to get hot. To test, insert a wooden chopstick into the oil and look for bubbles. If you see bubbles, the oil is hot
  • Carefully lower coated chicken into oil and quickly spread apart. Once chicken is spread apart, do not touch or move the pieces around. Allow pieces to sear and form a golden crust, about 5-6 minutes on each side.
  • Remove and transfer fried chicken to a plate or cooling rack. Pour out any excess oil from pan.
    Step 3 General Tso Chicken
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  • In the same wok set over medium high heat, add your ginger followed by pre-mixed sauce. Let it come to a boil to thicken and reduce.
    Step 4 General Tso Chicken
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  • Then finally toss in your fried chicken and mix until each piece is coated in sauce. Optionally, garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
    Step 5 General Tso Chicken
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Notes

I recommend using boneless thighs instead of breast pieces for this recipe.
Also, if you prefer it really spicy, I recommend you add 1-2 tsp of Kashmiri chilli powder along with the sauce ingredients. 
The gravy tends to thicken and coat the chicken pieces as it rests, so if you want a saucier version, adjust the consistency accordingly. 
Tried this recipe? Let others know by…mentioning @mariasmenu or tagging #mariasmenu
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