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General Tso’s Chicken Recipe: Better Than Takeout in 30 Minutes

Better-Than-Takeout General Tso’s Chicken

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 3/4 lbs Chicken thighs Boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 pinch Salt For marinade
  • 1 pinch White pepper For marinade
  • 1 tbsp Rice wine Or dry sherry
  • 4 cups Cooking oil For frying (high smoke point)
  • 1 1/2 cups Cornstarch For batter
  • 1/2 tsp Baking soda For batter
  • 1/2 tsp Baking powder For batter
  • 1 large Egg For batter
  • 1 tbsp Cooking oil For batter
  • 3/4 cup Water For batter
  • 2 tbsp Soy sauce For sauce
  • 1 tbsp Hoisin sauce For sauce
  • 1 tbsp Rice vinegar For sauce
  • 1 tbsp Ketchup For sauce
  • 2 tbsp Brown sugar For sauce
  • 2 tbsp Chili oil For sauce
  • 1 cup Chicken stock Or water
  • 1 tbsp Cornstarch For slurry
  • 3 tbsp Water For slurry
  • 2 stalks Scallions White parts only, sliced
  • 2 cloves Garlic Minced
  • 10 whole Dried red chilies Adjust to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces, pinch of salt, white pepper, and rice wine. Mix well and let it marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.
  • In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, egg, 1 tablespoon cooking oil, and 3/4 cup water until smooth. Add the marinated chicken to the batter and coat thoroughly.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, chili oil, and chicken stock. In another small cup, mix the 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water to make a slurry.
  • Heat 4 cups of oil in a pot to 350°F (175°C). Carefully add chicken pieces in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry for about 5 minutes until light golden. Remove and drain on a wire rack.
  • Increase the oil temperature to 375°F (190°C). Return the chicken to the oil and flash fry for 1 minute until deep golden brown and super crispy. Remove and set aside.
  • In a wok or large pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. Stir-fry the scallion whites, minced garlic, and dried red chilies for about 10 seconds until fragrant.
  • Pour in the sauce mixture and bring to a simmer. Stir the cornstarch slurry once more and add it to the simmering sauce. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
  • Add the double-fried chicken to the wok. Toss quickly to coat every piece evenly in the sauce. Serve immediately with steamed rice.