General Tso’s Chicken Recipe

Marinate chicken

In a medium bowl combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine. Add the chicken pieces, stir to coat, cover, and refrigerate for 15–20 minutes while you prepare the batter and sauce.

Prepare batter

In a second bowl whisk together 1 egg, 1 cup cornstarch, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir enough cold water (if needed) to make a thick paste that will coat the chicken well but not be runny (about 2–3 tbs water can be added if batter seems too stiff).

Coat chicken

Drain the marinated chicken, pat lightly to remove excess liquid. Toss the chicken in the batter until each piece is evenly coated. Shake off excess batter before frying so large clumps do not form.

Heat 1 cup vegetable oil in a deep skillet, wok, or medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat until oil reaches about 350°F (175°C) or a small piece of batter sizzles and browns in ~30 seconds. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully add battered chicken pieces and fry until golden brown and cooked through, 4–6 minutes depending on piece size. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel–lined tray to drain. Repeat with remaining chicken. If you prefer, shallow-fry in ¼–½ inch oil, turning pieces to brown all sides evenly.

Make sauce mixture

In a bowl whisk together 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce (or extra regular soy), 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon hoisin, and 3 tablespoons sugar until sugar dissolves. Add 1 cup water and set aside.

Prepare slurry

In a small cup mix 2 teaspoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth; set aside.

Discard all but 1–2 tablespoons of frying oil from the wok, reserving oil for stir-frying. If you used a separate pan, heat 1–2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a clean large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the whole dried chilies and stir-fry 15–30 seconds until fragrant (they will darken but don’t burn). Add the minced garlic and minced ginger and stir 20–30 seconds until aromatic, taking care not to scorch.

Add the prepared sauce mixture to the aromatics and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, about 1–2 minutes. If sauce becomes too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons water to reach desired consistency.

Add the fried chicken pieces to the wok and toss them gently to coat thoroughly with the sauce. Add the white parts of the scallions and toss for 30 seconds so they soften slightly but remain crisp-tender.

Finish with 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and the green scallion slices. Toss once more to combine.

Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds if using. Serve immediately over steamed white rice or fried rice.