General Tso's Chicken Recipe

Prep chicken

Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch bite-size pieces. Pat dry with paper towels.

Marinate

In a bowl combine the egg, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat. Let marinate 15–20 minutes at room temperature or up to 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Coat

Mix 1/2 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour in a shallow bowl. Working in batches, dredge marinated chicken in the starch-flour mixture, pressing lightly so the coating adheres. Shake off excess.

Heat oil and fry

In a heavy skillet or wok heat about 1 cup neutral oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C) or a small piece of batter sizzles and browns in about 10–15 seconds. Fry chicken in batches without crowding, 3–4 minutes per batch, until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towels to drain. If desired for extra crispness, let oil return to temperature and fry each batch a second time 45–60 seconds until very crisp, then drain.

Make sauce mixture

In a bowl whisk together 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dark soy (or extra soy), 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon hoisin, 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1/2 cup water or chicken stock until the sugar dissolves.

Prepare slurry

In a small cup combine 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water and stir until smooth; set aside.

Cook sauce

Wipe out excess oil from the wok or use a clean skillet. Heat 1 tablespoon of the reserved frying oil (or 1 tbs neutral oil) over medium-high heat. Add the dried chiles and stir for 20–30 seconds until fragrant (be careful not to burn). Add the minced garlic and ginger and cook 20–30 seconds until aromatic.

Add sauce and thicken

Pour the sauce mixture into the wok and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens to a glossy coating. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil.

Toss the fried chicken pieces into the hot sauce in the wok, stirring quickly to coat each piece evenly. Add the white parts of the sliced scallions and toss for 20–30 seconds just to combine; the residual heat will soften them slightly without losing color.

Transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle with sliced green parts of the scallions and optional toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately over steamed white rice with optional steamed broccoli on the side.