General Tso's Chicken Recipe

Prepare and marinate chicken

Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and cut into 1 to 1.25-inch bite-sized pieces. Place chicken in a bowl and add 2 tbs soy sauce, 1 tbs Shaoxing wine, 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp minced garlic, and the egg white. Mix until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (up to 1 hour) to tenderize and flavor the meat.

After marinating, add the cornstarch cup to the marinated chicken in batches. Toss pieces so each is well coated with a thin, even layer of cornstarch. Shake off excess cornstarch and set coated pieces on a wire rack or tray while you heat the oil.

Fry the chicken

Pour about 2 cups vegetable oil into a deep skillet or wok (oil should be 1 to 1.5 inches deep). Heat over medium-high until oil reaches 350°F (175°C) or a small piece of cornstarch sizzles and floats. Fry the coated chicken in batches to avoid crowding: cook 3–4 minutes per batch until golden brown and cooked through, turning as needed. Remove with a slotted spoon to a wire rack or paper towels to drain. Keep warm in a low oven if needed while finishing remaining batches.

Mix sauce

In a bowl or measuring cup combine 3 tbs soy sauce, 1 tsp dark soy, 2 tbs rice vinegar, 1 tbs hoisin sauce, 2 tbs rice syrup or honey, 1 cup chicken stock (or water), and 2 tbs granulated sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust balance of sweet/tangy — it should be noticeably sweet with a tangy edge. Set aside.

Whisk 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbs cold water to make a smooth slurry and set aside. This will thicken the sauce near the end of cooking.

Cook aromatics

Discard most of the frying oil from the wok leaving about 1 to 2 tbs for stir-frying (or use a clean tablespoon of vegetable oil). Heat the wok over medium heat. Add the sliced ginger matchsticks, sliced/minced garlic, and dried red chilies or chile flakes. Stir-fry for 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Pour the prepared sauce into the wok with the aromatics, bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir and allow to reduce slightly for 2–3 minutes.

Give the cornstarch slurry a quick re-stir and then slowly whisk it into the simmering sauce. Continue to simmer 1–2 minutes until sauce thickens to a glossy, clingy consistency. Stir in 1 tsp toasted sesame oil to finish the sauce.

Add the fried chicken pieces to the wok and toss quickly to coat evenly with the sauce, heating the chicken through (about 30–45 seconds). Add the scallion pieces and toss for another 15–20 seconds just to wilt the green parts slightly while keeping color and snap.

Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and additional sliced scallions if desired. Serve immediately over steamed rice.