General Tao Chicken
Submitted by snowmonster
General Tao chicken with crispy deep-fried leg meat tossed in a sweet-sour soy glaze with ginger, garlic, dried chilies, and sesame oil. Better than takeout, ready in 40 minutes.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minGeneral Tao chicken (also known as General Tso’s) done properly means two cooking stages: deep-frying small pieces until shatteringly crisp, then tossing them in a hot wok with a glossy, sweet-sour sauce that clings to every piece. This version uses chicken legs instead of breast, which means juicier, more flavorful meat that doesn’t dry out during frying.
The 2-hour marinade in egg white, cornstarch, and soy sauce does double duty. The egg white and cornstarch form a light batter that fries into a crispy shell, while the soy sauce seasons the meat all the way through. Don’t skip the full 2 hours. Shorter marinating means less flavor penetration and a coating that doesn’t adhere as well.
Frying at 350°F (177°C) for just 1 to 2 minutes gives you that golden, crunchy exterior. Working in small batches keeps the oil temperature stable. Crowding drops the heat and gives you greasy, soggy chicken instead of crisp.
The wok sauce comes together fast. Ginger, scallions, garlic, and dried chilies hit the hot oil first for aromatics, then the fried chicken goes back in with sugar, soy, rice vinegar, and a cornstarch-thickened chicken stock. Everything coats in a thick, glossy glaze in under a minute. Sesame oil stirred in at the end adds that signature nutty finish.
Chef Tips
- Cut all pieces to ¾ inch or smaller for even frying and maximum crunch-to-meat ratio
- Keep 2 tablespoons of the frying oil for the wok step. It carries residual chicken flavor into the sauce
- Have the cornstarch-stock mixture mixed and ready before you start the wok. The sauce step moves fast
- Serve immediately over steamed rice. The crispy coating softens within minutes as the sauce soaks in
Variations
- Use boneless, skinless thighs cut into chunks for easier eating
- Add broccoli florets to the wok with the aromatics for a one-dish meal
- Double the dried chilies for a spicier version, or remove them entirely for a milder take
Ingredients
Directions
Cut chicken into pieces no larger than ¾ inch square.
Combine marinade ingredients in large bowl.
Add chicken pieces and set aside for 2 hours.
Add 2 tablespoon cornstarch to chicken stock, store in refridgerater.
In a deep pot, heat oil to 350℉ (180℃).
In a basket, or slotted spoon, lower several pieces of chicken into the oil.
Fry until chicken becomes crisp (1 to 2 minutes) and test meat to ensure doneness.
Continue doing several pieces at a time until all are cooked.
In a wok, on high heat, reheat 2 tablespoon reserved oil. Add prepared ginger, scallions, garlic, and chilies.
Stir to prevent burning.
Add the cooked chicken pieces, still stirring quickly.
Add sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, stock/cornstarch mixture and stir until thick.
Remove from heat, stir in sesame oil, and place on serving dish.
Serve with steamed rice.
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