Always Awesome General Tso's Chicken
Submitted by anne/joe
General Tso’s chicken double-fried until shatter-crisp, then tossed in a glossy soy and rice wine sauce with dried chilies, ginger, and scallions. The takeout favorite, made better at home.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
20 minREADY
1 hrsReal-deal General Tso’s chicken gets its signature crackle from a double fry, and this version doesn’t cut corners. Chunks of chicken breast are coated in a simple egg-and-cornstarch slurry, fried once until just cooked, then fried again at higher heat until golden and shatteringly crisp.
The sauce is a balanced blend of soy sauce, rice wine, rice vinegar, sugar, and chicken broth, thickened with cornstarch so it clings to every piece without going gluey. Sixteen dried red chilies sound aggressive but they’re meant to fry whole and infuse the oil with smoky heat rather than be eaten. Garlic, fresh ginger, and scallions go in at the end so they stay punchy and sharp.
Make-ahead friendly too. The chicken can be first-fried up to an hour ahead and the sauce mixed days in advance, so the second fry and toss come together fast at dinnertime.
Chef Tips
- Two oil temperatures are the trick. The first fry at 350°F (175°C) cooks the chicken through, the second at 400°F (205°C) crisps the exterior without overcooking the meat.
- Cook the dried chilies until they turn dark red, but pull them before they go black. Burnt chilies turn the whole dish bitter.
- Re-stir the sauce right before pouring it into the pan. Cornstarch settles fast and you want the slurry uniform when it hits the heat.
- Serve immediately. The crisp coating starts to soften within minutes of being sauced.
Variations
- Swap in cubed boneless thighs for juicier, more forgiving meat that won’t dry out as easily.
- Use tamari instead of soy sauce to keep it gluten-free.
- Add a splash of toasted sesame oil and a sprinkle of sesame seeds at the end for a nuttier finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Whisk together thoroughly the egg and cornstarch.
Add pieces of chicken, turning to coat evenly.
In wok or deep-fat fryer, heat 2 inches of oil to 350℉ (180℃).
Fry chicken, a few pieces at a time until lightly browned and just cooked through.
Drain on paper towels.
Combine sauce ingredients, mixing well.
Set aside.
(The chicken may be fried the first time up to one hour in advance; the sauce can be combined several days in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator.)
In frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil until hot.
Add chili peppers and cook until dark red.
Add scallions and stir-fry about one minute.
Add garlic and ginger, cooking briefly, but do not brown.
Remove from heat. Reheat deep oil to 400℉ (200℃).
Return chicken to oil, in batches, and cook until crisp and golden brown.
Drain on paper towels.
Re-stir sauce and add to frying pan with onions and peppers.
Cook, stirring until thickened and bubbly.
Add chicken and cook, stirring, until well coated and heated through.
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