General Tso's Chicken #8
Submitted by Carole817
Crispy deep-fried General Tso’s chicken with bamboo shoots, bell peppers, and a tangy sauce of dark soy, Chinese cooking wine, and chili sauce.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
15 minREADY
35 minThis General Tso’s builds its crunch the old-fashioned way: egg-dipped, flour-coated chicken pieces fried until deeply golden, then tossed in a quick stir-fry with fresh garlic, ginger, and a sweet-sour-spicy sauce that clings to every piece.
What sets this version apart from the takeout standard is the addition of bamboo shoots and both green and red bell peppers, which add crunch and color that most recipes skip. The sauce stays simple: dark soy, white vinegar, Chinese cooking wine, chili sauce, and a touch of sugar, thickened with a cornstarch slurry right at the end.
Whole black peppercorns in the stir-fry add little pops of heat that catch you off guard in the best way.
Kitchen Tips
- Get your frying oil properly hot before adding the chicken. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the coating absorbs grease and turns soggy instead of crispy.
- Flash-fry the peppers for just 10 seconds. Any longer and they lose their snap.
- Make the cornstarch slurry ahead and give it a stir right before adding. Cornstarch settles fast and you’ll pour in water instead of thickener if you don’t remix it.
- Serve immediately. The crispy coating softens quickly once the sauce hits it.
Variations
- Spicier version: Add dried red chili peppers to the stir-fry along with the garlic and ginger.
- Lighter take: Skip the deep-frying and pan-fry the chicken in a couple tablespoons of oil instead. Less crispy, but still good.
- With cashews: Toss in a handful of roasted cashews at the very end for extra crunch and richness.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut the chicken into ¾ inch cubes.
In a bowl, beat the egg. Dip the chicken pieces into the egg and then dip them to coat in the flour.
Set aside.
Cut the bamboo shoots into ½ inch cubes.
Seed the green and red peppers and cut them into small cubes.
Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the water, soy sauce and cornstarch.
Set aside.
In a wok or deep-sided, heavy-bottomed sauce pan, heat enough vegetable oil to deep fry the chicken.
Deep fry the chicken until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Remove from oil and drain on paper towel.
Deep fry the peppers 10 seconds and remove.
Heat the 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil in the wok.
Add chicken, peppers, garlic and ginger.
Then add the remaining ingredients including the bamboo shoots but not the water-soy-cornstarch mixture and cook 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the water-soy-cornstarch mixture and simmer until sauce thickens.
Transfer to warmed dish and serve.
Comments
