chinese food recipes spicy

General TSO's Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs , cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes
• 1 large egg white
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• pinch ground white pepper
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 4 cups vegetable oil or peanut oil *

Sauce

• 1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
• 1 tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar (Chinese black vinegar)**
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or peanut oil *
• 6-8 small dried red chiles, such as Arbol (broken in half and seeds removed)
• 2 teaspoons finely minced or grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/4 cup thinly-sliced scallions
• toasted sesame seeds , for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Make the Chicken

1. Whisk egg white in a bowl until just frothy. Stir in Shaoxing wine, light and dark soy sauces, and ground white pepper. Add cubed chicken thighs and stir to combine. Let marinate for 20 minutes.
2. Coat marinated chicken pieces in cornstarch on all sides.
3. Heat oil to 350 degrees F a large wok or a wide, deep, heavy-bottomed pot. Fry chicken in 3 batches until golden, crispy, and centers register 165 degrees F on an instant read thermometer, about 3-4 minutes. Remove chicken from oil with a spider strainer or a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Make the Sauce

1. In a bowl, whisk together chicken broth, Shaoxing wine, Chinkiang vinegar, light and dark soy sauces, sesame oil, sugar, and cornstarch. Season to taste with salt and set aside.
2. If using the frying vessel to make the sauce, very carefully remove frying oil from the wok or pot. Otherwise, you can use a large skillet for the sauce.
3. Heat the clean wok or skillet and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Sauté dried chiles, ginger, and garlic until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir the sauce mixture to redistribute any settled cornstarch and pour it into the pan. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring often, until thickened and glossy, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add fried chicken and scallions to the sauce and toss to coat. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve with jasmine rice and steamed broccoli, if desired.

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Notes

*If using peanut oil, read my allergen notes here. I always like to tell guests when I've used peanut oil.

**1 tablespoon of vinegar will yield a sauce that's similar to Chinese-American restaurant versions of the dish. If you'd like to try a tangier sauce, a little closer to Chef Peng's original, increase the vinegar to 2 tablespoons.

Nutrition Estimate

Calories: 572KCAL | Carbohydrates: 34G | Protein: 25G | Fat: 36G | Saturated Fat: 26G | Cholesterol: 107MG | Sodium: 963MG | Potassium: 358MG | Sugar: 9G | Vitamin A: 290IU | Vitamin C: 1.9MG | Calcium: 17MG | Iron: 1.4MG