General Tso's Chicken Iii
Submitted by excoshka
General Tso’s chicken double-fried until crispy, tossed with blackened dried chilies, garlic, and ginger in a soy-sherry-vinegar sauce. Restaurant-style Chinese takeout made from scratch.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
10 minREADY
30 minThe secret to restaurant-quality General Tso’s is the double fry. Chicken pieces get coated in an egg-cornstarch batter and fried until lightly browned the first time, then hit the hot oil again at a higher temperature until shatteringly crispy and deep golden. That two-stage fry is what gives takeout its crunch.
The sauce balances sweet, salty, sour, and spicy. Soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, sherry, and chicken broth simmer with cornstarch until thick and glossy. Dried red chilies get blackened in oil first, which releases a smoky heat that’s more complex than raw spice.
Garlic and ginger go in with the blackened peppers and scallions, but briefly. Just long enough to release their aroma without browning, which would turn them bitter.
Pro Tips
- The first fry can be done up to an hour ahead. This makes the second fry faster and lets you prep everything else in between
- Blacken the dried chilies until they’re dark and fragrant, not ash. They should smell toasted, not burnt
- Re-stir the sauce right before adding it to the pan. The cornstarch settles to the bottom and you’ll end up with a thin, watery sauce if you don’t mix it again
- Toss the chicken in the sauce quickly and serve immediately. Sitting in the sauce softens the crispy coating fast
Variations
- Air fryer method: Skip the deep fry and air-fry the battered chicken at 400°F (200°C) for a lighter version
- Tofu version: Use extra-firm tofu pressed dry and cubed in place of chicken for a vegetarian take
- Less heat: Reduce the dried chilies to 6-8 and remove the seeds for milder spice
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 blackened.
Add onions 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 fat, 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.
Serve over rice.
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