Recipe byThe ZestyPlate Kitchen
Crispy deep-fried chicken tossed in a sweet, savoury and slightly spicy sauce. A Chinese-American takeaway favourite, best over rice.
General Tso's chicken is a takeaway staple: crisp-fried chicken coated in a glossy sauce that is sweet, savoury and lightly spiced. Cook it at home and you decide how crunchy the chicken is and how the flavours balance, which is easier than you might expect. Pile it over rice with a scatter of spring onion and it beats delivery.
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Prep 20 min
Cook 20 min
Total 40 min
Medium
Scale:
- 1 1/2 Chicken Breast
- 3/4 cup Plain Flour
- 1 Egg
- 1 tbs Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Onion Salt
- 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
- 3/4 cup Water
- 1/2 cup Chicken Stock
- 1/4 cup Duck Sauce
- 3 tbs Soy Sauce
- 2 tbs Honey
- 1 tbs Rice Vinegar
- 2 tbs Sesame Seed Oil
- 1/2 tbs Gochujang
- 2 tbs Starch
- 1 clove Garlic
- 2 chopped Spring Onions
- 1 tsp Ginger
Preparation
- Make the sauce: in a bowl, combine 2 cups water, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp white vinegar, the sherry cooking wine, ¼ tsp white pepper, the minced ginger, minced garlic, hot pepper, ketchup, hoisin sauce and sugar, and mix well. Set aside.
- Marinate the chicken: in a bowl, combine the chicken with a pinch of salt, a pinch of white pepper, 2 egg whites and 3 tbsp cornstarch.
- Deep-fry the chicken at 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown, separating the pieces so they don't stick together, then set aside.
- Tip the sauce into a wok with the broccoli and bring to the boil. To thicken, whisk together 2 tbsp cornstarch and 4 tbsp water and add it slowly until the sauce reaches the thickness you want.
- Add the chicken, stir-fry for a minute, then serve.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Get the oil good and hot before frying so the coating crisps up instead of going greasy.
- Fry the chicken in batches and separate the pieces so they don't stick into a clump.
- Have the sauce mixed and waiting, then toss the fried chicken in at the very last moment to keep it crisp.
- Thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry, adding it bit by bit until it turns glossy and clings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Toss it in the sauce only right before serving. The longer it sits coated, the softer that crust becomes.
Yes, just dial the sugar, honey and chilli paste up or down to taste. The usual balance is sweet with mild heat, but it bends easily.
You can. For a lighter version, coat and bake or air-fry until crisp, then toss in the sauce. The texture differs but still works.
Steamed rice is the standard, often with broccoli on the side or stirred through. A scatter of sesame seeds and spring onion finishes it well.
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