General Tso's Chicken

What a surprise this was for me!  I was looking for a simple dish to make last night, had everything on hand for this recipe, and gave it a shot.  I don't think I've ever ordered this in a Chinese restaurant, but I can't imagine it better than this one.  It was just wonderful.  The skinless, boneless chicken thighs might such a big difference.  This is classic, authentic Chinese-restaurant flavor.  A big plus is that you can control what goes into it.  I halved the recipe last night but will definitely make the full recipe next time.  The leftovers are wonderful!!!!

GENERAL TSO'S CHICKEN (serves 4)

 For the Chicken:

1 to 1 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 whole large egg white (or 1/4 cup egg substitute)

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces

canola oil for frying

For the Sauce: 

1 Tbsp canola oil

1 tsp Chinese garlic chile sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp finely chopped ginger root

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 Tbsp cornstarch

For serving:

green onions, thinly sliced

steamed rice

steamed broccoli

toasted sesame seeds, optional

In a mixing bowl, stir together the sesame oil, soy sauce, egg white, and 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp of cornstarch until a thick slurry forms.  It will look gummy but smooth.  Add the chicken pieces and stir until they are evenly coated.  At first it may appear that it will not come together but does!

Set chicken aside, covered tightly with plastic wrap, at room temperature for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Begin the sauce:

Add the tablespoon of oil to a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium to medium-high heat.  Stir the garlic and ginger into the oil and cook (don't let the garlic burn or you'll have to start over!!!), stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining sauce ingredients until smooth.  Pour into the garlic and ginger, stirring, until the sauce becomes thick and shiny.  Once the sauce thickens, lower heat and keep the saucepan over a low burner partially covered to stay warm.

To fry the chicken:

Heat 1/2" of oil (I used much less) in a heavy-bottomed, high-sided frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat.  When the oil is simmering, add one piece of chicken at a time, taking care not to crowd the pan.  Cook chicken (about 3-4 minutes) on each side, or until deep golden brown and crisp on both sides.  Transfer the fried chicken to a paper towel and blot off all excess oil.  Keep tented with aluminum foil while preparing the second batch.

Slide all of the fried chicken into the prepared sauce and toss to coat.  Add the steamed broccoli to coat with the sauce (I halved the recipe and used a 12 oz bag of broccoli florets....perfect).  Have the burner set to low-medium to medium, stir and heat until warm throughout.

Sprinkle with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.