General Tso’s Chicken | Chef John’s Cooking Class

Name: General Tso’s Chicken | Chef John’s Cooking Class
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: Marinade; 1 Fillet chicken breast; 1/2 tsp. salt; 1/4 tsp. white pepper; 1/2 tbsp. Shaoxing cooking wine; 2 Large egg white; 1/2 tsp. baking powder; 1/2 cup corn starch; 1/4 cup flour; 2 tbsp. water; 1 tbsp. cooking oil; Sauce; 3/4 cup chicken broth; 1 tbsp. light soy sauce; 1 tsp. dark soy sauce; 1/2 tbsp. oyster sauce; 1/4 cup sugar; 1½ tbsp. white vinegar; 1 tbsp. Shaoxing cooking wine; 1 tbsp. potato starch; 3 dried red chilies; Stir-fry; 2 tbsp. cooking oil; 3 cloves garlic; 45 slices ginger; 2 stalks Green Onions, Cut Into 1/2 Inch Pieces.; ㅤ ㅤ Garnish; 1/2 tsp. sesame seeds

Chef John Zhang

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General Tso’s Chicken | Chef John’s Cooking Class

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Done

With this recipe, you can skip the take-out and make your own sweet and sour chicken dish. With both tanginess and a bit of spice, this dish is flavorful and vibrant—bright red in color, crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, sweet and sour, and appetizing.

Recipe

PRE TIME: 20 min

COOKING TIME: 10 min

TOTAL TIME: 30 min

2 SERVING

Ingredients:

Marinade
1 Fillet chicken breast
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tbsp. Shaoxing cooking wine
2 Large egg white
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup corn starch
1/4 cup flour
2 tbsp. water
1 tbsp. cooking oil
Sauce
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp. light soy sauce
1 tsp. dark soy sauce
1/2 tbsp. oyster sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1½ tbsp. white vinegar
1 tbsp. Shaoxing cooking wine
1 tbsp. potato starch
3 dried red chilies
Stir-fry
2 tbsp. cooking oil
3 cloves garlic
45 slices ginger
2 stalks Green Onions, Cut Into 1/2 Inch Pieces.
ㅤ ㅤ Garnish
1/2 tsp. sesame seeds

Directions:

Step 1

Cut the chicken breast into long strips and then into 1½-inch cubes.

Step 2

Season the chicken with salt, white pepper, Shaoxing wine, egg whites, baking powder, cornstarch, flour, cold water, and cooking oil. Add oil as needed; don’t pour all at once. The chicken must be evenly covered with egg white. Avoid the egg yolk as it will prevent the outside from crisping and darkening.

Step 3

Mix chicken pieces and let marinate for 10–15 minutes.

Step 4

In another bowl, add chicken broth, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, white vinegar, Shaoxing wine, and starch. Stir well. Cut the dried chilies into small sections; remove and discard seeds. Use only enough chili shells for fragrance, not spice.

Step 5

In a frying pan, add oil. When the oil temperature reaches 300°F/150°C, put the chicken into the pan piece by piece; fry over medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes or until chicken floats to the surface.

Step 6

After the chicken floats to the surface, take it out and cut off the uneven batter for a more appealing appearance.

Step 7

When the oil temperature rises back to 300°F/150°C again, put the chicken in and again and re-fry about 30 seconds. Quickly strain it out of the oil and place it on a paper towel to absorb the excess. It is best to use medium-low heat when frying. The chicken must also be re-fried, otherwise, the texture will not be good.

Step 8