Recipe courtesy of Robert Irvine

General Tso's Chicken

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  • Level: Intermediate
  • Total: 1 hr 32 min
  • Prep: 20 min
  • Inactive: 1 hr
  • Cook: 12 min
  • Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

Sauce:

Directions

  1. Combine the diced chicken with the eggs, and the light soy sauce and season with salt and pepper. Remove the chicken to a medium bowl and add enough cornstarch to coat the chicken; it should form a sticky-like paste around the chicken. Cover the bowl and let rest for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

For the sauce:

  1. Combine all the sauce ingredients, except the cornstarch slurry, in a large saucepan over medium heat and simmer until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or heavy-bottomed pan to 350 to 360 degrees F.
  3. Carefully test the oil by dropping a single piece of chicken into it and cook for around 4 minutes. When the oil is hot enough, slowly add a few pieces of chicken at a time, until all the chicken is cooked. Remove the chicken from the oil to paper towels to drain.
  4. Add a little more oil to a clean wok or skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot add the chiles and green onions to saute for around 1 minute. Add the already cooked chicken to the wok and toss around with the chiles so that all the chicken gets great flavor. At this point add the warmed sauce mixture, a few spoonfuls at a time, until all the chicken is coated but not soaking wet.
  5. If the sauce is a little runny add the cornstarch slurry, a little at a time, to thicken the sauce. Remember you have to cook the sauce until bubbling after you have added the cornstarch. This normally takes a couple of minutes over low heat. Remove the chicken mixture from the wok to a serving bowl and serve immediately on fried or steamed rice. Garnish with whole cilantro leaves before serving.