[Recipe] Celebrate Veteran’s Day with General Tso

Last Veteran’s Day, we taught you all about General Tso.  In case you missed it, click here.   This year we will really help you celebrate the honor of General Tso by sharing this recipe for General Tso’s Chicken, THE most popular item taken out from Chinese restaurants in the United States.  What better way to honor all Veteran’s than by enjoying a family feast of General Tso’s Chicken, right?

Recipe for General Tso’s Chicken

Ingredients (for four servings):

(Chicken)

– 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1-inch cubes
– 1 1/2 cups cornstarch
– 1/4 cup salt
– 3 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
– 3 cups vegetable oil for frying, plus 1 tablespoon for stir-frying
– 5 dried red chilis, roughly chopped
– 2 tsp minced garlic
– Scallions, green parts thinly sliced, for garnish

(Marinade)

– 1 tablespoons soy sauce
– 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
– 2 egg whites

(Sauce)

– 1/4 cup chicken stock or broth
– 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
– 1 tablespoon soy sauce
– 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
– 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
– 1 teaspoon chili paste (can substitute 2 tsp cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes)
– 1 teaspoons sesame oil
– 1 tablespoon sugar
– 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine, and egg whites. Coat the chopped chicken in the marinade mixture and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, combine the chicken stock, tomato paste, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, chili paste, sesame oil, sugar, and the 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Stir until well combined. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl or deep plate, mix the cornstarch with salt and pepper. Add the marinated chicken and toss to coat. Shake off any excess before frying.
4. In a large wok or thick-bottom pan/skillet, heat vegetable oil on high until it begins to bubble and sizzle/pop. Turn heat down to medium, and start frying your chicken.
5. Working in 4 or 5 batches, add the first batch of chicken cubes (about 6 cubes per batch) and fry until golden brown on the outside and cooked through, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat until all your chicken is cooked.
6. Turn stove off, drain the oil into a heatproof container and save for discarding. Leave about 2 tbsp oil in your wok.
7. Reheat the wok or pan/skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped dried chilis and garlic, and stir-fry until just fragrant, about 20 seconds.
8. Pour in the sauce and stir until it begins to simmer and thicken, about 1 to 2 minutes.
9. Add fried chicken to the wok/pan and stir well to coat with sauce. Turn off stove, and transfer chicken to a serving dish.
10. Garnish with chopped scallions. Serve with white rice and vegetables.

Thank you Vets!  Thank you General Tso!  

Have a recipe for  Chinese food that you would like to see published on The Chinese Quest?  Please let us know and we will honor YOUR recipe on our blog!

Humbly submitted for your consumption,

—Mee Magnum  (“Chop!  Chop!”)

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