General Tso's Chicken

General Tso's Chicken recipe - Crispy coated chicken cooked in a spicy and savoury sauce. One of the crowd pleasing chicken dish which is so simple and easy to make at home in 30 minutes!

Although it may look like other typical Chinese cuisines, its taste in fact is ''one of a kind''. Just like your favourite restaurant-quality, this recipe makes the taste buds tingle and it doesn't take much time at all. Easy to cook at home if you've well prepared all the necessary ingredients beforehand.

This dish combines BIG flavors to make a lip-smackingly tasty lunch/dinner that you can pull together in a few mins. For me, I usually cook at home very frequently as our whole family love it so much and I believe, there's no better way to celebrate special occasions with this dish with family and friends.

What is General Tso's Chicken

There's a very interesting history but the controversial story behind this particular dish. It's a popular restaurant dish in USA, created and named, 'General Tso's Chicken' by Taiwanese chef in Taiwan in 1950 s. His dish was loved by US diplomats, so other chefs in USA recreated American version.

Though it's being recognized as Chinese food, it is just a very popular Chinese-American dish commonly found in Chinese restaurants in all around US, Australia, and Europe. So it means, it's famous Chinese takeout which is one of the crowd-pleasing dishes in the US rather than in China.

Is it similar with Orange Chicken and Kung Pao Chicken?

Very similar to Orange Chicken but, the main difference is that General Tso's sauce has focused on more ginger, savoury flavor. As well as a little more heat from the hot sauce or chili flakes while Orange Chicken goes to sweeter, tangy side more.

The main difference with Kung Pao Chicken is how the meat is cooked. While General Tso is fried in a crispy coating, Kung Pao chicken is seared on the stove. Both are coated in a similar sauce, but Kung Pao normally always has more veggies and peanuts mixed in it.

How to serve this dish

This fragrant and mouthwatering dish is best suitable with steamed white rice or stir-fried noodles or fried rice. Or else, you can choose your other favorite side dishes like fried prawns, wantons, salads or various Chinese soups like Sweet Corn Soup to be accompanied. Then, you can enjoy the full banquet together with family or friends then!
For drink options, just choose or grab freshly squeezed fruit juices like lemonade or lime for a healthy and refreshing drink anytime.

How to Make It

Cut chicken into small bite size pieces. Add all the ingredients from the chicken marinate list, mix well and marinate for 15 minutes.

In a small mixing bowl add all the ingredients from the sauce mix and stir well. Set aside.

Add one egg white into the marinated chicken and mix well. Coat the chicken pieces with Corn/potato flour and toss the excess flour out before frying.

Heat the oil into high heat about 350° F. Add the coated chicken pieces and deep fry for 2-3 mins till chicken turn into crispy golden brown. Remove from oil and set aside.

Heat the wok, drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil, add the garlic and stir for few seconds then add the ginger and follow with the dry chillies. Stir fry for few seconds. ( Dry chillies can burn very easy, pour the sauce mix immediately as soon as the chillies slightly colour change. )

Pour the sauce mixture in, stir well and bring it to boil with medium heat.

Add the fried chicken pieces. Stir well with medium high heat for about 1 minute until the chicken pieces and sauce become glossy.

Add the spring onions and stir well for few seconds.

Delicious General Tso's Chicken is ready! Serve immediately. Perfect with a bowl of steamed rice or a stir-fry noodle. Enjoy!

📖 Recipe

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