General Tso's Chicken
General Tso’s chicken is a fan favorite in the United States. Named after a military general from the Hunan province of China, this dish was created by a Hunanese chef named Peng Chang-Kuei, who was searching for a new food to give to his guests at a Chinese Nationalist Government dinner banquet. Later on, a chef in New York City took Peng’s hot and sour dish and added a sweet sauce instead, inspiring the General Tso’s chicken we across the United States know today.
We used Arrowroot Powder in our sauce, which is an excellent thickener. If you don’t have any on hand, cornstarch is a great substitute. Our taste testers really enjoyed the flavor and texture of this chicken, which is lighter than standard takeout General Tso's, and extra-crispy. Consider making this with strips of tofu and vegetable stock as a vegetarian option. Serve, of course, with rice and broccoli.
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1-2 Tablespoons General Tso's Secret
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 4 cups corn flakes, crushed
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 2 Tablespoons Arrowroot Powder
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 2 Thai Chiles, optional
- 1 Tablespoon White Sesame Seeds
- 3-4 Scallions, sliced thin
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with kitchen spray and set aside.
- Mix flour with General Tso's Secret. In small batches, bread chicken. Dredge in seasoned flour, then egg, then crushed corn flakes.
- Place chicken on baking sheet and bake in oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden and crispy.
- In a wok or saucepan heated to medium-high, toast Thai chiles toast for 30-45 seconds if using. Add chicken stock, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Make a slurry with Arrowroot Powder and water and mix in well. Reduce heat and let thicken. Toss the chicken in with sauce and make sure it’s well coated.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions and serve with white rice and steamed broccoli.
