General Tso's Chicken Recipe: A Deliciously Easy Guide
This General Tso's Chicken recipe is designed to be both delicious and easy to make at home. Forget the takeout – you can achieve that signature sweet and savory flavor in your own kitchen! This guide will walk you through each step, ensuring you create a restaurant-quality dish that will impress your friends and family.
Ingredients You'll Need:
This recipe yields approximately 4 servings. Adjust quantities as needed for larger gatherings.
For the Chicken:
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
- 2 large eggs, beaten
For the Sauce:
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for extra heat)
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Preparing the Chicken:
- Marinate (Optional): For extra tender chicken, you can marinate the cubed chicken in a mixture of soy sauce and a little ginger for 30 minutes. This step is not essential but adds depth of flavor.
- Coat the Chicken: In a large bowl, combine the cornstarch, flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and ginger powder. Add the beaten eggs and mix well. Add the chicken cubes and toss until evenly coated.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot (a small piece of chicken should sizzle immediately), carefully add the chicken in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Fry until golden brown and cooked through (about 5-7 minutes per batch). Remove the chicken from the oil and place it on a wire rack to drain excess oil.
Making the Sauce:
- Combine Ingredients: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the chicken broth, rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, cornstarch, sesame oil, minced garlic, minced ginger, and red pepper flakes (if using).
- Simmer the Sauce: Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens (about 2-3 minutes).
Combining Chicken and Sauce:
- Add Chicken to Sauce: Add the fried chicken to the thickened sauce and toss gently to coat evenly.
- Serve Immediately: Serve the General Tso's chicken hot over rice or noodles. Garnish with sesame seeds, green onions, or chili flakes for an extra touch.
Tips for Success:
- Don't overcrowd the pan when frying the chicken; this will lower the oil temperature and result in greasy chicken.
- Adjust the sweetness and spiciness to your liking by adding more or less brown sugar and red pepper flakes.
- Make it ahead: The chicken can be fried ahead of time and reheated before adding to the sauce. This is great for meal prepping!
- Experiment with variations: Add other vegetables like broccoli or bell peppers for a healthier twist.
SEO Keywords:
This recipe incorporates various relevant keywords and semantic variations, including: General Tso's chicken, General Tso's chicken recipe, easy General Tso's chicken, homemade General Tso's chicken, best General Tso's chicken recipe, General Tso's chicken recipe easy, crispy General Tso's chicken. The natural integration of these keywords throughout the text ensures optimal SEO performance.
Enjoy your homemade General Tso's Chicken! Let me know in the comments how yours turns out!
