General Tso’s Chicken

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     My husband and I love Chinese food, especially General Tso’s chicken and tofu. We have tried on numerous occasions to make this dish using store bought sauces, mixes, and powders, but it has never tasted even close to the real thing. So when I saw a recipe for General Tso’s on Joelen’s blog and read many of the rave reviews I was incredibly anxious to try it.

     I bought the ingredients and whisked everything together for the marinade. I had a little taste and much to my surprise, it tasted good! I marinated the chicken for an hour and then got started on the chicken. I added some broccoli to the chicken and ground ginger to the coating.

     As I brought the sauce to a boil it smelled amazing. I poured the sauce over the chicken and served it all over rice. My husband and I were excited to try it. It was really good! It tasted very similar to the General Tso’s that is served in Chinese restaurants. This is definitely the closest I’ve ever gotten to the real thing. We can’t wait to try it over tofu next time.

General Tso’s Chicken (adapted from Joelen’s Culinary Adventures )

Marinade and Sauce:

½ c. hoison sauce
¼ c. white vinegar
3 T. soy sauce
3 T sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1 t. ground ginger
1 ¼ c. water
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
1 T. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. grated fresh ginger
½ t. red pepper flakes
1 c. fresh broccoli florets

Coating and Frying:

2 large egg whites
¾ c. cornstarch
¾ c. flour

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1. Cut the chicken breasts into 1 inch pieces. Put in a gallon sized zip top bag and place in the refrigerator.

4. Get out 2 prep bowls. In one bowl whisk the egg whites until foamy, set aside. In the second bowl mix flour, cornstarch, ground ginger, baking soda, and reserved marinade/sauce. Mix well.

5. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and marinade. Pat the marinated chicken with a paper towel. Toss half the chicken into the foamy egg white and then dredged in the cornstarch mixture. Put on a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

6. In a large skillet heat 3 T. of olive oil. Add the chicken and sauté 3-4 minutes on one side. Add the remaining oil then sauté 3-4 minutes on the other side. Add in the broccoli and stir fry for 4-5 minutes.