General Tso Chicken
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Ingredients
General Tso Sauce:
- 2 tbsp oil
- 4 shallots, sliced
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 2" fresh ginger, minced, OR 6 cubes frozen ginger
- ½-1 jalapeño (see note), very finely chopped, to taste
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup sweet red wine
- ¾ cup ketchup, homemade or store-bought
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Chicken:
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1¼ cups potato starch
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 2-3 lbs chicken cutlets, cut into bite-size cubes
- oil, for deep frying
- sliced scallions, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a small pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallots and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until softened.
- Add garlic, ginger, and jalapeño. Reduce heat to low; cook uncovered for at least 10-15 minutes, but longer will lead to deeper flavor.
- Add sugar, wine, ketchup, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Prepare the chicken: In a bowl, combine eggs, salt, garlic powder, sugar, potato starch, and vinegar. Whisk to form a smooth batter. Add chicken pieces; stir until all chicken is fully coated.
- In a deep frying pan or medium pot, heat about 2 inches oil over medium heat. Slip in chicken pieces one at a time; deep fry for 3-4 minutes, until chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
- Just before serving, toss chicken in sauce. Garnish with sliced scallions, if desired.
Notes
Sauce can be prepared ahead of time and stored for 2-3 days in the fridge or longer in the freezer. Chicken is best the day it is fried, but it can be prepared 1-2 days ahead of time and rewarmed, uncovered, in a single layer, until heated through.
You can omit the sauce and serve the chicken plain for a really great battered chicken recipe. Alternatively, you can serve the chicken with a bowl of sauce on the side, so everyone can decide if they want sauce or not.
