{General Tso's Chicken}

This is what my husband orders every time we get Chinese food. So when I found this recipe I was really excited to make it at home, because I'm assuming it is a lot healthier and less money. We were both really pleased with the outcome. It seems more difficult than it really is. It has a lot of ginger flavor, so I added a little more garlic to even it out a bit. It was a really tasty dish!

For the Chicken:
1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 large egg white
 1 tablespoon soy sauce
 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken beasts, trimmed of fat and cut into 1 1/2" pieces
 canola, peanut or vegetable oil for frying

  For the Sauce:
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger root
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 cup chicken broth or stock
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon Chinese chile-garlic sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon peanut, canola or vegetable oil

  For Serving:
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Steamed broccoli Fresh
hot cooked white rice

Prep your chicken:
 In a mixing bowl, stir together the sesame oil, soy sauce, egg white, and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cornstarch until a thick slurry forms. It will look gummy but smooth. Add the chicken pieces and stir until all are evenly coated. At first it may appear that it will not come together but it does! Set aside, covered lightly with plastic wrap, at room temperature for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Begin the sauce: Add the tablespoon of oil to a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat. Stir the garlic and ginger into the oil and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining sauce ingredients until smooth. Pour into the garlic and ginger, stirring, until thick and shiny. Keep over a low burner partially covered to stay warm. To fry the chicken: Heat 1/2-inch of oil in a heavy-bottomed, high-sided frying pan or skillet over high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add one piece of chicken at a time, taking care not to crowd the pan. Cook for 4 minutes on each side, or until deep golden brown and crisp on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel lined plate and repeat the process until you've cooked all the chicken. Slide all the chicken into the prepared sauce and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sliced scallions and serve immediately over white rice.


*Adapted from Foodie with Family