The Best General Tso's Chicken

Dr. Sweetpea is a huge fan of General Tso's chicken. Whenever I'm feeling lazy and we order take-out for dinner, he always orders it and it's always greasy, salty, and the coating is not crisp at all. So I searched high and low for a great recipe that I can make for him at home. I finally found one from Cooks Country, it's parent company is America's Test Kitchen, so I knew it would turn out great the first time. It's definitely a little time consuming to make but the end result is FABULOUS! The chicken is perfectly crisp, sauce is flavorful, and wasn't super greasy! Dr. Sweetpea told me that this is definitely a keeper as he devoured two servings.

General Tso's Chicken

(Source: Cooks Country)

Marinade and Sauce

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

1/4 cup white vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)

3 tablespoons soy sauce (I used reduced sodium soy sauce)

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 cups water

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds) cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Coating and Frying

3 large egg whites

1 1/2 cups cornstarch

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

4 cups vegetable oil

For the marinade and sauce: Whisk hoisin, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and water in bowl. Combine 6 tablespoons hoisin mixture and chicken in zipper-lock bag; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups hoisin mixture and simmer, whisking constantly, until dark brown and thickened, about 2 minutes. Cover and keep sauce warm.

For coating and frying: Whisk egg whites in shallow dish until foamy. Combine cornstarch, flour, baking soda, and remaining hoisin mixture in second shallow dish until mixture resembles coarse meal. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Toss half of chicken with egg whites until well coated, then dredge chicken in cornstarch mixture, pressing to adhere. Transfer coated chicken to plate and repeat with remaining chicken.

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until oil registers 350 degrees. Fry half of chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes, turning each piece halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to paper towel-lined plate. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken.

To serve: Warm sauce over medium-low heat until simmering, about 1 minute. Add crispy chicken and toss to coat. Serve.