General Tso's Chicken

Method

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1. Toss the chicken with the Shaoxing wine and soy sauce and leave 15 minutes, then mix in the egg.

   Mark done

2. Combine the cornflour, plain flour and baking powder and toss the chicken through until thickly and unevenly coated — the craggy bits fry crispest.

   Mark done

3. Whisk the sauce ingredients except the slurry together and set aside.

   Mark done

4. Heat the oil to 175°C / 350°F and fry the chicken in three batches for 4 minutes each until golden. Rest on a rack for 5 minutes.

   Mark done Start 4 min timer

5. Raise the oil to 195°C / 385°F and fry everything together for 90 seconds until deep golden and very crisp. Drain on a rack.

   Mark done Start 90 sec timer

6. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok over medium heat and fry the dried chillies for 30 seconds until they darken slightly.

   Mark done Start 30 sec timer

7. Add the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds, then pour in the sauce and bring to a boil.

   Mark done Start 30 sec timer

8. Add the slurry and cook for 60 seconds until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon heavily.

   Mark done Start 60 sec timer

9. Add the chicken, toss for 20 seconds, and serve at once scattered with spring onion and sesame seeds.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Rest the chicken between fries. That five minutes lets steam escape and is why the second fry works.
• The sauce should be sticky, not runny. If it pools on the plate, it needed another 30 seconds.
• Broccoli florets, blanched and tossed in at the end, are the standard accompaniment.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the red chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.

Pairing Suggestions

• A cold lager or a Gewürztraminer
• Serve with steamed rice and blanched broccoli
• Finish with pineapple

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate 3 days. Re-crisp the chicken at 200°C / 390°F for 8 minutes before re-saucing.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.