General Tso's Chicken

Hungry for more? This recipe was featured in a podcast episode!

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One of my most enjoyable episodes led to contention on what easy meals mean. But, this is our go-to recipe for my family on a busy day. Try my version! Even the husband has cooked this one.

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook time: 20 min

Yield: 2-3 ppl

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs bones removed (I like to leave the skins on) sliced thin

• 6 dried chillies deseeded and broken up

• 2 tsp minced ginger

• 2 tsp minced garlic

• 1 tsp roasted sesame oil

• 1 spring onion thinly sliced

• generous amount of cooking oil

Chicken marinade

• 4 chicken thighs bones removed (I like to leave the skins on) sliced thin

• 2 tsp soy sauce

• 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce (optional for colour)

• 1 egg yolk

• 2 tbsp corn starch (or potato flour)

• 2 tsp cooking oil

Sauce

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 1/2 tsp corn starch

• 1tsp dark soy sauce

• 1 tsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

• 1/2 tsp chicken powder (chicken boullion)

• 1/4 cup water

Directions

1. Add the chicken and marinate to a bowl and mix well

2. Add the sauce ingredients into a separate bowl, mix well. Keep aside

3. In a high heated pan (a wok is even better), pour a generous amount of oil into it. You want the chicken pieces to be half covered in oil.

4. Add your chicken pieces in the oil in small portions and crisp them up. Do not overcrowd the pan. Turn the pieces over and crisp the other side.

5. Remove the chicken and set aside.

6. Strain the oil. Wipe down the pan with a paper towel.

7. Heat the pan on medium heat.

8. Add 2 tbsp of the strained oil back to to the pan.

9. Add garlic, ginger and red chillies to pan and stir. (Don't let this burn)

10. When red chillies start to darken, add chicken back in and stir.

11. Add sauce. Stir. Let simmer and thicken for about 5 minutes.

12. Turn heat off. Add sesame oil and spring onions.

13. Stir and serve this with rice.

Zhuzh it up!

• Treat yourself to a cheap portable butane stove top. When the weather is right, cook just about everything with oil outside. Makes for almost no cleanup.

• Fuchsia Dunlop's recipe is the deep fried version of this and I have to admit... anything has a zhuzh when deep fried. So when you have more time and a way to cook outside, try it the OG way.

This family favourite was adapted from Fuchsia Dunlop's General Tso's Chicken.