Description
Sizzling General Tsos Chicken brings takeout magic right to your kitchen with crispy, perfectly glazed chicken pieces that dance with sweet and spicy flavors. Whip up this crowd-pleasing Chinese-American classic faster than delivery and watch your family dive into a plate of deliciousness.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
Coating and Frying:
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch white pepper
- 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
Sauce and Seasonings:
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons chopped green onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 6 dried whole red chilies
- 1 strip orange zest
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Crack 1 large egg into a mixing bowl and whisk it with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon white sugar, and 1 pinch white pepper until smooth. Toss your 1 ½ pounds chicken thigh pieces in the mixture, ensuring each piece gets fully coated.
- Spread 1 cup cornstarch on a plate. Roll each egg-coated chicken piece through the cornstarch, gently shaking off any excess powder so your chicken has a light, even coating.
- Pour 4 cups vegetable oil into a deep skillet and heat to 350°F. Carefully lower chicken pieces into hot oil, frying for 4-5 minutes until they turn golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer chicken to paper towels to drain excess oil.
- In a separate pan, warm 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons chopped green onions, 1 minced garlic clove, 6 dried whole red chilies, and 1 strip orange zest. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir ½ cup white sugar, ¼ cup soy sauce, 3 tablespoons chicken broth, 2 tablespoons peanut oil, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, and ¼ teaspoon ground ginger into the pan. Whisk 2 teaspoons cornstarch with ¼ cup water and add to the sauce.
- Simmer sauce for 2-3 minutes until it thickens and becomes glossy. Gently toss your crispy chicken pieces in the sauce, ensuring each piece gets evenly coated.
- Transfer the saucy chicken to a serving plate. Garnish with additional green onions if desired and serve immediately with steamed rice.
Notes
- Coating the chicken in egg mixture helps create a light, crispy texture that seals in moisture during frying.
- Use a neutral oil like vegetable or peanut oil for deep-frying to get that perfect golden-brown color without overpowering the chicken’s flavor.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular soy sauce with tamari and ensure your cornstarch is certified gluten-free.
- Let the chicken rest on paper towels after frying to drain excess oil and keep the coating crisp, preventing sogginess.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 to 6
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 820 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg