General Tso’s Chicken

Prep Methods/Techniques
Cuisine
Course
Servings 4
Ingredients
    Sauce
  • 2 tbsp double-concentrate tomato paste, mixed with 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tsp potato flour
  • 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chicken stock or water
    • Chicken
  • 1 lb boneless chicken (thighs and/or breasts)
  • 3 tsp soy sauce
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 tbsp potato flour
  • 2 cup plus 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 12 small dried red chiles
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • Green onions, thinly sliced for garnishing
  • Freshly cooked, hot rice, for serving
Method
    For the sauce:
  1. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
    2. For the chicken:
  2. Trim the chicken of as much fat and other unsavory bits as possible. Lightly pound the chicken to a thickness of no more than 1/2 inch. Make some shallow crosshatch cuts into each piece of chicken then slice the chicken into irregular 1/4-inch slices. Combine the soy sauce and egg yolks in a large bowl, add the chicken and stir to coat. Stir in the potato flour and 1 tablespoon peanut oil and set aside. Using scissors, cut the chiles in half and discard the seeds. Pour 2 cups peanut oil into a wok, or large saucepan and set over high heat. Bring the oil to a temperature of 375°F and fry the chicken in batches until golden brown and crisp 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer the chicken to paper towels. Pour all of the hot oil into another pan or other heatproof container and wipe the wok/saucepan clean.
  3. Place the wok back over high heat and add the last tablespoon of peanut oil. When hot, add the chiles and stir-fry for 5 seconds. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 5 more seconds. Add the sauce and stir until it thickens. Return the chicken to the wok and stir vigorously. Off the heat, stir in the sesame oil. Sprinkle with the green onions and serve over hot rice.