General Tso's Chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 cups (for frying) vegetable oil
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp (minced) fresh ginger
• 4 stalks scallions
• 8-10 dried red chilies
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp cornstarch (for sauce)
• 1/4 cup water (for sauce)

Instructions

1. 1Cut chicken thighs into 1-inch bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl.
2. 2In a small bowl whisk together large egg and soy sauce. Pour over chicken, toss to coat, and let marinate 10 minutes.
3. 3In a large zip-top bag or shallow bowl mix cornstarch with all-purpose flour.
4. 4Remove chicken from egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then toss pieces in the cornstarch-flour mixture until evenly coated. Set on a plate.
5. 5Heat vegetable oil in a wok or deep skillet to 350°F (175°C).
6. 6While oil heats, mince garlic cloves and fresh ginger. Slice scallions into 1-inch pieces, separating white and green parts. Set aside dried red chilies.
7. 7Fry chicken in batches (do not crowd) for 4-5 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
8. 8In a small bowl whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, cornstarch, and water until smooth. This is your sauce slurry.
9. 9Carefully pour out all but frying oil from the wok. Heat wok over medium-high, add garlic, ginger, white parts of scallions, and dried red chilies. Stir-fry 30-45 seconds until fragrant (do not burn).
10. 10Pour in the prepared sauce slurry. Stir constantly until it thickens and becomes glossy, about 1 minute.
11. 11Add the crispy chicken pieces back into the wok. Toss quickly to coat every piece in the sticky glaze.
12. 12Remove from heat, sprinkle with green parts of scallions, and serve immediately over steamed rice.