General Tso's Chicken

Introduction

General Tso’s Chicken is sweet, salty, a little spicy, and fully in sticky-sauce territory. The homemade stock from the chicken skin and bones gives the sauce more depth than a standard takeout shortcut.

Step-by-step

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg chicken thighs, bone-in skin-on (2.6 lb)
• 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 red chili, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow onion, cut into wedges
• 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 60 ml oyster sauce (1/4 cup)
• 60 ml hoisin sauce (1/4 cup)
• 60 ml soy sauce (1/4 cup)
• 40 g sugar (1.4 oz)
• 2 tbsp black bean paste, optional
• 1 tbsp crunchy chili paste, optional
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• A little red food coloring, optional
• Neutral oil or chicken fat
• Salt
• Pepper
• MSG, optional
• Cold water
• Water

Method

1. Stir together the oyster sauce, hoisin, soy sauce, sugar, black bean paste, and crunchy chili paste to make the sauce base. Add a little red food coloring if you want the classic deep color.
2. Chop the broccoli, red chili, onion, and garlic.
3. Trim the chicken thighs. Remove the skin and bones, then cut the meat into bite-size pieces.
4. Brown the chicken skin, bones, and some of the onion and garlic in a pot until they pick up color and release fat.
5. Pour off the fat first and set it aside. Add water to the pot and let the remaining bits simmer and reduce for about 1 hour.
6. Mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, and optional MSG. Coat the chicken well so every piece is covered.
7. Fry the chicken at 190 °C for about 3 minutes until crisp but still fairly pale. Check that the largest pieces are cooked through and at least 74 °C (165 °F) in the center. Drain on a rack.
8. Toast the sesame seeds quickly in a dry pan and set them aside.
9. Heat the reserved chicken fat in a skillet or wok. Use neutral oil if you do not have enough fat.
10. Stir-fry the broccoli, onion, chili, and garlic over high heat so the vegetables still keep a little bite.
11. Strain the stock and stir in the sauce. Let it heat through until smooth before adding the chicken back in.
12. Add the chicken to the pan and toss well so every piece is coated.
13. Stir together a cornstarch slurry with cold water, then pour it in a little at a time until the sauce turns thick and sticky.
14. Scatter over the sesame seeds and serve with rice.

Serving note

Serve with jasmine rice or noodles. If the sauce gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of hot stock or water. For more heat, add extra chili at the table.