General Tsao's Chicken

Recipe View 10 mins To Make the Sauce (10 minutes): In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup water until smooth. Add the minced garlic, ginger, sugar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, and white wine vinegar. Gradually pour in the hot chicken broth and add monosodium glutamate (MSG), stirring continuously until the sugar is completely dissolved. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the sauce until needed.

Recipe View 20 mins To Prepare the Chicken (20 minutes): In a separate large bowl, combine the bite-sized chicken pieces with 1/2 cup soy sauce and white pepper. Gently mix in the egg until the chicken is well coated. Add 1 cup of cornstarch and stir until each piece is evenly covered, ensuring a light coating. Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil to help separate the chicken pieces and prevent them from clumping together during frying.

Recipe View 25 mins To Fry the Chicken (25 minutes): Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Working in small batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully add the chicken pieces to the hot oil. Fry until golden brown and crispy, about 5-7 minutes per batch. Remove the fried chicken with a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack or paper towels to drain excess oil.

Recipe View 15 mins To Make the Mixture (15 minutes): Heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the chopped green onions and dried chile peppers, stir-frying briefly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove the sauce from the refrigerator and stir well to recombine. Pour the sauce into the wok and bring to a simmer, cooking until it begins to thicken, about 2-3 minutes. Add the fried chicken to the wok with the sauce. Toss to coat the chicken evenly, cooking until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency, about 2-3 minutes more. If the sauce is not thick enough, you can add a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water) to the wok, stirring constantly until thickened.