🇨🇳🇺🇸 My dad's General Tso's Chicken (左宗棠鸡) - A Chinese American Icon

soy sauce

🥗Healthier: low-sodium soy sauce

💰Cheaper: tamari

Low-sodium soy sauce reduces sodium intake while tamari is gluten-free.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Honey provides a natural sweetness while brown sugar is often more affordable.

chicken

🥗Healthier: tofu

💰Cheaper: seitan

Tofu offers a plant-based option, while seitan is a cost-effective meat substitute.

vegetable oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Avocado oil has a higher smoke point and is healthier, while canola oil is usually less expensive.

Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces.

Marinate the chicken in a bowl with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 egg, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and 1/2 tbsp water. Let it sit for about 10-20 minutes.

Prepare the batter in a different bowl by mixing 3 tbsp flour, 1 tbsp cornstarch, the remaining half of the egg, 1 tsp baking powder, and about 4 tablespoons of water. Adjust the water until the batter reaches the right consistency.

Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the batter and mix well to prevent clumping.

Mince 2 garlic cloves and slice a few pieces of ginger and about 1-2 ounces of red bell pepper.

Heat corn oil in a wok until it's hot enough to fry the chicken. Test the temperature by dropping a bit of batter into the oil; it should float immediately.

Prepare the sauce by mixing 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp vinegar, and 1/2 tsp white pepper in a bowl.

After frying the chicken, add 4 dried chili peppers, the minced garlic, 1 tsp cornstarch, 2 tbsp water, and 1 tsp sesame oil to the sauce mixture and mix well.

Fry the chicken twice: first at around 300°F (149°C) and then at 350-400°F (176-204°C) for the second fry.

Mix the batter with the marinated chicken before frying.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens