General Tao Chicken

 

This General Tao chicken tastes the same as the one served in Chinese restaurants, without the deep frying. Serve on steamed jasmine or basmati rice.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-size pieces

• ¼ cup cornstarch

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• Sauce:

  • ½ cup chopped green onion

  • 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root

  • 4 teaspoons sesame oil

  • ½ cup water

  • ½ cup white sugar

  • ¼ cup distilled white vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • ¼ cup oyster sauce

  • ¼ cup ketchup

  • Directions

    1. Coat chicken pieces with cornstarch in a bowl; set aside.

    2. Beat eggs, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl until combined. Stir in flour and baking powder until no large lumps remain. Mix in chicken pieces until evenly coated.

    3. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Cook chicken in hot oil until golden brown and no longer pink on the inside, about 12 minutes. Set chicken aside; keep warm.

    4. Make sauce: Reduce heat to medium-high; add green onion, ginger, and sesame oil to the skillet. Cook and stir until onion is limp and ginger begins to brown, about 1 minute. Pour in water, sugar, and vinegar; bring to a boil.

    5. Dissolve cornstarch in soy sauce in a small bowl and stir into vinegar mixture along with oyster sauce and ketchup. Cook until sauce has thickened and is no longer cloudy. Stir in chicken; simmer until heated through.