General Tso's Chicken
About this recipe
General Tso's Chicken is a beloved dish in Chinese American cuisine, known for its crispy texture and sweet-savory flavor. This recipe, shared by Daddy Lau, emphasizes using chicken breast for a healthier twist, while still delivering that classic taste.
In this video, Daddy Lau, a seasoned chef with over 50 years of experience, guides you through making this iconic dish from scratch. His approach balances traditional techniques with practical tips, ensuring your General Tso's Chicken turns out perfectly crispy and flavorful.
Ingredient notes
- Use 10 oz of chicken breast for a healthier alternative to thighs.
- The recipe calls for 1/2 egg, with the remaining half used later in the batter preparation.
- Adjust the water in the batter as needed; start with 4 tablespoons and add more to achieve the right consistency.
Tips from Made With Lau’s video
- For extra crispiness, use a combination of flour and cornstarch in a 3:1 ratio. This prevents the batter from being too soft or too hard.
- To check if the oil is hot enough for frying, drop a bit of batter into the oil; if it floats immediately, it's ready. If it turns golden brown too quickly, the oil is too hot.
- Fry the chicken twice: the first fry at around 300°F (149°C) for cooking, and the second fry at 350-400°F (176-204°C) for crispiness.
Good to know
- How many servings does this recipe yield?
- This recipe yields 2-4 servings.
- What type of oil should I use for frying?
- Use corn oil for frying, as it can withstand high heat better than olive oil.
- How long should I marinate the chicken?
- Marinate the chicken for about 10-20 minutes.
- What is the right consistency for the batter?
- The batter should be mixed until there are no clumps and is not too thick; adjust with water as needed.
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Made With Lau: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces.
- 2
In a bowl, marinate the chicken with salt, half an egg, cornstarch, and water. Let it sit for 10-20 minutes.
- 3
In a separate bowl, prepare the batter by mixing flour, cornstarch, the remaining half of the egg, baking powder, and about 4 tablespoons of water. Adjust the water to achieve the right consistency.
- 4
Mince the garlic and ginger, and chop the red bell pepper.
- 5
Heat corn oil in a wok until hot enough for frying.
- 6
Prepare the sauce by mixing light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, ketchup, and white pepper in a bowl.
- 7
Once the oil is hot, mix the marinated chicken with the batter and start frying the chicken in batches until golden brown.
- 8
Remove the chicken from the oil and set aside. Fry again for extra crispiness.
- 9
In the same wok, cook the sauce with dried chili peppers, garlic, cornstarch, water, and sesame oil until heated through.
- 10
Combine the fried chicken with the sauce and serve.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- The quantity for the red bell pepper was inferred based on typical usage in similar recipes.
Credit where it’s due: this recipe was transcribed from Made With Lau’s original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it’s their dish.
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