How to Make Takeout Icon General Tso’s Chicken
About this recipe
General Tso's Chicken is a beloved Chinese-American dish known for its crispy fried chicken and sweet-savory sauce. In this recipe, chef Steve Chu of Ekiben puts a unique twist on the classic, making it accessible for home cooks while still delivering that takeout flavor.
This version features a velveting technique for tender chicken and a sauce that incorporates Coca-Cola for a special touch. Paired with blanched broccoli, it’s a meal that brings the restaurant experience right into your kitchen.
Ingredient notes
- Use red cola for best flavor in the sauce.
Tips from Munchies’s video
- Velveting the chicken with egg and cornstarch helps create a tender texture and a crispy batter when frying.
- Make sure to let the sauce reduce by a third for the right thickness before adding the cornstarch slurry.
- Fry the chicken in batches at 400 degrees Fahrenheit to achieve a golden brown color.
Good to know
- What is the purpose of velveting the chicken?
- Velveting the chicken with egg and cornstarch helps create a tender texture and a crispy batter when frying.
- How long should I refrigerate the chicken mixture?
- Refrigerate the chicken mixture for about 30 minutes to allow it to marinate and get tender.
- What type of cola should I use in the sauce?
- Use red cola for the best flavor in the sauce.
- How do I know when the sauce is ready?
- The sauce should be reduced by a third and thickened with the cornstarch slurry before serving.
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Munchies: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Cut the chicken breasts into one-inch cubes.
- 2
In a bowl, mix the chicken with the egg using your hands until well combined.
- 3
Add cornstarch and baking soda to the chicken mixture and mix until fully incorporated.
- 4
Add a little water to achieve a pancake-batter consistency and a bit of oil to prevent sticking. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- 5
Prepare the sauce by mixing dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, ketchup, and Coca-Cola in a bowl.
- 6
Heat a wok until hot and add oil. Crack the dried chili peppers in half to release their flavor, then add minced garlic and stir until aromatic.
- 7
Add the sauce mixture to the wok and let it caramelize.
- 8
Prepare a cornstarch slurry while the sauce reduces.
- 9
Once the sauce has reduced by a third, add the cornstarch slurry and stir until thickened. Then add sugar and vinegar to adjust the flavor and consistency.
- 10
Heat oil in the wok to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and fry the marinated chicken pieces until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per batch.
- 11
Prepare the broccoli by cutting it into florets and blanching in salted hot water for 45 seconds, then transfer to an ice water bath to stop cooking.
- 12
Drain the broccoli and serve it alongside the fried chicken, drizzled with the sauce.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- The quantity of cornstarch is inferred based on typical recipes for General Tso's chicken.
- The quantity of oil for frying is a common estimate for frying chicken.
Credit where it’s due: this recipe was transcribed from Munchies’s original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it’s their dish.
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