How to Prepare General Tso’s Chicken (Crispy Chicken without Deep-Frying)?

 

Preparation: 

·       Preparation time: 15 min

·       Cooking time: 10 min

·       Serving: 4

Ingredients:

·       1 lb (454 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts), cut into 1" (2-cm) pieces

·       1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)

·       1 egg, beaten

·       1/2 teaspoon salt

·       1/2 cup cornstarch

Sauce (or pre-made General Tso’s Sauce)

·       1/3 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock)

·       2 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar

·       2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)

·       1 tablespoon light soy sauce (or soy sauce)

·       1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (or soy sauce)

·       1/4 cup sugar

·       1 tablespoon cornstarch

Stir fry

·       3 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)

·       7 to 8 dried Chinese chili peppers (*Footnote)

·       2 teaspoons minced ginger

·       4 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions:

1.    Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set it aside.

2.    Combine the chicken pieces, vegetable oil, and salt in a big bowl. Mix well and let it marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.

3.    Add the beaten egg into the bowl with the chicken. Stir to mix well. Add the cornstarch. Stir to coat the chicken until it forms an uneven coating with a little dry cornstarch left unattached.

4.    Heat the stir-fry oil in a heavy-duty skillet until hot, until it just starts to smoke. Add the chicken all at once and spread it out into a single layer in the skillet. Separate the chicken pieces with a pair of tongs or chopsticks.

5.    Cook without touching the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes or until the bottom turns golden. Flip to brown the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a big plate and remove the pan from the stove. Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes.

6.    Place the pan back onto the stove and turn to medium heat. You should still have 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan. Add the dried chili pepper, garlic, and ginger. Cook and stir a few times until it releases its fragrance.

7.    Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch completely. Pour it into the pan. Stir and cook until it thickens, when you can draw a line on the bottom with a spatula without the sauce running back immediately.

8.    Add back the chicken pieces. Stir to coat the chicken with sauce for 30 seconds. Transfer everything to a plate immediately. Serve hot as a main dish.

To make your General Tso’s chicken extra crispy without deep frying, consider using a grill setup that retains heat evenly—like the Lotus Grill with the coperchio Lotus Grill (Lotus Grill lid). The lid helps circulate hot air, mimicking a convection oven effect that crisps up the chicken beautifully while keeping it tender inside.