General Tso's Chicken

Anyone who reads more than 5 posts on this blog will determine quickly that I've got a special place in my heart for Asian meals. And with so much variety, that's a delightful trend. Recently, I had some family staying with me, and I was prying on favorite foods so I could come up with a worthy dinner option. When I heard Chinese food was a top choice, I knew exactly what to do.

Homemade Lo Mein is one of my staples, so I opted for a veggie version of that, recreating my all-time Chinese take out favorite. Then, I had to decide - bourbon chicken? Orange? Then I realized that General Tso's is a classic choice, and the process was easy from there.

I'd made General Tso's chicken a long time ago, but I think any recipe made 7 years ago has earned its right to a redo. Of course, that was back in simpler times, with a sauce made not from scratch. More recently, I made General Tsofu and got my sauce makin' together.

It's just as easy for chicken as it is for tofu. Toss the protein in a bit of cornstarch, then lightly fry it to create a breading. Top it off with a tangy sauce and serve with some rice. Bam!

In my case, I made some cauliflower rice, as obviously the carb maximum was met with the lo mein already. And honestly, I just love cauliflower rice.

I wound up with some happy guests and a full stomach to top it off. The sauce had some spice to it, though honestly I prefer a bit more kick so I think next time I'll mix a tablespoon of sriracha or some more crushed red pepper in. Everything went together splendidly and as a lady who doesn't always get the chance to cook for all the family, I was happy I got to share a little bit of my blog world with them. Maybe it's time I open a buffet.

General Tso's Chicken

Ingredients:

For the chicken:
2 chicken breasts
1 cup cornstarch

2-3 tablespoons cooking oil

For the sauce:
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

Instructions:

Cut chicken into pieces 1/2 inch in size. Heat cooking oil in frying pan over medium heat. Add cornstarch to a bowl then toss chicken pieces in it until coated on all sides. Fry a few pieces (7 or so) at a time for 3-4 minutes on each side, until browned. Set aside on paper towel lined plate and continue frying in batches until complete.

To make the sauce, heat soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, water, brown sugar, honey, cayenne powder, and crushed red pepper over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Mix water and tapioca starch in a small bowl, then pour into soy sauce mixture. Stir until sauce thickens, then serve over tofu with quinoa or rice.