Mia Patel
General Tso's chicken is a Chinese-American dish of crispy, fried chicken pieces that are breaded and tossed in a tangy, sticky glaze. The sauce is made with garlic, sugar, soy sauce, and chiles. The dish is named after 19th-century military leader Tso Tsung-t'ang. It was popularized in the US by Chinese chefs Peng Chang-kuei and T.T. Wang, each of whom claimed to have invented it. The dish is typically served with steamed broccoli and white rice.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Dish | Chinese-American |
| Ingredients | Chicken, rice vinegar, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, chicken stock, cornflour/cornstarch, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, chilli, orange zest, orange marmalade, dark soy sauce, chicken broth, salt, pepper, chicken soup base/bouillon, red chile de arbol dried peppers, chilli powder, chilli flakes, chicken breast, chicken tenderloin, chicken thigh, bicarb, flour, broccoli, rice, green onions, ginger-lemon carrots, pear, pomegranate, salad |
| Preparation | Chicken is coated in cornstarch, dredged, fried, and tossed in a sauce. |
| Taste | Sweet, spicy, savoury, tangy, juicy, crispy |
| Serving Suggestions | Broccoli, rice, ginger-lemon carrots, pear and pomegranate salad, leafy greens, steamed greens, ginger smashed cucumber salad |
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What You'll Learn
The history of General Tso's chicken
General Tso's chicken is a Chinese-American dish of twice-fried, breaded chicken pieces in a sweet, sticky, and spicy sauce. The dish is named after Tso Tsung-t'ang, a 19th-century military leader. The sauce typically includes garlic, sugar, soy sauce, and chiles, and the dish is often served with steamed broccoli and white rice.
There are several competing claims as to the origin of the dish. Two Chinese chefs, Peng Chang-kuei and T. T. Wang, each claimed to have invented it. Peng introduced the dish in Taipei before bringing it to New York City in 1973 when he opened the restaurant "Uncle Peng's Hunan Yuan" on East 44th Street. He claimed his restaurant was the first in New York City to serve Tso's chicken. Peng recalled serving the dish in 1952 when he was invited by the Republic of China Navy to be in charge of a three-day state banquet during Admiral Arthur W. Radford's visit to Taiwan. According to U.S. diplomatic records, Radford's visit took place in June 1953. Another story, proposed by Taiwanese food writer Zhu Zhenfan, suggests that Peng created the dish when Chiang Ching-kuo, the son of President Chiang Kai-shek, paid a late visit to his restaurant, and he ran out of ingredients.
T. T. Wang, on the other hand, claimed to have invented the dish in 1972 at New York's Shun Lee Palaces, located at 155 E. 55th St. and 43 W. 65th St. Wang's version of the dish was called General Ching's chicken, a name that still appears on some menus. Wang's recipe differed from Peng's, as it was spicy rather than sweet and spicy, and soy sauce played a more prominent role.
General Tso's chicken has become a popular dish in Chinese restaurants across the United States and has spawned numerous variations, including alternative names such as Governor Tso's chicken, General Tao's chicken, and General Joe's chicken. The dish is known for its unique sauce, which can be adjusted to suit individual tastes by altering the amount of sugar, salt, and pepper used. It has also inspired home cooks to recreate their own versions, with some experimenting with different types of chicken and sauces.
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Ingredients
General Tso's chicken is a Chinese-American dish that features deep-fried chicken tossed in a sticky glaze. The dish is named after the 19th-century military leader Tso Tsung-t'ang. The chicken is usually double-fried to achieve an extra crispy texture. The sauce is tangy, sweet, and spicy, with a sticky consistency.
The ingredients for General Tso's chicken can vary slightly depending on the recipe, but here is a list of commonly used ingredients:
- Chicken: Boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breast cut into bite-sized pieces are commonly used.
- Cornstarch or Cornflour: Used to coat the chicken before frying, creating a crispy texture.
- Oil: For frying the chicken. Peanut or vegetable oil is commonly used.
- Sauce: The sauce typically includes a combination of soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar or white wine vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, and chicken stock or broth.
- Garlic: Adds a savoury flavour to the sauce.
- Chiles or Chilli Pepper Flakes: Gives the dish its signature spiciness.
- Green Onions: Used as a garnish for a pop of colour and freshness.
- Salt and Pepper: For seasoning the chicken before frying.
Some recipes may also include orange zest or orange marmalade for a citrusy note, and ginger for additional spice and flavour. The sauce is key to the dish, and the combination of sweet, sour, and savoury ingredients creates a unique flavour profile.
The ingredients for the sauce are combined and cooked, resulting in a thick, sticky glaze that coats the fried chicken pieces. The dish is often served with steamed broccoli and white rice, but can also be paired with other sides such as salad or egg rolls.
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Preparation methods
General Tso's chicken is a Chinese-American dish that features deep-fried chicken tossed in a sticky glaze made with garlic, sugar, soy sauce, and chiles. The dish is named after the 19th-century military leader Tso Tsung-t'ang.
Start by cutting the chicken into 1-inch cubes. You can use chicken breast, chicken tenderloin, or boneless skinless chicken thighs. Some recipes call for marinating the chicken in a mixture of soy sauce, hoisin sauce, vinegar, chilli, and sesame oil before frying.
Next, toss the chicken pieces in cornstarch or a mixture of cornstarch and flour, tapping off the excess. You can also season the chicken with salt and pepper before dredging.
Heat a pot of oil to a high temperature and fry the chicken in batches until golden brown and floating. For extra crispiness, you can double-fry the chicken by repeating the frying process. Drain the fried chicken on a towel-lined plate.
To make the sauce, combine soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and sesame oil. You can also add chicken stock or chicken soup base/bouillon for extra flavour. Thicken the sauce with cornstarch or cornflour.
Finally, toss the fried chicken in the sauce until well coated. Serve immediately with steamed broccoli and white rice, garnished with sliced green onions.
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Serving suggestions
General Tso's chicken is a Chinese-American dish of twice-fried chicken pieces in a sweet, sticky, and spicy glaze. The dish is often served with rice and steamed broccoli, but there are many other serving suggestions to consider.
Firstly, it is important to serve General Tso's chicken immediately, as the sauce can be absorbed into the crispy chicken, making it soggy. The sauce is thick and loaded with flavour, so it is important to act fast.
The classic takeout dish is often served with a bed of rice and steamed broccoli, but you can also serve it with a pear and pomegranate salad, ginger-lemon carrots, or a Ginger Smashed Cucumber Salad. For a banquet, you could add some extra dishes, such as a fresh salad with leafy greens and an Asian sesame dressing.
If you want to add more vegetables to the dish, you could serve it with a veggie egg roll, or stir-fried vegetables and cashews. You could also serve it with pork fried rice or chicken fried rice, a genius way to use up leftover rice and frozen vegetables.
Finally, for a quick and easy side dish, you could serve General Tso's chicken with Yakisoba noodles or veggie Lo Mein noodles, which can be served hot or cold.
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Variations
General Tso's chicken is a Chinese-American dish of twice-fried, breaded chicken pieces in a sweet and sticky glaze. The dish is named after a 19th-century military leader, Tso Tsung-t'ang, and was created by Chinese immigrant chefs Peng Chang-kuei and/or T. T. Wang in the early 1970s.
There are several variations of General Tso's chicken, which differ in the type of chicken used, the frying method, the sauce, and the sides served with the dish.
Type of Chicken
The type of chicken used in General Tso's chicken can vary. Some recipes call for boneless, skinless chicken thighs, while others use chicken breast or chicken tenderloin. In one variation, the cook used bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs because that was what they had available.
Frying Method
Most recipes for General Tso's chicken involve frying the chicken, but the frying method can vary. Some recipes call for a double-frying method, where the chicken is fried in batches, drained on a towel-lined plate, and then fried again for extra crispiness. Other recipes may shallow fry the chicken, which can be more labor-intensive but still produces a delicious result.
Sauce
The sauce for General Tso's chicken typically includes garlic, sugar, soy sauce, and chiles. However, there are several variations to this sauce:
- Some recipes add orange marmalade instead of orange zest and sugar, which gives the sauce an orange flavor without making it too sweet.
- Others add dark soy sauce in addition to light soy sauce, as well as hoisin sauce, which mellows out the tanginess of the original sauce.
- To make the sauce less sweet, some cooks reduce the amount of brown sugar used, or substitute it with another sweetener.
- For a spicier sauce, crushed red chili pepper flakes or chili powder can be added.
- Rice vinegar is also a signature ingredient in the sauce, giving it a distinct tang that sets it apart from Western vinegars.
- To thicken the sauce and make it shiny and clear, cornflour or cornstarch can be added. Wheat flour, on the other hand, makes the sauce more opaque.
- Sesame oil adds a wonderful hint of sesame flavor to the sauce.
- Chicken stock can be used to give the sauce depth of flavor and ensure there is enough to coat all the chicken pieces.
Sides
General Tso's chicken is often served with steamed broccoli and white rice. However, there are several other side dish options:
- A bed of rice with extra sauce drizzled on top
- Pork fried rice
- A pear and pomegranate salad
- Ginger-lemon carrots
- Ginger Smashed Cucumber Salad
- Any fresh salad, leafy greens, or steamed greens with an Asian sesame dressing
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Frequently asked questions
General Tso's Chicken is made of chicken, fried in a batter and tossed in a sauce. The sauce is typically made with garlic, ginger, sugar, soy sauce, and chiles.
General Tso's Chicken was created by Chinese chef Peng Chang-kuei in Taipei before he introduced it to his restaurant in New York in 1973.
The chicken is typically cut into 1-inch cubes and coated in cornstarch or flour before frying. Some recipes call for double frying the chicken for extra crispiness.
The sauce typically contains rice vinegar, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, chicken stock, and cornflour or cornstarch.
