General Tso’s chicken is a beloved dish, yet rarely made at home. Many people only experience it through takeout or restaurants. This raises the question: How can we optimize General Tso’s chicken for the busy or health-conscious home cook? This article explores three different home cooking methods: air-fried only, deep-fried then frozen and air-fried, and deep-fried then frozen and deep-fried again. Each method addresses different needs, allowing you to choose the best fit for your lifestyle.
Making General Tso’s chicken on a weeknight can be challenging. This Chinese-American classic involves several steps: preparing the marinade, chopping the chicken, marinating, preparing the sauce, battering/coating the chicken, frying (often twice), sautéing aromatics, making the sauce, and finally combining everything. While delicious, this process can be time-consuming, requiring 45-60 minutes of active cooking.
The ingredients themselves are generally inexpensive and readily available. However, the lengthy process can be a deterrent. Four key factors determine whether you’ll make this dish at home: time, energy, ingredients, and nutritional needs. These methods aim to address these factors by enabling advance preparation, speeding up the process, and reducing calories.
Three variations using the same marinade and breading offer more approachable options. First, cut three boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs) into bite-sized pieces. For the marinade, combine one large egg, 15 grams of soy sauce, and 10 grams of Chinese black vinegar (optional, or substitute with rice wine vinegar). Add the chicken to the marinade and coat evenly.
Next, prepare the breading. In a large bowl, combine 100 grams of flour, 25 grams of cornstarch, 10 grams of salt, and 3 grams of baking powder. Add the marinated chicken and its liquid to the dry ingredients, ensuring every piece is coated. The marinade will create textured bits on the chicken, enhancing the final result.
Now you have a choice: air fry, deep fry, or deep fry then freeze for later air frying or deep frying. For air frying, spray the chicken with oil and cook at 400°F for 12 minutes, shaking and spraying again at the 5-minute mark. This method uses less oil, making it more economical and lower in calories (potentially 120 fewer per serving). While the total time saved is minimal, the hands-on time is significantly reduced, eliminating the need for handling hot oil.
For deep frying, heat two inches of oil in a wok to 325°F. Fry the chicken in batches for 2.5 minutes per batch. This initial fry cooks the chicken through and begins the browning process. While the chicken looks appealing at this stage, it’s not yet fully crisp.
Instead of immediately performing the second fry, freeze the chicken for two hours before transferring it to a freezer bag. These frozen nuggets are then ready for quick weeknight meals. Remember to save your cooking oil! Let it cool, strain it through a paper towel into a jar, and reuse it for the second fry.
Frozen nuggets can be air-fried or deep-fried. To air fry, lightly spray the nuggets with oil and cook at 400°F for 6 minutes. For deep frying, heat the saved oil to 375°F. Fry the frozen nuggets for about 2.5 minutes until crispy and deep brown. Starting at a higher temperature compensates for the temperature drop when adding frozen food.
The deep-fried nuggets are noticeably crispier and richer in color. However, the sauce will soften the chicken and add flavor, potentially minimizing these differences. For the sauce, sauté minced garlic, ginger, and dried red chilies in oil. Then, add a mixture of chicken stock (or water), soy sauce, black vinegar, brown sugar, chili garlic paste, sesame oil, and hoisin sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce, and thicken with a cornstarch slurry.
For the final taste test, compare takeout General Tso’s with each homemade version. Coat the nuggets with the sauce. While the takeout version might be sweeter, the homemade sauce allows for customized flavor, balancing sweetness, spiciness, and aromatic complexity.
The double-deep-fried nuggets offer the best overall texture and flavor. Having a bag of frozen, pre-fried nuggets simplifies weeknight cooking significantly. All three methods streamline the process, making homemade General Tso’s chicken a more accessible and enjoyable experience.
