General Tso's Chicken for a Chinese New Year Family Meal
Categories: Family Kitchen Time
Chicken
2 ½ lbs. of skinless uncooked chicken strips
½ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Black Pepper
2 Egg Whites
3 Tbs. Cornstarch
½ cup cold water
1 Tbs. cornstarch
½ cup Brown sugar
¼ tsp. Ground ginger
¼ tsp. Crushed red pepper
1 Tbs. Hoisin sauce
2 Tbs. Soy sauce
3 Tbs. Ketchup
Step 1: Marinating the Chicken
Thoroughly rinse then marinate the uncooked chicken breast strips with approximately ¼ cup soy sauce in a gallon freezer bag. Place the freezer bag in a refrigerator crisper. I know marinating often only takes minutes, but I choose to marinate for at least 12-18 hours ahead of time.
Step 2: Baking the Chicken
Next Day (at least that is what I suggest). Set the oven 350° 1-2 hours before mealtime. Place the marinated chicken breast in a baking dish. I keep the marinate on for added flavor as well as adding water so as to submerge the chicken (keep it moist, if you will). Cover with the dish’s lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour.
Step 3: Making the Sauce while the chicken bakes
Step 4: Making the chicken coating before frying the baked chicken
Take out the baked chicken and allow it to cool (strips cool QUCKLY). While it is cooling heat your favorite wok or skillet (ours is cast iron….woo hoo! I love cooking with cast iron!) on a low-medium heat with 2 Tbs. of oil.
Cut the chicken into cubes. In a bowl, mix the Corn Starch, Salt, Pepper, & Egg whites. Transfer the liquid into a Gallon plastic zipper bag. Place the cubed chicken in the bag as well then shake, shake, shake (Ammon & Carter love it… we often sing “Shake your chicken” to the tune of “Shake your Booty”).
Turn the skillet up to medium high and pour in the chicken turning occasionally to allow the batter to brown. No need to check chicken temperature, it was baked through in the oven. When the cubes are browned, turn the heat down to simmer/heat. Add your sauce over the cubes. For approximately 10 minutes, stir occasionally making sure the cubes are covered with the sauce.
Step 5: Putting it all Together
Pour the liquid over your Chicken cubes, and Guess what? General Tso’s Chicken is done.
Serve over steamed broccoli and whole-grain rice of which both I can share another preparation recipe another day.
Chinese New Year Cultural Study for Children
Ammon, Carter, and I studied Chinese culture, and along with food, clothing, and shelter, we studied the Chinese New Year. Carter and Ammon were born in 2008: The Year of the Rat. We made this Year of the Rat Mask from education.com . Education.com calls the Year of the Sheep (2015), the “Year of the Goat”, so don’t be confused ;-) if you decided to make the 2015 masks for the family.
Ammon & Carter were born in 2008, The Year of the Rat
Readers, if you have enjoyed the article would do me the honor of ….
· Commenting
· Sharing my Blog & its ideas with other families
· Returning and commenting if you do, indeed, decide to use the recipes
· Sharing links with your favorite family recipes