General Tso Chicken

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Marinade: Beat egg white in a large bowl until slightly foamy. Add soy sauce, wine, and vodka, and whisk to combine. Set aside half of marinade in a small bowl. Add baking soda and cornstarch to the large bowl and whisk to combine. Add chicken to large bowl and turn with tongs to coat thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
2. Dry Coating: Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk until mixed. Add reserved marinade (in small bowl) and whisk until mixture has coarse clumps. Set aside.
3. Sauce: Combine soy sauce, wine, vinegar, chicken stock, sugar, sesame seed oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir with a fork until cornstarch is dissolved and no lumps remain. Set aside.
4. Combine oil, garlic, ginger, thinly sliced green onions, and red chili in a large skillet and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are soft, but not browned, about 3 minutes. Stir sauce mixture and add to skillet. Cook, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Add one-inch green onion pieces and set aside.
5. Chicken: Heat 1 1/2 quarts peanut, vegetable, or canola oil in a large wok or Dutch oven to 350 degrees F.
6. Transfer chicken from marinade to dry coat mix a few pieces at a time, tossing in between each addition to coat chicken. When all chicken is added to dry coat, toss with hands, pressing dry mixture onto chicken so it adheres make certain that every piece is coated thoroughly.
7. Lift one piece of chicken at a time, shake off excess coating, and carefully lower into hot oil. Cook in small batches to maintain the temperature until chicken is cooked through and very crispy. When cooked, remove chicken from oil and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and hold in an oven at 200 degrees F while all other batches are finished.
8. When all of the chicken is cooked, return skillet with sauce to the heat and when hot, add chicken and fold and toss gently until all pieces are thoroughly coated. Serve immediately with a side of steamed or fried white rice.