General Tso's Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 lb chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup extra light olive oil, for frying, plus more as needed
• 2 tbsp minced ginger, from a 2-inch piece
• 3 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 tsp sesame seeds, optional for garnish
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 5 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar, or more to taste
• 1 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 4 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

1. Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes. Toss chicken in batches with cornstarch, tapping off the excess. Set dredged chicken on a platter and set aside.
2. In a separate dish, combine all the sauce ingredients (water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sugar, and 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch) and whisk to combine.
3. Preheat a non-stick skillet with oil. Cook chicken in 2 to 3 batches, sautéing until golden on both sides and cooked through, then remove the chicken from the pan and transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining chicken, adding more oil as needed. Leave at least 1 tbsp oil in the pan.
4. Add the garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes to the pan. Sauté for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
5. Add the sauce to the skillet and bring it to a simmer while stirring. Let it simmer for 1 minute to cook off the vinegar a little. Taste the sauce and add more soy sauce or rice vinegar to taste if desired.
6. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Serve garnished with sesame seeds if desired.