Easy chicken stir-fry: General Tso's chicken with broccoli
Written by Estelle & Alice for The Wok House
This is what I make on a Tuesday night when the fridge doesn't have much to offer: chicken, a head of broccoli, soy sauce and brown sugar. Allow 35 minutes, marinating included.
It's a simplified take on General Tso's chicken, the New York Chinese restaurant classic. No deep-frying: the chicken is coated in cornflour, then seared in batches in a thin layer of oil. In a properly hot wok, that's enough to make it crisp.
Easy General Tso's chicken with broccoli
Chicken coated in cornflour and seared in a little oil, glazed with a soy and brown sugar sauce, with crunchy broccoli.
For 3 to 6 people, use a 32cm wok: the chicken spreads out in a single layer and browns instead of stewing.
Ingredients
For the chicken
For the sauce
To cook and serve
Equipment
- 30 to 32cm carbon steel wok
- 2 saucepans (rice and broccoli)
- Wooden spatula
- 1 bowl and 1 small glass
Method
Start the rice, make the sauce
Rinse 300g jasmine rice and put it on to cook: about 20 minutes, resting time included. Meanwhile, in a bowl, stir together 80ml stock, both soy sauces, the sugar, the rice vinegar and the Shaoxing wine until the sugar has dissolved. In a small glass, mix 1 tbsp cornflour with 2 tbsp cold water until smooth.
Marinate the chicken
Cut the chicken into 2 to 3cm pieces. Toss it with 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp Shaoxing wine and the white pepper, then leave it to sit while you prepare everything else.
Blanch the broccoli
Cut the broccoli into small florets and drop them into a pan of boiling salted water. Drain after 1 minute. A quick rinse under very cold water keeps the green bright.
Coat the chicken
Just before cooking, add 4 tbsp cornflour to the chicken and toss until every piece has a thin, dry coating. If you do this any earlier, the cornflour soaks up the marinade and turns gluey.
Sear the chicken
Heat the wok over a high heat until it is lightly smoking. Sear the chicken in 2 batches: for each batch, add 2 tablespoons of oil, spread the pieces out in a single layer, leave them to brown for 2 minutes without touching them, turn them and give them 2 minutes more, then set aside on a plate.
The aromatics
Turn the heat down to medium. Pour in 1 tbsp oil, add the chillies, then the garlic ten seconds later. Stir for about 20 seconds: the garlic should turn golden, not brown.
Thicken the sauce
Pour in the sauce and wait until it just starts to simmer. Stir the cornflour mixture (it settles at the bottom), then pour it in slowly, stirring all the time. Within 30 seconds the sauce thickens and turns glossy.
Toss and serve
Return the chicken and broccoli to the wok and toss for about 30 seconds to coat everything. Scatter over the sesame seeds and spring onions, then serve straight away with the rice: the crisp coating doesn't last long.
Wok tips
- On induction, let the wok heat for 2 minutes at full power before adding the oil. A flat-bottomed wok stays in contact with the hob; a round-bottomed one only heats over a few centimetres.
- The chicken pieces shouldn't overlap in the wok. If they barely sizzle when they hit the metal, the wok isn't hot enough or the batch is too big.
- If the sauce is too thick by the time you serve, a tablespoon of hot water is enough to loosen it.
Variations
- Vegetarian: swap the chicken for 400g well-drained firm tofu, and the chicken stock for vegetable stock.
- Prawns: 400g raw peeled prawns, seared for just 1 minute on each side.
- No Shaoxing wine: dry sherry does the job, or leave it out altogether; the sauce is still good.
Storage
Keeps for two days in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat for 2 minutes in the wok over a high heat rather than in the microwave, which makes the coating soggy. Keep the rice separate.
The Shirane Japanese Wok
Carbon steel, Ø 32cm, free lid
Frequently asked questions
Is General Tso's chicken Chinese?
It's Chinese-American. Chef Peng Chang-kuei created it in Taiwan in the 1950s, and it went on to become a classic of New York's Chinese restaurants. It isn't a Thai dish.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Yes. Breast cooks a little faster and dries out if you forget about it: take it out as soon as both sides are golden. Thighs stay juicier.
What's the difference between light and dark soy sauce?
Light soy sauce seasons and adds flavour. Dark soy sauce, thicker and less salty, is mainly there to give the dish its brown colour. Without dark soy sauce, add an extra half teaspoon of sugar and accept a paler sauce.
Which wok should I use for this recipe?
A 30 to 32cm carbon steel wok, well seasoned, that heats up quickly. On an induction hob, choose a flat-bottomed one.
