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(Almost) General Tso’s Chicken

Sweet and spicy General Tso’s Chicken was likely invented in the kitchens of Chinese restaurants in New York City (its first known mention was in the New York Times in 1977). Some say it’s similar to a classic Hunanese dish the general is said to have loved—a dish that is more sour than sweet. It’s usually made with battered and deep-fried chicken thighs bathed in a glossy sauce flavored with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, chiles—and lots of sugar. This chicken breast version is breaded and baked until crisp, then tossed with a reasonable version of Tso’s sauce that is low in fat and contains no sugar but is still sweet.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup whole-wheat flour
2 cups whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs, such as Ian’s All-Natural
4 large egg whites
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cups broccoli florets
3/4 cup Rockin’ Asian Stir-Fry Sauce (page 210) or store-bought low-calorie, low-fat Asian sauce
3 packets (10 g) Truvia, or 3 packets (3 g) Splenda
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 450˚F. Place a wire rack on a foil-lined baking sheet, and set it aside.

    Step 2

    Put the flour in a shallow dish. Put the panko in another shallow dish. In a medium bowl, whip the egg whites with a whisk until they are extremely foamy but not quite holding peaks. Working in batches, dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess. Add the chicken to the egg whites and toss to coat completely. Then add the chicken, a few pieces at a time, to the panko and toss to coat completely.

    Step 3

    Spread the chicken out on the wire rack. Bake until the breading is golden and crispy and the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

    Step 4

    Meanwhile, place the broccoli florets in a microwave-safe dish, and cover it with plastic wrap. Cook on high until tender, about 4 minutes. Keep the broccoli covered until ready to serve.

    Step 5

    In a large bowl, combine the Rockin’ Asian Stir-Fry Sauce, Truvia, rice vinegar, and chili garlic sauce. Add the cooked chicken to the bowl, and toss gently until the chicken is evenly coated with the sauce.

    Step 6

    Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the chicken, and serve with the steamed broccoli.

  2. nutrition information

    Step 7

    Fat: 40.6g (before), 5.6g (after)

    Step 8

    Calories: 843 (before), 310 (after)

    Step 9

    Protein: 31g

    Step 10

    Carbohydrates: 33g

    Step 11

    Cholesterol: 49mg

    Step 12

    Fiber: 5g

    Step 13

    Sodium: 1,018mg

Now Eat This by Rocco DiSpirito. Copyright © 2010 by Rocco DiSpirito. Published by Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. Hailed as the "Leading Chef of his Generation" by Gourmet magazine, Rocco DiSpirito received the James Beard Award for his first cookbook, Flavor. He went on to author Rocco's Italian-American (2004), Rocco's Five Minute Flavor (2005), Rocco's Real-Life Recipes (2007), and Rocco Gets Real (2009). DiSpirito also starred in the Food Network series Melting Pot, the NBC hit reality series The Restaurant, and the A&E series Rocco Gets Real.
TagsFried ChickenChinese-AmericanChineseEast AsianAsianChicken BreastChickenPoultryBroccoli/BroccoliniVegetableMainDinnerFryMicrowaveCookbooks
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