(Almost) General Tso's Chicken

I love Chinese, I think we get take out four to five times a month and I could eat it more than that honestly!  I usually stick with the same couple of dishes I always order; fried rice, spicey garlic chicken, or lo mein; I always see other dishes that look terrific but I just love my regular items so much that I don’t want to risk getting something else and being disappointed.  So one night while I was eating one of my “safe meals” my brother-in-law ordered one of his regular choices which happened to be General Tso’s Chicken and I decided to be a little adventurous and try some of his.  Well let me tell ya, that has made it to my list of regulars; it was absolutely delicious and it had just the right about of sweet and spicy and the added crunch of the fried chicken just put it right over the top.

When I got my “Now Eat This” cookbook I was reading through all the wonderful recipes and I came across this recipe for General Tso’s Chicken and I knew immediately that I had to try it to see how it compared to the take-out version.  This recipe was not a let down; the chicken was crispy, the sauce was sweet and spicy and you would never know that this was a made over, lighter version of the original recipe.  The next time your in the mood for take-out try this recipe instead, I promise you won’t be disappointed.  

(Almost) General Tso’s Chicken

Ingredients:

1 Cup whole-wheat flour
2 Cups whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs
4 Large egg whites
12 Ounces bonless, skinless chekcen breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 Cups broccoli florets
3/4 Cup Rockin’ Asian Stir-fry sauce (recipe follows), or storebought low-calorie, low-fat Asian sauce
3 Packets (10g) Truvia, or 3 Packets (3g) Splenda
3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
2 Teaspoons chili garlic sauce
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Place a wire rack on a foil-lined baking sheet, and set aside.

Put the flour in a shallow dish.  Place the panko in another shallow dish.  In a medium bowl, whip the egg whites with a whish until they are extremely foamy but not quite holding peaks.

Working in batches, dredge the chicken in the flour (shaking off excess), add the checken to the egg whites and toss to coat completely.  Add the chicken, a few pieces at a time, to the panko and toss to coat.  Make sure they are completely coated.

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

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

In a large bowl, combine the Rockin’ Asian Stir-Fry Sauce, Truvia/Splenda, rice vinegar, and chili garlic sauce and mix together.  Add the cooked chicken to the bowl and toss gently until the chicken is evely coated in the sauce.

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

Rockin’ Asian Stir-Fry Sauce

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1/4 Cup chopped, fresh ginger

6 Garlic cloves, minced

1/2 bunch scallions (white and green parts), finely chopped

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

6 Tablespoons soy sauce

3/4 Cup low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth

3 Tablespoons rice vinegar

1/2 Cup reduced-sugar ketchup

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Heat a large nonstick saute pan over high heat.  when the pan is hot, add the sesame oil.  Add the ginger, garlic and scallions and saute, stirring often, until very fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the cornstarch in a medium bowl.  Add the soy sauce, chicken broth, rice vinegar and ketchup and whisk to blend.

Whisk the cornstarch mixture inot the saute pan and bring the sauce to a simmer.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, whisking constantly, until the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

Store the sauce in a covered container in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Recipe Source: “Now Eat This” by Rocco Dispirito