General Tso Chicken

One of my friends recently published this recipe on facebook. She just raved about how great it was, so I definitely had to try it. It was a yummy dinner that didn't take too long to make. I also appreciated the fact that I didn't have to go out and buy any expensive specialized ingredients. The only thing is that I have yet to find a recipe for a single Chinese dish that actually tastes like the things I get when I go to a Chinese restaurant. Still, I wouldn't be nervous about making this one for other people. I liked it and so did my husband (who is ultra-discriminating about food, even though he claims that he isn't).

1 lb chicken breast, cut into small pieces

Flour

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/4 c. unsweetened pineapple juice

1/4 cup white distilled vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 Tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 3 Tbsp water

4 green onions, sliced

Preheat a wok or skillet with vegetable oil over medium heat. Cover chicken in flour and fry until golden brown. Drain excess oil. Sprinkle cayenne pepper over chicken and turn heat to low. 

In a saucepan, combine sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic, and ginger, and heat gently. When sugar has dissolved and sauce is at the point of boiling, slowly add cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly until the sauce has reached your desired thickness. Pour sauce in the wok and stir to coat chicken. Stir in green onions. Remove from heat and serve with rice.