Best Lighter General Tsos Chicken Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

LIGHTER GENERAL TSO'S CHICKEN



Lighter General Tso's Chicken image

I'm not a big fan of Chinese food, but I will eat this popular dish when I'm with others who want to eat at a Chinese restaurant. I found this recipe in Martha Stewart's Food Everyday and it tastes really good! This is one of my husband's favorite dish so he was thrilled when I made it at home. This lighter version uses skinless chicken breasts, a light batter, and just a bit of oil for pan-frying to get the right texture with less fat.

Provided by CookingONTheSide

Categories     One Dish Meal

Time 45m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 1/4 cups long grain brown rice
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 lb snow peas or 1 lb sugar snap pea, trimmed and halved crosswise
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 large egg whites
coarse salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower (you might need a little more)

Steps:

  • Cook rice according to package instructions.
  • Meanwhile, in large bowl, stir together 1 T cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water until smooth.
  • Add snow peas or sugar snap peas, garlic, ginger, sugar, soy sauce and red pepper flakes; toss to combine and set aside.
  • In another bowl, whisk together egg whites, remaining 3 T cornstarch, 1/2 t salt and 1/4 t pepper.
  • Add chicken and toss to coat.
  • In large nonstick skillet, heat 1 T oil over medium-high heat.
  • Lift half the chicken from egg-white mixture (shaking off excess) and add to skillet.
  • Cook, turning occasionally, until golden, 6-8 minutes.
  • Transfer to a plate, repeat with remaining oil and chicken, and set aside (reserve skillet).
  • Add snow pea mixture to skillet.
  • Cover and cook until snow peas are tender and sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.
  • Return chicken to skillet (with any juices); toss to coat.
  • Serve with the rice.

LIGHTER GENERAL TSO'S CHICKEN



Lighter General Tso's Chicken image

Make and share this Lighter General Tso's Chicken recipe from Food.com.

Provided by mamati

Categories     Chicken

Time 30m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

vegetable cooking spray
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 large egg whites
5 cups kellogg's corn flakes, finely crushed
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 2/3 cups water
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup apricot jam
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons canola oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Steps:

  • 1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, top with wire rack, and spray rack with oil spray. Spread flour into shallow dish. Whisk egg whites until foamy in second shallow dish. Spread Corn Flakes crumbs into third shallow dish. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Working in batches, dredge chicken in flour, dip in egg whites, then coat with Corn Flakes, pressing gently to adhere; lay on prepared wire rack.
  • 2. Spray chicken with oil spray. Bake until chicken registers 160 degrees and coating is brown and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes.
  • 3. Meanwhile, whisk water, soy sauce, apricot jam, hoisin, cornstarch, and vinegar together in bowl. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in soy sauce mixture, bring to simmer, and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and keep warm.
  • 4. When chicken is cooked, return sauce to simmer over medium-low heat. Add cooked chicken and toss to coat. Serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 492.5, Fat 7.5, SaturatedFat 1.3, Cholesterol 109.3, Sodium 1406.1, Carbohydrate 62.3, Fiber 1.8, Sugar 16.9, Protein 43.9

LIGHTER SESAME CHICKEN



Lighter Sesame Chicken image

Say "open sesame" to a Chinese-restaurant classic that's no longer a guilty pleasure. This chicken is sauteed in a little oil instead of deep fried. The less-sweet sauce has fewer calories than a standard recipe, and, nutritionally, brown rice beats white.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Meat & Poultry     Chicken     Chicken Breast Recipes

Time 40m

Number Of Ingredients 12

3/4 cup brown rice
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed with a garlic press
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch chunks
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds broccoli, cut into large florets, stems peeled and thinly sliced

Steps:

  • Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan, and fill with 1 inch water; set aside for broccoli. Cook rice according to package instructions.
  • Meanwhile, make sauce: In a small bowl, combine honey, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and garlic; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites and cornstarch. Add chicken; season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
  • In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add half the chicken; cook, turning occasionally, until golden and opaque throughout, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and chicken. Return all the chicken to skillet; add reserved sauce and scallions, and toss to coat.
  • Meanwhile, place saucepan with steamer basket over high heat; bring water to a boil. Add broccoli, and cook until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve sesame chicken with broccoli and rice.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 547 g, Fat 13 g, Fiber 7 g, Protein 51 g

BAKED GENERAL TSO'S CHICKEN



Baked General Tso's Chicken image

General Tso's Chicken is Ree's favorite Chinese takeout dish. Typically prepared by deep frying dark meat chicken pieces before tossing in a sweet and spicy sauce, Ree is changing it up by coating chicken breast pieces in panko and baking them until crispy, skipping the frying. Paired with a simple sauce based on the classic flavors, you will be able to have takeout at home any time.

Provided by Ree Drummond : Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

Nonstick cooking spray, for the rack and chicken
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 large eggs
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1- to 2-inch cubes
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sriracha
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated ginger
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Cooked white or brown rice, for serving
Sliced scallion greens, for serving

Steps:

  • For the crispy chicken: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Set a rack on a sheet tray and spray with cooking spray.
  • Place the flour in a wide shallow dish. Whisk together the soy sauce and eggs in another wide, shallow dish. Place the panko breadcrumbs in a third wide, shallow dish.
  • Working in batches, dip the chicken pieces first in the flour, then in the egg mixture and then in the breadcrumbs.
  • Place the chicken pieces on the rack, leaving space between each piece. Spray with cooking spray. Bake until crispy and golden brown, about 15 minutes.
  • For the sauce. Meanwhile, whisk together the chicken broth, hoisin, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sriracha and cornstarch; set aside.
  • Place a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the sesame oil. Add the ginger, pepper flakes and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice wine mixture, bring to a simmer and allow to thicken. Add the crispy chicken and toss to coat. Serve immediately with rice and garnish with sliced scallions.

GENERAL TSO'S CHICKEN



General Tso's Chicken image

Invented in 1950s Taiwan by chef Peng Chang-Kuei, this crowd-pleasing fried chicken dish was adapted for American palates with a chile-spiked sweet-and-sour sauce and has since become a Chinese takeout classic.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Meat & Poultry     Chicken     Chicken Thighs

Time 35m

Number Of Ingredients 21

1 pound 4 ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1 large egg white, beaten until frothy
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
Kosher salt
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine
3 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Safflower oil, for frying
4 spicy dried red chiles, broken in half
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon peeled and finely chopped ginger
2 scallions, sliced 1/4 inch thick (1/2 cup) and green parts reserved for serving
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Steamed broccoli and cooked rice, for serving

Steps:

  • Combine chicken, egg white, soy sauce, wine, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Whisk together cornstarch, flour, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in another bowl. Let stand while making sauce.
  • Make the sauce: Whisk soy sauce into cornstarch. Then whisk in wine, sugar, vinegar, and broth.
  • Heat 1 1/2 inches oil in a deep pot (preferably cast-iron) to 350 degrees. Working in batches, remove chicken from marinade (do not worry about removing excess liquid) and toss in cornstarch mixture. Carefully add to oil and cook until crisp and light golden brown, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok over medium. Add chiles, garlic, ginger, and scallion whites. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Add chicken and toss to coat in sauce. Remove from heat. Stir in sesame oil. Garnish with scallion greens and serve immediately with broccoli and rice.

GENERAL TSAO'S CHICKEN II



General Tsao's Chicken II image

A genuinely mouthwatering dish with an Asian kick that will knock your chopsticks off! Don't be fooled by other General Tsao impostors: this is simply the best Chinese chicken you will ever have. With a flair of peanut oil, a streak of sesame, a dash of orange, and a sweet spot for hot, this is sure to be a favorite. Just don't forget to deep-fry twice! Serve with steamed broccoli and white rice.

Provided by ChefDaddy

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     Asian     Chinese

Time 50m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 21

4 cups vegetable oil for frying
1 egg
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 pinch white pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons chopped green onion
1 clove garlic, minced
6 dried whole red chilies
1 strip orange zest
½ cup white sugar
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons chicken broth
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
¼ cup water

Steps:

  • Heat 4 cups vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  • Beat the egg in a mixing bowl. Add the chicken cubes; sprinkle with salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, and white pepper; mix well. Mix in 1 cup of cornstarch a little bit at a time until the chicken cubes are well coated.
  • In batches, carefully drop the chicken cubes into the hot oil one by one, cooking until they turns golden brown and begin to float, about 3 minutes. Remove the chicken and allow to cool as you fry the next batch. Once all of the chicken has been fried, refry the chicken, starting with the batch that was cooked first. Cook until the chicken turns deep golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir in the green onion, garlic, whole chiles, and orange zest. Cook and stir a minute or two until the garlic has turned golden and the chiles brighten. Add 1/2 cup sugar, the ginger, chicken broth, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and peanut oil; bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.
  • Dissolve 2 teaspoons of cornstarch into the water, and stir into the boiling sauce. Return to a boil and cook until the sauce thickens and is no longer cloudy from the cornstarch, about 1 minute. Stir the chicken into the boiling sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook for a few minutes until the chicken absorbs some of the sauce.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 633.5 calories, Carbohydrate 54.9 g, Cholesterol 101.1 mg, Fat 36.5 g, Fiber 0.8 g, Protein 24.3 g, SaturatedFat 6.1 g, Sodium 1191.6 mg, Sugar 17.7 g

Related Topics