Stir-fry is already a delicious weeknight dinner treat, but this one outranks them all! The General Tso Stir Fry brings the sweet and spicy classic sauce to the homefront, bringing a tasty reinforcement to the classics of fatty, rich chicken thighs and crunchy, garden-fresh broccoli, adding extra meatiness and tanginess to each bite. You’ll be marching in mouthful after mouthful of this dish one after the other, just to ensure you don’t miss even the tiniest bit of the flavor. The General Tso Stir Fry is a victory for home cooking!
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch, divided
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 head broccoli, cut into florets, about 4 cups
- sesame seeds, optional, for garnish
- 2 cups rice, optional, cooked, for serving
Directions
Step 1 –In a large resealable plastic bag, add the chicken and 1/4 cup of cornstarch.
Step 2 –Season the chicken with salt and pepper, sealing the bag and shaking it to coat.
Step 3 –In a large pot over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil.
Step 4 –Shake the excess cornstarch from the chicken and add the chicken to the hot oil.
Step 5 –Cook the chicken in batches until golden and cooked through at 165 degrees F internally, about 7 minutes. Cooking the chicken in batches ensures the oil isn’t cooled too much while cooking.
Step 6 –Drain the chicken on a paper-towel-lined plate.
Step 7 –Add the remaining oil to the skillet.
Step 8 –Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the hot oil and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Step 9 –Add the chicken broth to the skillet and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the skillet.
Step 10 –In a medium bowl, whisk the hoisin sauce, honey, soy sauce, and lime juice with the remaining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch until combined.
Step 11 –Add the sauce mixture to the mixture in the skillet and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
Step 12 –Add the broccoli to the sauce mixture and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
Step 13 –Return the chicken to the skillet and stir to coat.
Step 14 –Simmer everything for 1 minute.
Step 15 –Garnish with sesame seeds and serve over rice.
