The base of Recipes' General's Chicken sheds the spotlight on the glorious combination of hoisin sauce and rice wine vinegar. The acidity of the vinegar balances out the rich, savory flavor of the hoisin, giving the crunchy chicken a sticky, tangy glaze. You'll need more than one cup of rice for this one.
Ingredients
General's Chicken
- 500g chicken thigh fillet, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 egg
- neutral oil, for frying
- 1 cup cornstarch, for dredging
Chicken Glaze
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 thumb-sized ginger, sliced
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
For Serving
- broccoli florets, blanched
- steamed rice
Make the Chicken
Combine egg and soy sauce in a bowl, whisking until well combined. Add the chicken and let marinate for 10 minutes.
Add oil to a wok or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. Dredge each chicken fillet in cornstarch, making sure each piece is well-coated, and shaking off any excess.
Fry chicken in batches for 5-6 minutes or until it turns crispy and light golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Set aside and let cool.
Make the Glaze
Add oil to a pan on medium-low heat. Cook ginger until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until slightly browned. Add the hoisin, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar. Mix well and let it boil for 1-2 minutes.
Combine cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Slowly add slurry to the sauce mixture, constantly stirring the entire time, until thick.
Add fried chicken fillets. Toss chicken until each piece is well coated with the glaze, about 1 minute. Top on steamed rice and garnish with broccoli florets on the side. Serve while hot.
