General Tsao's Chicken

Last week I made Mongolian chicken with broccoli one night for dinner, though I had originally intended to make general Tsao's chicken. I had seen the recipe on my now favorite morning talk show The Chew and wanted to try it out but my mom thought my brother wouldn't like it because of its sweetness. However he later informed me that he is not as picky about sweet flavored meats anymore and was willing to try it.

I'm glad that my brother's taste buds have changed and that he has expanded his appetite because the chicken tasted great and I would have never made it had he not given me the "okay". The cornstarch provides a relatively thick coating which holds on to the sticky sweet sauce. At the same time, this recipe is a lighter version of the traditional dish as there is no deep-frying involved. Together with some fried rice this chicken is sure to hit the sweet spot for Chinese food at home.

General Tsao's Chicken

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 egg whites
• 6 tbsp cornstarch
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sambal
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves (sliced)
• 2 tbsp grated ginger
• Olive oil 
• Salt and pepper

1. Whisk together the egg whites and cornstarch. Toss the cut pieces of chicken in the mixture, making sure to coat well.
2. Saute the chicken pieces in a large pan over medium-high heat for about 3-4 minutes on all sides, or until cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. While the chicken is cooking, combine the soy sauce, sambal, honey, orange juice, and sesame oil. Mix well and set aside.
4. Saute the garlic and ginger for about a minute or until fragrant.
5. Pour the soy sauce mixture into the pan and continue to heat until boiling. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and mix well to coat evenly with the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.