General Tso's Chicken

For a quick, crowd-pleasing variation on a takeout favorite, bites of tender chicken, crisp peppers, and broccoli come together in a sweet, spicy sauce made from honey, hoisin, and sriracha. Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Chicken breast, chopped

• 2 cups Jasmine rice

• 4 oz. Sweet peppers, sliced thin

• 1 head of Broccoli, cut into bite sized florets

• 2 scallions, sliced thin

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 Tbsp. Rice vinegar

• 2 tsp. Sriracha

• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger

• 1 Tbsp. Honey

• 1 Tbsp. Sesame oil

• 1/4 cup cornstarch

• 1/4 cup Hoisin sauce

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, heat 2.5 cups of water, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 Tbsp. oil to boiling. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water is clear, then add to the pot. Let the rice cook uncovered on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the water has been absorbed. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 25-30 minutes. Do not open the lid or stir during this time.

2. In a bowl, combine the hoisin sauce, vinegar, ginger, honey, sesame oil, 2 Tbsp. water, and as much of the sriracha as you'd like, depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be. Set aside.

3. Place the chopped chicken in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the cornstarch; toss to thoroughly coat. In a large pan (non-stick if you have one), heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil on medium-high. Once the oil is hot enough that a pinch of cornstarch sizzles immediately when added, working in batches if necessary, add the coated chicken in an even layer (shaking off any access cornstarch before adding). Cook, stirring occasionally, 7-9 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate.

4. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook, uncovered, until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Drain into a colander; set aside.

5. Add the peppers, scallions, and garlic to the pan of reserved fond (if the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil). Season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium-high, stirring frequently, 2-3 minutes, or until softened and fragrant.

5. To the pan, add the cooked chicken, sauce, and cooked broccoli. Cook, stirring frequently, 1-2 minutes, or until thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the finished chicken and sauce over the cooked rice. Garnish with sliced scallions (optional). Enjoy!