GENERAL TSAO'S CHICKEN (WW version)

We love Chinese food in our house, and it's really not all that hard to prepare, if you have the right ingredients on hand. General Tsao's is one of our favorites, but the normal way is deep fried chicken in a spicy sauce. In this WW version, the chicken is sauteed and bypasses a lot of the fat calories in the normal version. If you're used to the fried version, please don't think this one is inferior. The flavor is tremendous! I have to admit though, I fix fried rice with mine. We all love it. I'm adding the recipe for the fried rice, at the end of this post.

GENERAL TSAO'S CHICKEN (WW version) 6 pts

3/4 cup(s) canned chicken broth, reduced-sodium
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp peanut oil
2 medium scallion(s), chopped
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or 1 dried chili pepper, minced (add more if you like it extra spicy)
1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cup(s) cooked white rice, kept hot

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and ginger; set aside.
  
• Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallions, garlic and pepper and cook 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook until browned all over, about 5 minutes.
  
• Add reserved sauce and simmer until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes.
  
• Serve chicken and sauce over rice. Yields about 1 cup of chicken and sauce and 1/2 cup of rice (white) per serving.

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FRIED RICE

• 1 - 2 green onions, as desired
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons oil for stir-frying, or as needed
• 4 cups cold cooked rice
• 1 - 2 tablespoons light soy sauce or oyster sauce, as desired (I use Soy sauce)
  

Wash and finely chop the green onion. Lightly beat the eggs with the salt and pepper.
Heat a wok or frying pan and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the eggs. Cook, stirring, until they are lightly scrambled but not too dry. Remove the eggs and clean out the pan. (I use a non-stick skillet to fix mine in).

Add 2 tablespoons oil. Add the rice. Stir-fry for a few minutes, using chopsticks or a wooden spoon to break it apart. Stir in the soy sauce or oyster sauce as desired.

When the rice is heated through, add the scrambled egg back into the pan. Mix thoroughly. Stir in the green onion. Serve hot.