Recipe: General Tsao's Chicken (lower fat version) (Chinese)

GENERAL TSAO'S CHICKEN

"With 339 calories and 10 grams of fat per serving, this is a lightened version of a Chinese restaurant favorite."

1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar, divided use
3 tablespoons dry sherry, divided use
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 medium clove garlic, peeled and minced
3 teaspoons cornstarch, divided use
1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest (colored portion of peel)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 egg white
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided use
1 small hot Serrano chili, stemmed, seeded and minced
3 thin green onions, finely chopped
About 2 cups hot cooked white rice (for serving)

Cut chicken breasts into strips about 1 inch wide and 2 inches long; put into a bowl. Combine light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons sherry, ginger and garlic. Add 2 teaspoons cornstarch; stir to combine, then pour over chicken and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Combine regular soy sauce with the remaining 1 tablespoon rice vinegar and 1 tablespoon sherry; add sesame oil, brown sugar, orange zest and chicken broth. Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch; set aside.

Mix egg white into chicken.

Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, put half of the chicken and half of the marinade into skillet; stir quickly for about 2 minutes, until almost cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil; cook remaining chicken and marinade. Remove from skillet.

Put chili and green onions into skillet; cook 1 minute.

Pour broth mixture into skillet, stirring well; simmer until lightly thickened.

Return chicken to skillet; simmer for about 2 minutes, or until cooked through. Spoon over rice and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Approximate nutrition information per serving: 339 calories; 10g fat (27 percent calories from fat); 66mg cholesterol; 30g protein; 28g carbohydrate; 475mg sodium.

From: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 17, 2000
Adapted from source: The World's Best Recipes by Damon Lee Fowler