General Tso’s Chicken

Remove the honey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. In a medium pot, combine the rice, a big pinch of salt, and 2 cups of water. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, without stirring, 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork. Cover to keep warm.

While the rice cooks, wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the stems of the peppers; remove the cores. Thinly slice into rings. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops. In a bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, honey (kneading the packet before opening), 2 tablespoons of warm water, and as much of the gochujang as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. 

While the rice continues to cook, pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the cornstarch; toss to thoroughly coat. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat the sautéed aromatics and 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high. Once hot enough that a piece of chicken sizzles immediately when added, working in batches if necessary, add the coated chicken in an even layer (shaking off any excess cornstarch before adding). Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly browned on all sides. 

Add the sliced peppers and white bottoms of the scallions to the pan; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the sauce (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is cooked through. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the finished chicken, peppers, and sauce over the cooked rice. Garnish with the sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!