What’s the Difference Between Hot Braised Chicken and General Tso?
Hot braised chicken is a delicious Chinese dish that is usually served as a main course. The meat is tender and juicy, and the sauce adds flavor without being too salty or oily. It’s almost always braised with an assortment of vegetables such as onions, ginger, garlic, and scallions. There are many different variations of hot braised chicken; each has its own unique preparation method or special ingredients.
Hot braised chicken has many similarities to General Tso’s chicken but has some key differences in preparation. Both dishes have a sauce that includes ginger, soy sauce, and sugar as primary ingredients. However, there are also several important differences between hot braised chicken and General Tso’s chicken that you should know about before making either at home.
What Is Hot Braised Chicken?
Hot braised chicken is a Chinese dish of slowly braised chicken with a variety of vegetables, typically served as a main course. Unlike the General Tso’s chicken, it does not have a spicy sauce and is therefore not meant to be an appetizer. It’s almost always braised with an assortment of vegetables such as onions, ginger, garlic, and scallions. It’s a very popular dish served in Chinese restaurants across the world.
There are many different variations of hot braised chicken; each has its own unique preparation method or special ingredients. Some of the most well-known versions include Sichuan hot and sour chicken, Peking style hot and sour chicken, and Hunan hot braised chicken. Hot braised chicken can be easily substituted for General Tso’s Chicken because the two dishes have a lot in common. They both have a sauce that includes ginger, soy sauce, and sugar as primary ingredients, and they both come with a side of broccoli.
General Tso’s Chicken
General Tso’s chicken is a classic Chinese dish consisting of deep fried chicken pieces with a sweet and spicy sauce. The dish is named after General Tso, a 19th-century Hunan Chinese military leader. Today, the dish is one of the most popular Chinese foods in the western world.
Like hot braised chicken, General Tso’s chicken is most often served as a main course. The chicken is typically deep fried to create a crispy outside and tender inside. It’s served with a sauce that includes number of ingredients, including soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili pepper. Like hot braised chicken, General Tso’s chicken is often served with vegetables, such as broccoli.
Differences Between Hot Braised Chicken and General Tso’s Chicken
– Preparation method – The most important difference between these two dishes is the preparation method. Hot braised chicken is slowly cooked at low heat with a small amount of liquid, while General Tso’s chicken is deep fried and served crispy. – Sauce – Another key difference between hot braised chicken and General Tso’s chicken is the ingredients in their sauces.
Hot braised chicken has a sauce that includes ginger, soy sauce, and sugar as primary ingredients. General Tso’s chicken has a sauce that includes soy sauce, sesame oil, chili peppers, and hoisin sauce. – Vegetables – Hot braised chicken is typically served with a lot of vegetables and often includes a variety of different species of scallions, ginger, and garlic. General Tso’s chicken is usually served with broccoli, but sometimes with other vegetables like carrots or green beans.
How to Make Hot Braised Chicken
To make hot braised chicken, you will need to first season the chicken. You can do this by mixing together soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and salt. Once the chicken has been properly seasoned, you will then add it to a hot pan with oil and fry it until a crispy and golden crust has formed. The next step is to add ginger and scallions along with a small amount of water.
This will allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce. As the chicken cooks, it will release its natural juices that will mix with the sauce to create a delicious flavor. The final step is to add a combination of vegetables, such as snow peas, carrots, and baby corn. This will allow the vegetables to cook in the sauce. When the vegetables are tender, the dish has finished cooking and is ready to be served.
How to Make General Tso’s Chicken
To make General Tso’s chicken, you will need to first marinate the chicken, followed by a deep frying process. The marinade typically includes soy sauce, sambal oelek chili paste, and corn starch. Once the chicken has been properly marinated, you will then need to deep fry the chicken in oil until it has a crispy and golden crust.
Next, you will need to make the sauce by adding the primary ingredients of the sauce, which are soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. Once the sauce has been made, you can then add the broccoli and pour the sauce over the chicken and broccoli. General Tso’s chicken is ready to be served when the broccoli has cooked in the sauce.
Final Words
Hot braised chicken and General Tso’s chicken are both delicious Chinese dishes that are easy to make at home. While the two dishes have a lot in common, there are also several important differences between hot braised chicken and General Tso’s chicken that you should know about before making either at home. The most important difference between these dishes is the preparation method.
Hot braised chicken is slowly cooked at low heat with a small amount of liquid, while General Tso’s chicken is deep fried and served crispy. The primary ingredients in the sauces of these two dishes are also different. Hot braised chicken has a sauce that includes ginger, soy sauce, and sugar as primary ingredients, and General Tso’s chicken has a sauce that includes soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar.
