I’m not always a fan of “lighter” dishes because sometimes “light” = no flavor.

But as I’ve said on many an occasion, I trust Martha (Stewart, that is).  So when I found this recipe online, I went for it.

A “Lighter” General Tso’s Chicken

Modified from this recipe.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 servings brown rice
• 2 tbsp, then 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 pound snow peas, trimmed and cut in half crosswise
• 2.5 tsp minced garlic
• 2-3 teaspoons fresh grated ginger (depending on how much you like ginger!)
• 5 tablespoons light-brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 2 large egg whites
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Before you do anything else, cut and prep your chicken, snow peas, and ginger.
   
2. In a big bowl, stir together 2 tbsp cornstarch and 1 cup cold water. Add snow peas, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and set aside.
   
3. In another big bowl, whisk together another 3 tbsp cornstarch with the two egg whites. Add ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper and stir to combine. Add chicken and stir to coat.
   
4. Cook brown rice according to package instructions.
   
5. While brown rice is cooking, heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken to the skillet, shaking chicken before adding it to the skillet to remove excess egg mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and the outside of the chicken is a golden brown. Transfer chicken to a plate.
6. Before you add the rest of the chicken, (carefully) wipe down the skillet with a wet paper towel. Add another tablespoon of oil, then add the rest of the chicken and cook until golden brown. Transfer chicken to a plate.
   
7. Reduce heat to medium/medium-low. Add snow pea mixture to skillet. Cover skillet and let cook for just a couple of minutes, until sauce thickens up. Remove cover and add all of the chicken back to the skillet. Toss to coat and let everything sit for a few minutes to warm up.
   
8. Serve chicken and snow pea mixture over brown rice, and enjoy!

The verdict?

Very tasty and husband-approved. I’ll definitely be making this one again!

Question for ya …

Favorite Chinese dish?

Do you also sometimes find that “lighter” dishes aren’t as tasty??

** Oh hey, by the way … if you’ve happened to notice that I haven’t been commenting on your blogs this week, that’s because I’m out of town.   But don’t worry … I’ll be back soon and I can’t wait to catch up on how everyone’s been doing!!