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On a recent trip to my happy place, Trader Joe’s, I found these two things that inspired me to try to make my own Chinese takeout.

generaltso-ingredients

I had never cooked with panko breadcrumbs before and I was blown away by this new discovery! Panko breadcrumbs are so crunchy that they make chicken taste fried, even when it’s baked! I am officially a fan.

And it’s not just me, the health nut, who thinks this. A.K., lover of all things fried, said that it tasted like real takeout! And not like anything healthified. That is what I call success…

generaltso
Pin ItAND, to top that all off, it’s easy!

Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup whole-wheat flour
  • 2 Cups whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs
  • 4 Large eggs
  • 12 Ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

Also,

  • 4 Cups broccoli florets
  • 2 Bottles of General Tso’s sauce (or any stir fry sauce you enjoy)
  • 1 T sesame seeds
  • 2 Cups of rice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Put the flour in a shallow dish.  Place the panko in another shallow dish.  In a medium bowl, whip the eggs with a whisk until they are blended.

Working in batches, first dredge the chicken in the flour (shaking off excess). Next add the chicken to the egg and toss to coat completely.  Finally, add the chicken, a few pieces at a time, to the panko and toss to coat.  Make sure they are completely coated.

pankocovered

Spread the chicken out on a baking pan, in a single layer.  Bake chicken until the breading is golden and crispy and then chicken is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes.

I also pan fried some that couldn’t fit on the pan. I used a tiny bit of olive oil and they turned out fantastic. Do it this way if you want them even crispier, and/or done faster.

panfriedchicken

While the chicken is baking, prepare your veggies. Olive oil, salt, pepper, stir fry mix.

veggies

Place the General Tso’s sauce in a large pan on low heat and let it simmer while the chicken is finishing crisping up.

Then place the chicken into the sauce, and toss to coat.

mixsauce

Note:Buy 2 bottles of the General Tso’s sauce, it is better to have more than to run out. Plus the sauce is absolutely delicious! I learned this the hard way because I ran out, went to my local grocery store for some other brand General Tso’s sauce, and it was not the same. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby, then that’s sad, but make sure you use a sauce you know is good!

Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the chicken and serve with stir fry, or broccoli, over rice.

This might end up being the only way I make chicken for a while. We made these again with buffalo sauce to snack on during football on Sunday, and also topped over a salad with dressing another night. Just like in a restaurant except {approximately} 3957349573495734 calories less.

Have you discovered the miracle of panko bread crumbs?

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