(Chicken)
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups cornstarch
- 1/4 cup salt
** Dan and I love our food salty, but some people might find 1/4 cup to be too much. If you’re not as salt-loving as us, I would suggest starting low (1 or 2 tsp), dipping/frying a couple pieces of chicken with that, tasting, and modifying accordingly. If it’s too salty, add more cornstarch; if it’s not salty enough, add more salt in small increments.
- 3 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups vegetable oil for frying, plus 1 tablespoon for stir-frying
- 5 dried red chilis, roughly chopped
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- Scallions, green parts thinly sliced, for garnish

(Marinade)
- 1 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- 2 egg whites

(Sauce)
- 1/4 cup chicken stock or broth
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili paste (I didn’t have this, so I substituted 2 tsp cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes)
- 1 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch