Ingredients

½cuphoisin sauce

¼cuprice vinegar

3tbspsoy sauce,low-sodium

3tbsplight-brown sugar,packed

2tbspcornstarch

1½cupschicken broth,low-sodium

1½lbschicken breasts,boneless skinless, diced into 1-inch pieces

1tbspvegetable oil

2green onions,sliced, s and whites divided

4clovesgarlic,minced

2tbspginger,finely grated fresh

½tspred pepper flakes,or to taste

3egg whites

1½cupscornstarch

½cupall-purpose flour

½tspbaking soda

Salt and white or black pepper,as desired

4cupsvegetable oil,for frying

Preparation

In a mixing bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, 2 tbsp cornstarch and the chicken broth.

Place chicken in a large Ziploc bag and pour 6 tbsp of the hoisin mixture over chicken.

Seal bag and allow to marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat.

Add chopped whites of green onions, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes and sauté 1 minute.

Add 2 cups of hoisin sauce mixture (reserve remaining little bit) to skillet, season with salt and white pepper to taste and cook, stirring constantly until mixture has thickened.

Remove from heat, cover with lid.

In a shallow dish, vigorously whisk egg whites until foamy, set aside.

In a separate shallow dish, whisk together cornstarch, flour and baking soda, then add remaining hoisin sauce mixture and stir until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Heat 4 cups oil in a dutch oven over medium heat to 350 degrees F.

Meanwhile, remove chicken from refrigerator and remove chicken from marinade, shaking off excess marinade.

Transfer to a large plate lined with several paper towels. Cover with more paper towels and pat dry.

Place half of the chicken into the egg whites and toss to coat, then lift and allow excess to run off and immediately transfer to cornstarch mixture.

Toss in cornstarch mixture. Coat evenly, then transfer to a plate and repeat coating process with remaining chicken.

Fry coated chicken in batches in hot oil, until chicken is golden brown and has cooked through, about 3 – 4 minutes, turning chicken once during frying.

Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain and repeat frying process with remaining chicken.

Warm sauce over medium-low heat until heated through.

Place chicken in a large bowl and toss with warm sauce to evenly coat.

Serve warm topped with sliced green onions and optional sesame seeds if desired.