Main Dishes

This General Tso's chicken uses cornstarch batter for a crisp, golden brown coating. Frying the chicken twice makes it extra crispy. A spicy, sweet soy sauce mixture with ginger and garlic adds incredible flavor. Don't scrimp or replace the ingredients — you might be disappointed. You can make the sauce and complete the first chicken fry up to 3 days ahead, then complete the second fry before serving. Serve with rice or noodles tossed with steamed vegetables, such as broccoli, zucchini, squash, and green onions.

Chicken French has everything I love in a recipe. It's delicious and easy, frugal, yet fancy, and everyone loves it. Better yet, it has a vague, confusing history and completely preposterous name. This not-French recipe hails from the Rochester area of New York State, where it's a staple on virtually every Italian-American restaurant menu.