Lighter General Tso's Chicken

To recover from the hectic week and prepare ourselves for losing an hour of sleep, KK and I had a low-key weekend.  That being said, I still went to a friend's birthday brunch at 10th & Willow, and for a run along Hoboken's waterfront.  We dusted off some recipe favorites as well - Tofu Pad Thai on Friday, Pizza Spaghetti paried with a Wine Garage Pinot Noir on Saturday, and this lighter version of General Tso's chicken on Sunday.  My good friend Stephanie was promoting the blog to her friends (thanks!!), and raving about this dish.  Since it wasn't on the blog, KK quickly added the old favorite to the dinner rotation.  Luckily, it was just as good as I remembered.  Bon appetit! 

Lighter General Tso's Chicken
Adapted from Proceed with Caution
Serves 4
Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients
1 cup long-grain brown rice
1/4 cup cornstarch, divided
1 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ginger, peeled and grated
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 large egg whites
salt & pepper
1 pound chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions
1. Cook rice according to package instructions.

2. In medium bowl, whisk together egg whites, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken, and toss to coat.

3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons oil over medium-high.  Shake off excess egg-white mixture, add chicken to skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water until smooth. Add sugar snap peas, garlic, ginger, sugar, soy sauce, and red-pepper flakes; toss to combine.

5. Add sugar snap pea mixture to skillet. Cover; cook until sugar snap peas are tender and sauce has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Return chicken to skillet (with any juices); toss to coat. Serve with rice.