Description
General Tso’s Chicken is a popular Chinese-American dish featuring crispy fried chicken pieces tossed in a sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy sauce. It’s perfect for a weeknight dinner when you’re craving takeout but want to make it at home. Serve it over steamed rice or with stir-fried veggies for a complete meal.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
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1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
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1/2 cup cornstarch
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1/2 cup all-purpose flour
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2 eggs, beaten
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1/4 cup soy sauce
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Oil, for frying
For the sauce:
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3 tablespoons soy sauce
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2 tablespoons rice vinegar
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3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
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3 tablespoons sugar
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1/2 cup chicken broth
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1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed with 2 tbsp water)
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1 teaspoon sesame oil
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2 teaspoons minced garlic
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1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
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1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
Optional Garnish:
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Sliced green onions
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Toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
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Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces with soy sauce. Let sit for 10 minutes.
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Prepare the batter: In one bowl, mix the flour and cornstarch. In another bowl, beat the eggs.
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Coat the chicken: Dip each piece of chicken into the egg, then dredge in the flour mixture. Set aside.
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Fry the chicken: Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken in batches until golden and crispy (about 4–5 minutes per batch). Drain on paper towels.
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Make the sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sugar, chicken broth, sesame oil, and cornstarch slurry.
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Cook the sauce: In a clean pan or wok, heat a little oil and sauté garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes for 1–2 minutes. Pour in the sauce mixture and cook until thickened, about 3–4 minutes.
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Combine: Add the fried chicken to the sauce and toss to coat evenly.
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Serve: Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve hot over rice.
Notes
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For a healthier version, try air frying or baking the chicken instead of deep frying.
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Adjust the spice level by adding more or less red pepper flakes.
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Chicken breast can be used, but thighs stay juicier.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 155mg