Description
General Tso’s Chicken is a popular Chinese-American takeout dish made with crispy fried chicken tossed in a sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy sauce. A crowd-pleaser that’s perfect with rice or steamed vegetables.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Sauce:
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water (slurry)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional for heat)
For garnish:
- Chopped green onions
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Dip into beaten eggs, then coat with cornstarch.
- Heat oil in a deep skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Fry chicken in batches until golden and crispy, about 4–5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- In a separate saucepan or wok, heat a small amount of oil and sauté garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes for 30 seconds.
- Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until sauce thickens, about 1–2 minutes.
- Add the fried chicken to the sauce and toss to coat evenly.
- Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Serve hot with steamed rice.
Notes
- Use chicken thighs for juicier meat, or breasts for a leaner option.
- Adjust the red pepper flakes to control the heat level.
- Double the sauce if serving with extra rice or vegetables.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 920mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 130mg