Description
This General Tso’s Chicken recipe delivers a perfect balance of crispy, tender chicken coated in a crunchy batter and tossed in a luscious, sweet-spicy sauce. Easy to prepare and customizable for heat and dietary preferences, it’s ideal for weeknight dinners or impressing guests with authentic Asian flavors made from fresh ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 1 lb chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup cornstarch (gluten-free if needed)
- Vegetable oil, for deep frying
Sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar or honey
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried red chili flakes or fresh chopped chilis (adjust to taste)
Garnish
- 2 green onions, chopped
- Sesame seeds, toasted (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and pat dry to remove excess moisture, helping the cornstarch coating crisp up perfectly when fried.
- Coat the chicken in cornstarch: Place chicken pieces in a bowl and toss gently with cornstarch, ensuring every piece is evenly covered with a light layer for a crispy texture.
- Fry the chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Fry chicken in batches until golden brown and crispy, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Make the sauce: In a separate pan, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar or honey, chicken broth, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red chili flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce slightly thickens and becomes glossy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Toss and coat: Add the fried chicken pieces into the sauce and toss gently to coat each piece thoroughly and heat through.
- Garnish and serve: Top with chopped green onions and optional sesame seeds. Serve immediately over steamed rice or your favorite side dish.
Notes
- Double-fry the chicken for extra crunchiness—first until just cooked, then again after coating with sauce.
- Pat chicken dry thoroughly before coating to ensure the batter sticks well and crisps properly.
- Adjust sauce thickness by adding a cornstarch slurry (mix cornstarch with cold water) if needed without overpowering flavors.
- Use fresh garlic and ginger for a deeper, more vibrant flavor compared to store-bought pastes.
- Fry chicken in small batches to maintain oil temperature and crispiness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg