The Best General Tso’s Chicken
This General Tso’s Chicken recipe is a real showstopper, blending sweet, savory, and a touch of spice in every crispy bite. I love how the chicken pieces, tender on the inside and golden on the outside, soak up the rich, tangy sauce. It’s a quick, delightful dish that brings the magic of takeout right to our family table, and everyone always asks for seconds!
Chicken Thighs (Boneless, Skinless): I love using chicken thighs because they’re juicy and tender, however, chicken breast works jus as well. Baking Soda: It tenderizes the chicken, making it extra juicy. Dark Soy Sauce: Adds depth of color and a rich, umami flavor. Just replace with regular soy sauce if you don’t have it. Soy Sauce (Low Sodium): Brings the savory element without too much salt. Regular soy sauce diluted with a bit of water can work as a replacement. Cornstarch: This is for that perfect, crispy coating. Arrowroot powder can be a good substitute. Vegetable Oil: Used for frying to get that irresistible crunch. Any high smoke point oil, like canola or peanut oil, would do the trick. Green Onions: Add a fresh, crisp garnish. Sesame Seeds: These are for an extra bit of texture and presentation. They’re optional, or you could use toasted nuts for a crunch.
Hoisin Sauce: It’s the base of the sauce, offering a sweet and tangy flavor. A mix of soy sauce, honey, and a dash of vinegar can be used as an alternative. Rice Vinegar: Adds acidity and brightness. You an substitute with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. Brown Sugar: Balances the flavors with its sweetness. Honey or maple syrup can replace it in a pinch. Fresh Ginger: Brings a zesty, fresh flavor. You can substitute with ground ginger but in a smaller quantity. Garlic: Offers that essential pungent kick. You can use garlic powder in a smaller quantity but fresh is always best. Cornstarch (for Sauce): Thickens the sauce beautifully. Arrowroot powder or a flour slurry could be alternatives. Red Pepper Flakes: For a little heat. Adjust to taste, or use fresh chili or chili powder for a different kind of kick.
You’re going to love how easy and fun it is to make this General Tso’s Chicken. It’s all about mixing, tossing, and frying – and voilà, you’ve got a dish that’s better than takeout. Grab those chicken pieces and toss them together with the baking soda and soy sauce in a bowl. Let them marinate for about 10 minutes. Take all those sauce ingredients – hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and the secret weapon, red pepper flakes – and whisk them in a bowl. Oh, and don’t forget to mix some cornstarch with water and add it in. This is what’s going to make our sauce nice and thick. Spread out the cornstarch on a plate and roll the chicken pieces in it. Make sure they’re all nicely coated – this is what gives us that amazing crunch. Heat up some oil in a pan or wok, and once it’s hot, in goes the chicken. Fry them until they’re golden and crispy. Just keep an eye on them, and once they’re done, let them rest on a paper towel. Wipe the wok clean, add a bit more oil, and pour in the sauce. Once it starts to simmer and thicken, toss the chicken back in. Give everything a good mix to coat the chicken in that sticky, delicious sauce. Sprinkle some sliced green onions and sesame seeds over the top for that extra flair. Serve this over some steamed rice and enjoy!
Storage
Leftover General Tso’s Chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, gently warm it in a pan over low heat to retain the chicken’s crispiness. You can also use a microwave, but the chicken may lose some of its crisp texture.
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title: “General Tso S Chicken” ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-09” author: “William Reichert”
Be sure to try my Shrimp Fried Rice and Chinese Chicken Salad recipes next!
General Tso’s Chicken is always a must when we order Chinese food. It’s actually one of the most popular menu items in Chinese food restaurants across America. So I figured it would be fun to learn how to make it myself at home. The chicken in this recipe is super crunchy, and it’s smothered in a glossy, flavorful sauce that has the perfect balance of flavors. Let’s get into what you need to know to make this classic takeout meal yourself!
What is General Tso’s Chicken
General Tso’s Chicken is a dish featuring deep-fried chicken in a sweet sauce that also has hints of tangy, savory, and spicy. It’s served in Chinese restaurants across North America. There are Taiwanese versions of this dish as well, which has chicken that’s cooked with the skin on. The sauce isn’t as sweet and soy sauce is a more prominent ingredient. Read more about how this dish originated and more at Wikipedia.
The Sauce
The sauce is what makes this recipe, it has such a unique and delicious balance of different flavors. Learning the role of each ingredient is helpful when making this recipe:
Cornstarch + Water – The Thickener. Chicken Broth – Gives us enough liquid to coat the chicken, adds savory flavor. Sugar – Gives the sauce the sweetness that it needs. Some recipes call for brown sugar but I really like the distinct flavor of white. Soy Sauce – Adds Umami. Garlic – I always recommend using fresh instead of bottled/minced for best flavor. White Vinegar – Adds tang. Rice Vinegar may also be used. Chili Paste – Adds a hint of spicy which balances it all out. Hoisin Sauce – Sweet, salty, and glazy. The perfect addition to this sauce. Sesame Oil– Adds a hint of sesame flavor, just don’t add too much as it’s very potent. Red Pepper Flakes– One final way to add a little kick.
General Tso’s Chicken Pronunciation
When I listen to Julien Miquel’s YouTube video on how it’s pronounced, I hear a hint of the “t” at the beginning, followed by “s-ow”. Pronouncing it Right describes it as: “tsah-oo, with an elongated -oo sound.”
General Tso’s Chicken vs. Orange Chicken and Sesame Chicken
General Tso’s Chicken: Sweet sauce with a little more heat, often served with broccoli. (I know, I know, I added sesame seeds too. I couldn’t help myself.) Orange Chicken: Similar sauce to General Tso but lighter in color, not as spicy, and includes some sort of addition of orange, such as orange zest. Sesame Chicken: Salty with a just a small hint of sweet flavor, served with sesame seeds.
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions. Dredge chicken into the egg mixture, then into the flour/cornstarch mixture and deep fry in batches until golden brown. Set aside. (Warning: You’ll be tempted to stop right there and just eat the chicken. A little taste-test won’t hurt. 😉) Sauté broccoli in oil for about 5 minutes or until desired consistency is reached and set aside.
Add sauce ingredients to a large skillet and bring to a gentle boil. It will continue to thicken, stir constantly and watch closely.
Once desired thickness is nearly obtained, add the chicken and broccoli and stir to combine. Remove from heat and garnish with green onions/sesame seeds if desired.
Storage
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. Leftovers can be heated in a skillet or microwave. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of chicken broth or water. Note that the chicken won’t be as crispy the second time around, but the taste is still great!
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Dutch Oven – These conduct heat really well. I use mine all the time. Deep Fryer – This is the one I have, it’s simple/easy and doesn’t take up much space. Rubbermaid Containers with lids– I always use these to combine my corn starch + cold water. Oil Thermometer Slotted Spoon Silicone Spatula– Easy for tossing the chicken in the sauce. Cooling Racks Wok
