General Tso's Chicken
This Homemade General Tso’s Chicken is crispy, sticky, and full of flavor! Made with golden fried chicken tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce, it’s an easy Chinese takeout classic you can make at home in under 30 minutes.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (cut into bite size pieces, approximately 1 inches)
- ½ cup Cornstarch
- 2-3 cups Olive Oil for frying
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Minced Ginger or 1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 3 cloves Garlic minced (or 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic)
- ½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- Sesame Seeds for garnish
For the Sauce:
- ½ cup Cold Water
- ¼ cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Hoisin Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
Instructions
- Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Toss the chicken in batches in the cornstarch making sure to coat it completely. Set aside.
- Heat approximately 2 inches of oil in a deep skillet or large sauce pan to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook the chicken in the oil in batches (2-3 depending on the size of your pan). Fry for 2-3 minutes, flipping it halfway through the cooking time, until all sides are browned and the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the oil to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the oil.
- Remove most of the oil from the pan leaving approximately 1 tablespoon. Heat over medium high heat.
- Add in the ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for approximately 30 seconds until you can start to smell the garlic and ginger.
- Whisk in the sauce and bring to a simmer while stirring.
- Cook for approximately 1 minute until it starts to thicken slightly.
- Add the chicken to the pan and stir to coat it with the sauce.
- Serve warm topped with sesame seeds and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Tips
- Cooking Chicken - It's important to cook the chicken in batches so that it browns evenly. Check the oil temperature before each new batch is added as it will lower the temperature of the oil. Heat until it returns to 375 degrees F before adding the next batch of chicken.
- Cooking Garlic and Ginger - You can use a new pan and add 1 tablespoon of oil to the new pan when sautéing the garlic and ginger instead of using the same pan as the chicken if you prefer.
- Make Ahead - Fry chicken ahead of time, then toss in sauce right before serving.
- Sweet Twist - Toss in pineapple chunks for a tangy flavor.
- Extra Spicy - Add sriracha or extra chili paste.
- Baked Version - Bake chicken at 400°F for 20–25 minutes instead of frying.
- Air Fryer Method - Air fry at 375°F for 12–15 minutes, shaking halfway through.
- Change Chicken - Chicken breast can be used instead of chicken thighs if you prefer.
Nutrition
Calories: 900kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 78g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 55g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 568mg | Potassium: 429mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 86IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 2mg
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