General Tso’s Chicken
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Learn to make General Tso’s chicken—that oh-so-delicious Chinese-American favorite (similar to orange chicken) with crispy chicken pieces smothered in a sweet, tangy, spicy sauce. It’s completely doable and worth the effort!
While General Tso’s chicken is a popular choice at Chinese restaurants, takeout just never does it justice because the chicken’s crispy texture is best enjoyed fresh from the pan. The good news is that you can easily whip up authentic General Tso’s chicken right in your own kitchen! Not only is it delicious, but there’s also something so satisfying about recreating a restaurant classic at home.
To make the most of your time, prep the sauce and chop the garlic, scallions, and ginger while the chicken marinates for 30 minutes. By the time you’re done, the chicken will be ready for coating and shallow-frying. This General Tso’s chicken recipe delivers delicious, homemade results in under an hour!
“W.O.W. Literally one of the best dinners ever made! A few more steps than I’d normally bother with on a weeknight, but sooooooo worth it!!”
What You’ll Need To Make General Tso’s Chicken
- Egg: Helps the marinade stick to the chicken.
- Soy sauce: Seasons the marinade and adds savory umami flavor to the sauce.
- Sugar: Balances the flavors in both the marinade and the sauce with a touch of sweetness.
- Chicken: Most restaurants use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this dish, but boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken tenderloins work well too. Use whichever you prefer.
- Hoisin sauce: Provides sweetness, depth, and a hint of spice to the sauce.
- Unseasoned rice vinegar: Adds tanginess to balance the sweetness of the sauce.
- Cornstarch, all-purpose flour, and baking soda: Work together to create a light, crispy coating for the chicken when fried. Cornstarch is also used to thicken the sauce.
- Sesame oil: Adds a nutty, aromatic quality to the sauce.
- Water: Balances the sauce and helps achieve the perfect consistency.
- Vegetable oil: Used for frying the chicken and sautéing the aromatics.
- Fresh ginger, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, and scallions: Add spice, warmth, and savory depth to the dish (the scallion whites flavor the sauce, while the greens serve as a fresh garnish).
- Sesame seeds (optional): Add a nutty crunch and a polished look to the finished dish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by making the marinade. In a large bowl, beat the egg with the sugar and soy sauce. Add the to the bowl and toss until evenly coated. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
While the chicken marinates, prepare the sauce by mixing the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, cornstarch, sesame oil, and water in a small bowl.
Next, coat the chicken. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, and baking soda.
Sprinkle the coating over the chicken/marinade mixture.
Toss the chicken and cornstarch/flour mixture until each piece of meat separates and has a dry, clumpy coating.
Now you’re ready to cook the chicken. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat about ¼ inch of oil to 350°F (180°C). You’ll know it’s ready when you drop a piece of chicken in and it sizzles vigorously. Properly heated oil is key to achieving that crisp, golden coating — too cool, and the chicken will turn out greasy; too hot, and it may burn before fully cooking.
Work in three batches to avoid crowding the pan. Shallow-fry about a third of the coated chicken at a time, cooking for 4 to 5 minutes until it’s golden brown and crispy. Turn the pieces once halfway through and adjust the heat if needed to keep the oil at the right temperature.
Transfer the chicken to a plate lined with paper towels to drain the oil, and repeat with the remaining chicken.
To finish the dish, carefully drain the oil from the pan and wipe it clean with a paper towel. Add about 1 tablespoon of fresh oil, then set the pan over medium heat. Toss in the ginger, red pepper flakes, garlic, and scallion whites. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant—be careful not to let them brown—and then add the sauce.
Bring the sauce to a boil, and let it cook until thickened and glossy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the crispy chicken to the sauce and toss until it is nicely coated, a few minutes.
Sprinkle with the dark green scallions and sesame seeds and serve over rice. Enjoy!
Video Tutorial
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General Tso's Chicken
Skip the takeout and tackle General Tso’s chicken at home with this flavor-packed recipe!
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1½ pounds chicken tenderloins or boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
For the Sauce
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1¼ cups water
For Coating the Chicken
- 1 cup cornstarch
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon baking soda
For Cooking and Serving
- Vegetable oil
- 1½ tablespoons fresh minced ginger (see note)
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
- Sesame seeds (optional), for serving
- Rice, for serving
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl, beat the egg, soy sauce and sugar. Add the chicken to the bowl and toss until evenly coated. Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, mix the sauce ingredients together. Set aside.
- Coat the chicken: In a medium bowl, whisk the cornstarch, flour, and baking soda. Sprinkle over the chicken/marinade mixture and toss until each piece of meat separates and has a dry, clumpy coating.
- Fry the chicken: In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat about ¼ inch of oil to 350°F. You'll know it's ready when you drop a piece of chicken in and it sizzles vigorously. Working in three batches so as not to crowd the pan, shallow-fry a third of the coated chicken until golden brown and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes, turning once midway through cooking and adjusting the heat as needed. Transfer the chicken to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Finish the dish: Carefully drain the oil from the pan and wipe the pan clean with a paper towel. Add about 1 tablespoon of oil. Over medium heat, add the ginger, red pepper flakes, garlic, and scallion whites. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds until fragrant; do not brown. Add the sauce, bring it to a boil, and let it cook until thickened and glossy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the crispy chicken, tossing until the sauce fully coats it, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the dark green scallions and sesame seeds, if using, and serve over rice.
- Note: Check out easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger here.
- Note: Nutritional information was calculated assuming that approximately 2 tablespoons of the oil is absorbed into the chicken when frying.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 801
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 85 g
- Sugar: 15 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Sodium: 2,020 mg
- Cholesterol: 117 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Would this work in an air fryer?
I don’t own an air fryer so unfortunately, I can’t tell you confidently whether or not this would work in one. If you want to do a little digging, there are a number of articles online about how to convert many recipes to air fryer versions. I know both Taste of Home and Food Network have them. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
I made this for a group and it was a huge winner! Even reheated, it’s delicious. And the coating of the chicken is super easy. Just throw it all in a bowl.
Would shrimp work with this too?
Thanks for this delicious recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it! Yes, this will also work with shrimp but the cook time will be shorter. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Wont the chicken be soggy if you heat it in the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes?
Hi Daniel, it does take a little edge off the crispiness, but the chicken will still have a fairly crisp texture.
Amazing! Made this last night and it was a huge hit!
So flavourful and delicious – not. a quick meal to make but worth the time for the delicous results. I can’t eat garlic so just used more Ginger and it was fabulous.
Wouldn’t change a thing, wife like it and that’s all she orders when we go out !
I made this tonight. One version with chicken and another with tofu. Both were delicious! If I have leftover cooked chicken without the sauce can I reheat it tomorrow?
Thank you for another delicious recipe!
Glad you liked it! Yes, you can reheat it gently. Enjoy the leftovers!