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Crispy, craggy chicken tossed in a sticky, sweet, tangy, and spicy sauce makes this homemade General Tso’s chicken recipe every bit as satisfying as the takeout favorite.
I love recreating Chinese takeout favorites at home—there’s something especially satisfying about pulling off a classic restaurant dish in your own kitchen. General Tso’s chicken is particularly worth making yourself because it’s best straight from the pan, when the coating is still crisp. At home, you can toss the chicken with the sweet, tangy, slightly spicy sauce just before serving, so you get all that flavor without sacrificing the crunch.
The recipe moves quickly once you start cooking, so a little organization makes all the difference. While the chicken marinates, you can make the sauce and chop the garlic, scallions, and ginger. That way, everything is ready to go when it’s time to coat and fry the chicken. The whole thing comes together in under an hour; serve it with white or fried rice and steamed broccoli to round out the meal.
“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
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless thighs stay especially juicy, but chicken breasts or tenderloins work well, too. Whichever you use, cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces so they cook at the same rate.
- Egg: Helps the marinade cling to the chicken and gives the coating something to grab onto so it stays put during frying.
- Cornstarch, Flour & Baking Soda: Work together to create a light, craggy coating that fries up crisp. Cornstarch does double duty here, also thickening the sauce so it clings to the chicken.
- Soy Sauce, Hoisin Sauce, Sugar & Rice Vinegar: These form the sweet-tangy backbone of the sauce. Be sure to use unseasoned rice vinegar, which doesn’t contain added sugar or salt.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: A little goes a long way, adding a deep, nutty note to the sauce. Look for toasted (Asian) sesame oil rather than the lighter variety.
- Fresh Ginger & Garlic: Give the sauce its fresh, aromatic punch.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Provide the heat that balances the sweetness; adjust the amount depending on how spicy you like your General Tso’s chicken.
- Scallions & Sesame Seeds: The white parts of the scallions cook with the sauce for a mild oniony bite, while the greens and optional sesame seeds finish the dish with freshness, color, and a little crunch.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How to Make General Tso’s Chicken
Marinate the chicken and make the sauce: Beat the egg with the sugar and soy sauce, then add the chicken to the bowl and toss until evenly coated. Let it marinate at room temperature while you prep the rest of the recipe. Meanwhile, whisk the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, cornstarch, sesame oil, and water to make the sauce.
Coat the chicken: Whisk together the cornstarch, flour, and baking soda and sprinkle it over the chicken. Toss until all of the pieces are well coated and separate from one another. Take a moment to break apart any pieces that are stuck together so they’re ready to go individually into the hot oil.
Fry the chicken: Heat about ¼ inch of oil to 350°F, then fry the chicken in batches so the pieces have plenty of room around them. Crowding the pan lowers the oil temperature and can make the coating soggy rather than crisp. Fry until deeply golden and crisp, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
Finish the dish: Pour off the frying oil and wipe out the skillet, then add a little fresh oil. Cook the ginger, red pepper flakes, garlic, and scallion whites just until fragrant, then pour in the sauce and let it boil until thick and glossy. Add the chicken and toss quickly until every piece is evenly coated, then sprinkle with the scallion greens and sesame seeds.
Serve: Serve right away over rice, while the chicken is still at its crispiest.
Video Tutorial
General Tso’s Chicken
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-in (2.5-cm) 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 toasted 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
- 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 in (6 mm) of oil to 350°F (175°C). 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.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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.
See more recipes:
If you love making Chinese takeout favorites at home, try my orange chicken, bourbon chicken, or sweet and sour chicken next. They’re all saucy, sweet-savory chicken dishes with plenty of big flavor.
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My husband just said “This is incredible. I will never eat anyone else’s General Tso’s chicken again. The tenderness of the chicken is what’s so different.” (I used thighs). I love it, too. And will be passing the recipe link to my two nieces, who have both of your cookbooks, but just in case…
OMG This was soooo good!!!!
My husband and I enjoyed this dish so, so much. It was like eating at Chinatown but much better because made at home with fresh ingredients, so it was the perfect mix between our favourite Chinese food aromas which this recepe encapsulates perfectly, yet a healthier, tastier version of it.
The only change I made was reducing the sugar quantity from 3 spoons to just one and for us it was perfect this way
Thank you so much for yet another PERFECT asian style recepe!
This was not quick & easy. I also think it wasn’t tasty.. at all. These recipes NEVER fail me but this one wasn’t good. 🙁
This is the only recipe of yours we have ever made that I was disappointed in. It is missing some sweetness and maybe has too much Hoison. Plus some veggies like broccoli would be nice.
I’ve made this twice now and it is phenomenal! Truly. I’ve been on the hunt for a good Gen Tso, tried many, and will not be looking any further. My whole family loves it. Husband said our local takeout restaurant is fired 😂. If you’re searching online wondering which one to pick, it’s this one.
Absolutely unreal! Tastes better than a Chinese takeaway itself and was so easy to make. Prepare for lots of dishes but it is so worth it!
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!
Hi Olivia! I just tried this in the air fryer and it worked well. I doubled the batch so incorporated my airfryer to help speed up the batched cooking time. I made sure the basket was not crowed, sprayed canola oil over the batch and cooked it on 180C for 6 mins, shook the basket and sprayed more oil before cooking for another 6 minutes! You cooked definitely tell the difference between the air fry and pan fry as I had them next to each other but I would say it was purely based off one was more oily than the other. They were both tasty and I don’t think you would be able to tell when it is covered in sauce!
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!