General Tso’s chicken is a popular Chinese takeout dish. It’s packed full of spicy and tangy flavors. The marinated chicken pieces are deep fried to crisp, golden brown perfection, then they’re coated with a fabulous sauce made with hoisin sauce, sesame oil, chili paste, brown sugar, and soy sauce. The stir-fry includes dried red chili peppers, adding the signature spiciness. You can replace the peppers with some crushed red chili flakes if you don’t have peppers.
Recipe Variations
- Peppers: Replace the dried red chile peppers with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of crushed red chile flakes.
- Chicken: Use chicken breasts instead of thighs.
- Nuts: Add peanuts or cashews for extra flavor and texture.
General Tso’s Chicken Recipe
Skip the takeout and make your own General Tso’s chicken!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Fry
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sauce
- 1/3 cup water or chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic chili paste or similar chili paste
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Marinade
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- 2 egg whites
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless, chicken thighs, cut into bite-size cubes
Coating
- 1 1/2 cups cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Stir-Fry
- canola or peanut oil for deep-frying, plus 1 tablespoon for stir-frying
- 3 to 4 small dried red chile peppers, seeds removed, broken up
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- Thinly sliced green onions, for garnish
- Sesame seeds, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Sauce: combine the broth or water, ketchup, 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, chili paste, sesame oil, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Marinade: In a large bowl, combine 1 12 tablespoons of soy sauce, sherry, and egg whites; whisk to blend and add the chicken. Stir to coat the chicken and let stand for 15 minutes.
- Breading: In a bowl or food storage bag, combine the cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Remove the marinated chicken pieces from the marinade and let excess drip off; transfer them to the cornstarch mixture and toss to coat.
- Fry: Add about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil to a deep, heavy pot or deep fryer and heat to 365 F (185 C). When the oil is hot, add 8 to 10 of the chicken pieces to the oil and fry for 4 to 6 minutes or until golden brown. Turn them frequently to ensure even browning. With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
- Stir Fry: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chili peppers and garlic and stir-fry for 30 to 45 seconds or until aromatic. Add the sauce mixture from step 1 and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until thickened. Add the chicken pieces and stir-fry until well coated and heated through.
- Serve: Serve the chicken over rice or noodles with a garnish of sliced green onions or sesame seeds. Enjoy!!
