Description
This General Tso’s Chicken recipe offers a perfect balance of crispy, tender chicken tossed in a tangy, slightly sweet, and spicy sauce. Featuring a simple homemade sauce with soy, hoisin, and rice vinegar, this dish brings bold flavors that make it a favorite for weeknight dinners or special occasions. The chicken is lightly coated with cornstarch for a crispy texture before being pan-fried to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 2 lb chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- 1/4 cup extra light olive oil, for frying, plus more as needed
Aromatics
- 2 tbsp minced ginger, from a 2-inch piece of ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, or 1 tbsp grated or finely minced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or added to taste
- 1 tsp sesame seeds, optional for garnish
General Tso's Sauce
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 5 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar, or more to taste
- 1 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 4 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes. Toss the chicken in batches with the cornstarch, tapping off the excess. Set the dredged chicken on a platter and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: In a separate dish, combine cold water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, granulated sugar, and corn starch. Whisk thoroughly to combine and ensure the corn starch is dissolved.
- Cook Chicken: Preheat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Cook the chicken in 2 to 3 batches, sautéing until golden on both sides and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Remove the chicken from the pan and transfer to a bowl. Add more oil if needed for subsequent batches. Leave at least 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add minced garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to the pan. Sauté for about 30 seconds or until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Simmer Sauce: Pour the prepared General Tso’s sauce mixture into the skillet. Bring to a simmer while stirring continuously. Let it simmer for 1 minute to thicken and cook off a bit of vinegar acidity. Taste and adjust by adding more soy sauce or rice vinegar if needed.
- Combine and Serve: Add the cooked chicken back into the skillet. Toss well to coat the chicken evenly with the sauce. Remove from heat and transfer to serving dishes. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, double dredge the chicken by dipping it into water or egg before coating with cornstarch again.
- You can substitute chicken thighs with chicken breasts, but thighs tend to stay juicier and tender.
- Adjust the heat by changing the amount of red pepper flakes or adding fresh chili peppers for extra spice.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, increase the cornstarch in the sauce by an additional 1/2 tbsp.
- Use gluten-free soy sauce to make this dish gluten free.
- Serve with steamed white rice or stir-fried vegetables for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
