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General Tso’s (pronounced “so”) Chicken is easily made using chicken broth, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and a dash of red pepper flakes for a resturant quality at home.
What is General Tso’s Chicken?
Made famous for the sweet and savory sauce that clings to tender chunks of fried chicken, it’s named after a Chinese general but was actually created by a Taiwanese chef in the ‘50s and later made to suit North American taste buds.
- Flavor: Sweet, savory, and just a little spicy with a rich, sticky sauce that clings to crispy chicken.
- Recommended Tools: Large non-stick skillet, mixing bowls, tongs, and a whisk.
- Budget Tip: Use boneless chicken thighs instead of breasts. They’re often cheaper and stay extra juicy.
- Time-Saving Tip: Use pre-minced garlic and ginger or a squeeze of garlic/ginger paste to skip chopping.
- Serving Suggestion: Serve over baked or fried rice. It’s “Tso” good!
Everyday Ingredients
- Chicken: You can use chicken thighs, breasts, or cutlets, whatever you have on hand! Ground chicken or turkey works too.
- Sauce: Pantry basics, chicken broth, Asian sauces & spices give this dish its signature flavor.
- Seasonings: Fresh garlic and ginger work best, but store-bought paste or dried powders will work in a pinch. Make the sauce extra spicy by adding a splash of sriracha, gochujang, or chile paste.
- Variations: Whole baby mushrooms, water chestnuts, chopped baby bok choy, baby corn, and diced bell peppers can be added to the other ingredients to give this dish more flair.
How to Make General Tso’s Chicken
- Prep Chicken: Cut chicken into bite-size chunks and toss with seasonings, beaten eggs, and cornstarch.
- Fry: Stir-fry the chicken in oil and set aside.
- Combine: Whisk sauce ingredients together in the same pan and cook until thickened, then stir in the cooked chicken and heat through.
Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.
- Chicken is easier to cut into bite-sized chunks when it’s slightly frozen.
- Be sure to preheat the oil before frying the chicken so it won’t soak up the oil and will fry up crispy and brown without sticking.
- Use more (or less) cornstarch slurry to adjust the thickness of the sauce to your liking.
Leftovers?
Store General Tso’s chicken in a covered container (separate from rice) in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Enjoy it cold as a refreshing lunch or reheat portions in the microwave with a little broth added to thin out the sauce (it thickens as it ages).
Freeze chicken with sauce in a zippered bag for up to 3 months and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Easy Homemade Take-Out
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General Tso’s Chicken
Enjoy this Chinese take-out favorite at home made with juicy chicken bites in a mouthwatering spicy, savory, sweet sauce.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
- ▢ 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ▢ salt and pepper to taste
- ▢ 2 eggs beaten
- ▢ ½ cup cornstarch + 2 tablespoons, divided
- ▢ 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or as needed, divided
- ▢ 2 green onions thinly sliced, white and green divided
- ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
- ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
Sauce
- ▢ ½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- ▢ ¼ cup soy sauce low sodium
- ▢ 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- ▢ 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ▢ 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ▢ ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ▢ ½ teaspoon sesame oil toasted
Cut chicken breasts into 1" cubes. Season with salt & pepper and toss with egg. Remove chicken from egg and toss with ½ cup cornstarch.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken and cook until crisp and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Repeat with remaining chicken, adding more oil if needed. Remove from the pan and set aside.
For the sauce, in a small bowl, combine chicken broth, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and sesame oil.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the whites of the green onion, garlic, and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in sauce ingredients and simmer 2-3 minutes or until thickened.
Combine remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water. Slowly drizzle cornstarch into the sauce while whisking until it is slightly thickened.* Toss sauce with cooked chicken and garnish with remaining green onion.
Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container or zippered bag in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Use as much cornstarch slurry as needed to reach desired thickness.
Calories: 429 | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 191mg | Sodium: 1185mg | Potassium: 759mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 304IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine American, Asian, Chinese
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About the author
Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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