Ah, General Tso’s Chicken—a sweet, spicy, and tangy Chinese-American favorite! 🍗🍯 Crispy chicken bites coated in a flavorful sauce that’s perfect over rice. Here’s a classic way to make it at home:
General Tso’s Chicken Recipe
Ingredients (serves 4)
For the chicken:
- 1 lb (450g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup cornstarch (for coating)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- Vegetable oil, for frying
For the sauce:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp cornstarch (to thicken)
For aromatics:
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-inch piece ginger, minced
- 3–4 dried red chilies (optional for heat)
- 2–3 green onions, sliced for garnish
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken:
- Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
- Toss in cornstarch until evenly coated.
- Fry the chicken:
- Heat about 1–2 inches of oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
- Fry chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through, about 4–5 minutes per batch.
- Drain on paper towels.
- Make the sauce:
- In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sugar, sesame oil, water, and 1 tsp cornstarch. Set aside.
- Cook aromatics:
- In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tsp oil over medium heat.
- Add garlic, ginger, and dried chilies. Sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Combine chicken and sauce:
- Pour the sauce into the skillet with aromatics.
- Cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, until sauce thickens.
- Add fried chicken and toss to coat evenly.
- Serve:
- Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
- Serve hot over steamed rice or fried rice.
💡 Tips:
- For extra crispiness, double-fry the chicken: fry once, let cool, then fry again for 1–2 minutes before tossing in sauce.
- Adjust sweetness and heat according to your taste—more sugar for sweetness, more chili flakes for spiciness.
- Chicken thighs stay juicier than breasts and give the classic General Tso texture.
If you want, I can also give a “Quick Skillet Version” that skips deep-frying and still gives a crispy-tasting, saucy General Tso’s chicken in under 30 minutes.
Do you want me to share that faster version?
