General Tso's Chicken is a sweet, savory, and crispy classic Chinese dish. It is usually prepared with boneless fried chicken that is tossed in a special General Tso's Sauce. The recipe I have shared here shows you how to make General Tso's Chicken with easy step-by-step instructions for you to try and enjoy at home.
I have also shared a detailed video of this recipe to make the cooking process simple and clear. This General Tso's Chicken is one of the best stir-fry dishes that taste great with rice dishes such as white rice, basmati rice, brown rice, fried rice, or noodles for lunch and dinner.
Jump to:
What is General Tso's Chicken?
General Tso's Chicken is a crispy, juicy, and popular Chinese-American take-out dish. It is generally made with breaded fried chicken that is stir-fried in a special sweet and savory sauce.
This dish also has a bold and complex flavor like most Chinese dishes and the sauce used here makes it stand out from other dishes. Even though the authentic recipe is said to be a little spicy, it is toned down with white and brown sugar to accommodate the western palates.
It is also said that it was invented by a Taiwanese Chef and he named the dish in memory of the Military General Tso (Zuo Zongtang) who ruled the Hunan Province. And it is no wonder a popular dish for its rich flavor profile and it never fails to appetize one who craves Chinese chicken dishes.
Ingredients
The ingredients you will need to make this General Tso's Chicken are Asian pantry basic. And you should find it in most Asian groceries around. So let's see what are they below.
- Chicken - I have used chicken breast here, but you can also use thighs for similar results
- Spice Powders - Ginger, garlic, pepper powder, and chili flakes gives the heat and flavor to your dish. You can also use fresh ginger-garlic paste instead of powder for more fresh flavor
- Flour - Cornstarch and all purpose flour gives the perfect coating for the meat. And gives the perfect crispy breaded chicken when fried
- Sesame Oil - I have used sesame oil for making the sauce which gives the earthy flavor to your dish. On the other hand I have used only canola oil for frying the chicken
- For General Tso's Sauce - Using fresh ginger, garlic, whole dry red chilies gives nice aroma and taste to your sauce. And adding low sodium soy sauce, hoisin sauce and chicken broth delivers the authentic tatse and flavor to your sauce
How to make General Tso's Chicken?
The recipe I have shared here is the Homemade General Tso's Chicken made with sweet, sour, and spicy sauce. The recipe process involves marinating chicken, frying chicken, making Tso chicken sauce, and stir-frying the fried chicken in the sauce. The results give a finger-licking good sweet, and spicy dish that tastes similar to your Asian take-outs.
Following are the high-level instructions to make this recipe but for detailed step-by-step instructions with photo and video, please check out the recipe card below.
- Marinate the Chicken - In a bowl, add the cut chicken, garlic, ginger and pepper powder, salt, corn starch, and all-purpose flour. Mix well until the seasonings coat well on the chicken pieces
- Fry the Chicken - In a pan with medium heat, pour oil and add the marinated chicken pieces one by one. Fry the chicken pieces until it turns golden brown on both sides
- Reserve the Fried Chicken - Remove the fried chicken from oil and reserve it for later use
- Make General Tso Sauce - I have a detailed recipe for this sauce in my earlier post, and you could find the full recipe here at General Tso Sauce. But I have also listed the steps for making the General Tso's sauce in the recipe card as well.
- Stir-fry the Fried Chicken - Now add the fried chicken pieces into the prepared General Tso's Sauce and mix until the sauce coats well on chicken pieces
- Remove and Serve - Finally, sprinkle some sesame seeds, spring onions and give a final stir. Now the delicious General Tso's Chicken is ready for you to taste and enjoy. Serve this dish with white rice, fried rice, noodles, or dishes of your choice for lunch and dinner
Tips
- For Crispy and Crunchy Texture - Frying the marinated chicken in medium heat gives the perfect crunchy and crispy chicken pieces every time. And frying the chicken in high heat makes them absorb more oil
- General Tso's Sauce - I would recommend making the sauce from scratch to achieve a fresh and flavor-filled dish. Also using fresh ginger, garlic, and chicken broth brings out the rich and unique flavor to the sauce
- Frying Method - I have pan-fried the chicken here, and you can feel free to deep fry, bake, or air fry your marinated chicken
- Protein - Even though I have used chicken breast here, you can also use chicken thighs or bone-in chicken pieces of your preference. You can also use tofu instead of chicken for a vegetarian-friendly option
- Serving - Serve this delicious General Tso's Chicken over white rice, fried rice, noodles, or dishes of your choice
Calories
This General Tso's Chicken that I have shared contains 432 calories per serving and it is an estimation by the nutrition calculator. The calorie count may change if you change or alter any of the ingredients. You can also find the detailed nutritional information in the recipe card below.
Storage Suggestions
This dish tastes great when enjoyed as soon as it is prepared. Storing it for long makes the chicken's outer layer soggy.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this dish as an entree or side dish with rice dishes such as white rice, basmati rice, brown rice, fried rice, noodles, or dishes of your choice.
Related Recipes
You could also find similar Chicken Recipes below and more at Chinese Recipes.
- General Tso's Sauce
- General Tso's Tofu
- Szechuan Chicken
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Orange Chicken
- Lemon Chicken
- Chicken Stir Fry
- Honey Garlic Chicken
- Szechuan Shrimp
- Kung Pao Shrimp
- Vegetable Stir Fry
- Schezwan Fried Rice
General Tso's Chicken Recipe video
I have also shared a detailed video of this General Tso's Chicken Recipe below that I hope will help you to make a popular Chinese restaurant-style dish at home. And you could also find this recipe in story format.
📖 Recipe
General Tso's Chicken
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1½ lb Chicken Breast, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1½ tsp Garlic Powder
- 1½ tsp Ginger Powder
- ½ tsp Pepper Powder
- Salt, as needed
- 3 tsp Corn Starch
- 3 tsp All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ cup Oil
- Sesame Seeds, to garnish
- Spring Onions, to garnish
To make General Tso's Sauce
- 1 tsp Ginger, minced
- 2 tsp Garlic, minced
- 2 tsp Brown Sugar
- 2 tsp White Sugar
- 2 tsp Rice Vinegar
- 1 tbsp. Red Pepper Flakes
- 4 Red Chili, dry
- ½ cup Chicken Broth
- ¼ cup Soy Sauce, low sodium
- 2 tsp Hoisin Sauce
- 2 tbsp. Sesame Oil
- 3 tsp Corn Starch Slurry, 1 tsp corn starch diluted in 3 tsp water
Instructions
To Marinate Chicken
- In a bowl, add the cut chicken, garlic, ginger and pepper powder, salt, corn starch, and all-purpose flour. Mix well until the seasonings coat well on the chicken pieces
To Fry the chicken
- In a pan with medium heat, pour oil and add the marinated chicken pieces one by one
- Fry the chicken pieces until it turns golden brown on both sides
- Remove the fried chicken from oil and reserve it for later use
To Make General Tso's Chicken
- I have a detailed recipe for this sauce in my earlier post, and you could find the full recipe here at General Tso Sauce. But I have also listed the steps for making the General Tso's sauce here as well. In a pan with medium heat, pour oil, and add ginger, garlic, and dry red chili. Sauté until they turn aromatic
- Add white and brown sugar and mix well until it caramelizes
- Now add soy sauce, hoisin sauce, red pepper flakes, rice vinegar and mix well
- Pour in the chicken broth and give a quick mix. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 to 2 minutes
- Now add corn starch slurry and mix well until the sauce thicken
- Now add the fried chicken pieces into the General Tso's Sauce and mix until the sauce coats well on chicken pieces
- Finally, sprinkle some sesame seeds, spring onions and give a final stir. Now the delicious General Tso's Chicken is ready for you to taste and enjoy
To Serve
- Serve this General Tso's Chicken with white rice, fried rice, noodles, or dishes of your choice for lunch and dinner
Video
Notes
- For Crispy and Crunchy Texture - Frying the marinated chicken in medium heat gives the perfect crunchy and crispy chicken pieces every time. And frying the chicken in high heat makes them absorb more oil
- General Tso's Sauce - I would recommend making the sauce from scratch to achieve a fresh and flavor-filled dish. Also using fresh ginger, garlic, and chicken broth brings out the rich and unique flavor to the sauce
- Frying Method - I have pan-fried the chicken here, and you can feel free to deep fry, bake, or air fry your marinated chicken
- Protein - Even though I have used chicken breast here, you can also use chicken thighs or even bone-in chicken pieces of your preference. You can also use tofu instead of chicken for a vegetarian-friendly option
- Serving - Serve this delicious Chinese General Tso's Chicken over white rice, fried rice, noodles, or dishes of your choice
Nutrition
FAQ
General Tso's Chicken is a sweet, sour, and spicy Chinese dish made with breaded chicken and a delicious Tso sauce. It is said that it was invented by a Taiwanese Chef in memory of his beloved military leader General Tso. And it is also one of the signature dishes of Chinese-American restaurants and is usually served over rice and steamed broccoli.
The Tso's chicken sauce is made with fresh ginger, garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and chicken broth that delivers a unique taste and flavor. And I have also shown how to make the sauce in the recipe card above.
This dish is not spicy compared to other Szechuan or Hunan cuisine stir-fry dishes but the sauce used here is perfectly balanced with sweet, sour, spicy, and tanginess.
Yes, of course, you can bake or air fry the chicken to achieve similar results.
No, this dish is not so healthy as the recipe requires a good amount of oil and high sodium content sauces. But making them at home makes it lighter compared to the versions served in restaurants.
This General Tso's Chicken that I have shared contains 432 calories per serving and it is an estimation by the nutrition calculator. The calorie count may change if you change or alter any of the ingredients. You can also find detailed nutritional information in the recipe card above.
I hope you enjoyed the recipe that I have shared here and I would love to hear from you on how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Happy Cooking!
Leave a Review