General Tso's Chicken
This General Tso’s Chicken is crispy, saucy, sweet, and just spicy enough, everything you want from your favorite takeout, made right at home. I use tender chicken thighs, a quick velveting marinade, and a sticky, bold sauce that comes together in minutes. It’s faster than delivery and tastes even better.
Servings: 4
Calories: 574kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken thighs boneless, skinless and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce low sodium
- 1 cup cornstarch
- ½ cup vegetable oil for frying
- 2 green onions sliced 2-3 inches long for garnish
- sesame seeds for garnish
Sauce
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce low sodium
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl, toss the chicken pieces with baking soda, dark soy sauce and a tablespoon of soy sauce. Set aside for 10 minutes to marinade.
- In another bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, chili flakes, and water. In a separate small bowl, mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water to create a slurry. Add this to the sauce mixture and mix well.
- Place the cup of cornstarch in a shallow plate and add the chicken pieces along with the marinade and toss the chicken well with the cornstarch to coat all the pieces.
- In a large skillet or wok, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken pieces in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Fry until golden brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Clean the wok, add another tablespoon of oil and heat over medium-high heat. Carefully pour the sauce mixture into the wok. Once the sauce begins to simmer, add the fried chicken pieces back in. Toss to coat the chicken with the sauce and let simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and the chicken is heated through.
- Remove from heat. Garnish with sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve with steamed white rice or your preferred side dish.
Video
Notes
- Thighs > Breasts: Thighs stay juicier, especially when you’re pan frying. If you use breasts, just don’t skip the marinade and keep an eye on cook time.
- Velveting is not optional. I know it sounds like a fancy word, but that baking soda trick is what makes the chicken melt-in-your-mouth tender. Game changer.
- Shallow fry works. No need to break out a deep fryer, just enough oil to crisp up the chicken is all you need.
- Make ahead? Sort of. You can prep the sauce and marinate the chicken, but don’t coat or fry until you’re ready to eat.
- Spice level = flexible. Start low with the chili flakes and adjust to your liking. It’s still delicious mild.
- Leftovers reheat well. A quick toss in a hot pan brings everything back to life, crisp(ish) and saucy again.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 574kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 1469mg | Potassium: 411mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 236IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg
