General Tso’s Chicken

This easy homemade General Tso’s Chicken is every bit as sweet, sticky, and irresistible as the one you get in the carton when you order Chinese takeout, with tender, juicy chicken, veggies, and just enough heat to make things interesting.

Why You’ll Love This Easy General Tso’s Chicken Recipe

• Quick and Easy. This homemade General Tso’s chicken recipe is on the table in less than 30 minutes and it’s made with simple ingredients you likely already have on hand, especially if you regularly cook stir fry recipes.
• The Perfect Sticky Sauce. What makes General Tso’s chicken and Healthy Orange Chicken (not to mention this Crockpot Orange Chicken) so irresistible is that sticky sauce that clings to each bite, coating it in flavor. This recipe will show you how to achieve that at home!
• General Tso’s Chicken, Lightened Up. While it still strikes that perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy, the sauce in this recipe calls for a more reasonable amount of sugar and low-sodium soy sauce. (Like my Bourbon Chicken and Sesame Chicken recipes, the marinade here is sweetened with honey or maple syrup.) To create that quintessential breaded outside, I toss the chicken in corn starch and lightly pan fry it to create a “crust.” No deep fried chicken here!

How to Make General Tso’s Chicken

The Ingredients

• Chicken. The sauce deliciously clings to each bite-sized piece of the chicken.
• General Tso’s Marinade. A combination of soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, honey or maple syrup, and baking soda. It’s salty, sweet, nutty, and a little spicy.
• Soy Sauce. Bursting with umami goodness, soy sauce adds crucial flavor to the sauce. I used low-sodium (low salt) soy sauce to keep the sauce from becoming too salty.
• Hoisin Sauce. Hoisin sauce is key to the General Tso’s sauce’s scrumptious, thick, and slightly sweet flavor. Think of it as Asian barbecue sauce.
• Ginger. With mild peppery and sweet notes, ginger adds zippy freshness.
• Chili Garlic Sauce. For a spicier version, up the amount of chili garlic sauce or add red pepper flakes. If you prefer a milder General Tso’s chicken recipe, you can use only 1 or 2 teaspoons.
• Rice Vinegar. A light, mild way to add critical acidity.
• Cornstarch. Helps make the sauce addictively luscious and thick and the outsides of the chicken crispy. I prefer this over using flour.
• Sesame Oil. Adds a touch of nuttiness to the sauce. This ingredient will make your cooking better!
• Vegetables. To make this a complete meal, serve your General Tso’s chicken with stir fry veggies. I use a frozen mixture, which makes things quick and easy.

The Directions

1. Marinate. Add the chicken to a bowl with the marinade ingredients. Let sit for at least 15 minutes. Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a separate bowl.

2. Coat. Stir the cornstarch into the chicken.

3. 

   3. Cook. Stir fry the chicken.

   

4. Stir Fry. Remove the chicken with slotted spoon while you stir fry the vegetables (if using), then return the chicken to the pan.
5. Finish. Pour in the sauce mixture and cook to thicken. Plate, garnish, and ENJOY!

Recipe Variations

• General Tso’s Chicken Thighs. While I prefer using chicken tenders or breast, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs in this recipe if you prefer.
• General Tso’s Chickpeas. This vegetarian remake swaps the chicken with chickpeas!
• General Tso’s Tofu. Another meatless variation of General Tso’s chicken, this recipe uses chewy tofu instead.

What to Serve with General Tso’s Chicken

• Salad. Asian Cucumber Salad and Asian Cabbage Salad would both pair well with this dish.
• Other Takeout Faves. Make a family-style takeout fakeout dinner with Stir Fry Noodles, Air Fryer Egg Rolls, and Cabbage Stir Fry.
• More Grains. White rice might be the classic choice, but you can also serve General Tso’s chicken with Instant Pot Brown Rice, quinoa, or Cauliflower Fried Rice.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Cut the Chicken into Even Pieces. This ensures that it’s all done cooking at the same time. You don’t want to end up over-cooking smaller pieces while you wait for bigger pieces to cook through.
• Get a Head Start. Up to 1 day in advance, you can cut the chicken and add it to a bowl with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to finish the recipe.
• Cook the Chicken in Batches, If Needed. If you crowd the pan, you won’t get that nice sear and crispy exterior. Instead, the chicken will steam, which is not nearly as delicious!
• Don’t Skip the Baking Soda. The baking soda in the marinade is a trick restaurants use to tenderize the chicken. (For more sticky-sweet and tender chicken, check out my classic Orange Chicken recipe.)