General Tso’s Chicken

General Tso’s chicken is one of the most ordered dishes in Chinese-American restaurants, and for good reason. That combination of crispy fried chicken, sweet and savory sauce, and the slow burn of dried chiles is hard to resist. But the takeout version tends to lean very sweet, with a thick, gloopy sauce and a coating that goes soggy by the time it hits your table. Making it at home fixes all of that, and it is not nearly as complicated as you might think, PROMISE.

My recipe uses chicken thighs for better flavor and moisture, dipped in egg and then dredged in a cornstarch and flour mixture that fries up shatteringly crisp. The sauce is balanced, with rice vinegar and soy cutting through the brown sugar and hoisin so it tastes punchy rather than cloying. The dried chiles de arbol go into the hot wok first, blooming in the oil until fragrant.

The most important move is tossing the fried chicken in the sauce at the very last second, trust me on this. That way the coating stays crunchy and the sauce clings in a thin, glossy layer instead of soaking in. Serve it over steamed rice with the green onions scattered on top.

How to Make General Tso’s Chicken at Home:

Frying the Chicken

Cut boneless, skinless chicken thighs into one-and-a-half-inch pieces.

Mix cornstarch, flour, and salt in a bowl. Dip the chicken pieces in beaten eggs, then dredge in the cornstarch mixture, pressing to coat.

Heat three cups of vegetable oil in a deep pot or wok to 350 degrees.

Fry the chicken in batches for four to five minutes until golden and crispy. Do not crowd the pot, as it will lower the oil temperature and make the chicken greasy.

Drain on a wire rack, not paper towels, which can make the bottoms soggy.

Making the Sauce

Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, and sesame oil in a small bowl.

Heat one tablespoon of the frying oil in a clean wok or large skillet over high heat.

Add dried chiles de arbol and cook thirty seconds until darkened and fragrant.

Add minced garlic and ginger and stir-fry twenty seconds.

Pour in the sauce mixture and bring to a simmer. Stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water) and cook until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, about one minute.

Tossing and Serving

Add the fried chicken to the sauce and toss to coat every piece. Work quickly and serve immediately. The coating stays crispy for about five minutes before the sauce softens it.

Toss in sliced green onions and serve over steamed rice, garnished with sesame seeds and more green onions. The contrast between the crispy chicken and the sticky, glossy sauce is what makes this dish so good.

Homemade General Tso’s Chicken

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5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Ai Ping
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Description

General Tso’s chicken is an American-Chinese restaurant staple that almost nobody makes at home, which is a shame because the homemade version is leagues better — crispier coating, less sugar, and sauce that actually clings to the chicken instead of pooling in the bottom of a takeout container. Crispy fried chicken pieces tossed in a sweet-tangy-spicy sauce with a hit of ginger and garlic.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• Vegetable oil for frying (about 3 cups)
• 6 dried red chiles (such as chiles de árbol)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
• Steamed rice for serving
• Toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish

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Instructions

1. Mix 1/2 cup cornstarch, flour, and salt. Dip chicken pieces in beaten eggs, then dredge in the cornstarch mixture, pressing to coat.
2. Heat 3 cups oil in a deep pot or wok to 350°F. Fry the chicken in batches for 4 to 5 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on a wire rack.
3. For the sauce: whisk soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, hoisin, and sesame oil in a small bowl.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the frying oil in a clean wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the dried chiles and cook 30 seconds until darkened and fragrant. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry 20 seconds.
5. Pour in the sauce mixture and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water) and cook until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, about 1 minute.
6. Add the fried chicken to the sauce and toss to coat every piece. Toss in the green onions.
7. Serve immediately over steamed rice, garnished with sesame seeds and more green onions.

Notes

• Toss the fried chicken in the sauce at the very last second and serve immediately — the coating stays crispy for about 5 minutes before the sauce softens it.
• Dried chiles de árbol provide the signature heat — remove the seeds for milder heat or leave them for a serious kick.
• Chicken thighs hold up to frying and sauce-tossing much better than breast meat, which dries out quickly.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Chinese-American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 560
• Sugar: 16
• Sodium: 880
• Fat: 24
• Carbohydrates: 48
• Fiber: 1
• Protein: 36
• Cholesterol: 130