Description
General Tso’s Chicken is a beloved Chinese-American dish featuring crispy chicken thighs coated in a sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy sauce. This recipe offers a homemade version with simple ingredients and straightforward steps to create a flavorful, comforting meal perfect for dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 lb chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- 1/4 cup extra light olive oil, plus more as needed for frying
Sauce
- 5 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 4 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- 1/2 cup cold water
Flavorings and Garnish
- 2 tbsp minced ginger (from a 2-inch piece)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or 1 tbsp finely minced/grated
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Cut chicken thighs into 1-inch cubes. Toss the chicken with 1/2 cup of corn starch in batches, ensuring each piece is evenly coated. Tap off any excess corn starch and place the coated chicken pieces on a platter. Set aside.
- Make the sauce: In a separate bowl, combine 5 tbsp low sodium soy sauce, 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce, 4 tbsp sugar, 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch, and 1/2 cup cold water. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and set aside.
- Cook the chicken: Preheat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with 1/4 cup extra light olive oil. Fry the chicken in 2 to 3 batches, sautéing until golden brown on all sides and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and transfer to a bowl after each batch. Add more oil to the pan as needed, but leave at least 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan.
- Sauté aromatics: Add minced garlic, minced ginger, and red pepper flakes to the remaining oil in the pan. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Simmer the sauce: Pour the prepared sauce into the skillet with the aromatics. Stir and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Allow it to cook for 1 minute to slightly reduce and mellow the vinegar flavor. Taste the sauce and adjust by adding more soy sauce or rice vinegar if desired.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Add the cooked chicken back into the skillet. Toss thoroughly to coat all pieces evenly with the sauce. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes to ensure everything is heated through and well coated.
- Serve: Transfer the General Tso’s Chicken to serving plates and garnish with sesame seeds if using. Serve immediately with steamed rice or your preferred sides.
Notes
- Use extra light olive oil or another neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil for frying to prevent the sauce flavor from being overpowered.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to control the spiciness of the dish.
- Hoisin sauce adds a sweet and savory depth; if unavailable, you can substitute with a mix of soy sauce and a little plum jam.
- For extra crispiness, consider double dredging the chicken in corn starch or frying at a slightly higher temperature, but monitor carefully to prevent burning.
- This dish pairs excellently with steamed broccoli or stir-fried vegetables for a balanced meal.
- Leftover sauce can be stored and reheated, but the texture of the chicken is best fresh.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 386 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 502 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 111 mg
