General Tso’s Chicken is one of my go-to Chinese food orders because I just can’t get enough of that tangy sauce! This Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken recipe is a healthier take on the classic Chinese takeout, and it’s even more delicious. Succulent bites of chicken are slathered in a homemade General Tso sauce, and served with a side of fluffy rice. It’s so easy to make in just 20 minutes!
Top Reader Reviews
Great recipe! So easy to make and just delicious. Like take out but a fraction of the price. I will probably double the sauce part next time cuz we like it saucy. Highly recommend. Seriously you can have dinner on the table in 20 mins with some quick rice and broccoli on the side.
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This is a wonderfully tasty homemade gem of a recipe. Honestly like it more than the restaurant versions!
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Quick, Easy, and Healthy General Tso’s Chicken Recipe
My family doesn’t even ask for take-out anymore, they only ask for this easy air fryer chicken recipe! Making General Tso’s Chicken in the Air Fryer is so quick and easy to do with less than 10 ingredients.
This is a super simplified version of general Tso’s chicken without a complicated list of special ingredients, and air-frying for a much healthier result. The homemade sauce is easy to whip up using soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. It’s the perfect mix of sweet and tangy, with a wonderfully flavorful kick. It coats bites of chicken beautifully, and they still get nice and crispy in the fryer.
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Make it Crispier!
This recipe is meant to be lighter than the classic General Tso’s chicken, so there’s no deep-frying and I just use a bit of cornstarch to coat. For a crispier result, try dredging the pieces of chicken in egg and flour before air-frying. Be sure to shake off any excess first. Or, lightly spray chicken pieces with cooking oil spray.
Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into small pieces*)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (**)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 dash ground black pepper
For the General Tso's Sauce:
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (***)
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ginger paste (****)
- 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
For the Chicken:
- Preheat Air Fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, toss the chicken with cornstarch, salt and pepper, coating evenly.1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 dash ground black pepper
- Spray Air Fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place chicken in basket, separating the pieces so they cook all the way around.
- Air-fry for 10 minutes, tossing the basket once at 5 minutes to flip the chicken over.
For the Sauce:
- Add all sauce ingredients to a small, heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat.¼ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ginger paste, 2 garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Whisk until brown sugar dissolves, and bring to a rapid boil.
- Reduce heat, simmer about 5 minutes until sauce has thickened.
- Pour the sauce over the air fried chicken and coat evenly.
- Serve over white or brown rice.
Notes
- Make sure the chicken is evenly-coated with cornstarch. Shake off any excess to prevent a clumpy or powder-y result.
- Leave some space between the chicken pieces in the Air Fryer so that all sides are exposed to the circulating air.
- If you prefer, use 1/2 cup of bottled sauce for convenience.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Variations On General Tso’s Sauce
Change up the sauce with simple tweaks before tossing it with the air-fried chicken.
- To make it a little less sweet, add 1 tablespoon of sugar instead of 2.
- To make it sweeter, add 1 tablespoon of honey (or a bit more brown sugar).
- To add heat, add something like gochujang or sriracha.
- To brighten it up, add a little orange zest.
How to Make General Tso’s Chicken in the Air Fryer Step by Step
Cut and Coat the Chicken: Cut 1 pound of chicken (boneless thighs or breasts) into small, bite-sized pieces. Then toss in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, ½ teaspoon of salt, and a dash of black pepper.
Air-fry the Chicken: Spray the Air Fryer basket with a little bit of non-stick spray. Place the coated chicken in an even layer in the basket, and cook at 400°F for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken half-way through the cook time.
Make the General Tso’s Sauce: To a saucepan set over m medium heat, add ¼ cup of ketchup, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar, ½ teaspoon of ginger paste, 2 cloves of crushed garlic, and ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Whisk until the brown sugar has dissolved and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook for about 5 minutes, or until thickened.
Toss it All Together: Place the chicken in a large bowl, then pour the sauce and toss to evenly coat all pieces.
Serve: I always serve general Tso’s chicken with white rice or fried rice, and a side of egg rolls!
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover General Tso’s chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, or freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, I recommend popping it back in the air fryer or oven until heated through. Avoid overheating, or you’ll dry out the sauce!
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