Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken

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!

Easy 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.

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 get nice and crispy in the fryer.

Variations On General Tso’s Sauce

Change up the sauce with simple tweaks before tossing it with the air-fried chicken.

• If you like a slightly less sweet sauce, add 1 tablespoon of sugar instead of 2.
• To make it sweeter, add 1 tablespoon of honey.
• To add heat, add something like gochujang or sriracha.
• Add a little orange zest to brighten the dish up.

Email This Recipe

Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Name *

Email *

Go

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Easy Chicken Recipes.

How to Store and Reheat

Let your leftover General Tso’s chicken cool to room temperature prior to storing in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for 2-3 days.

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!

Notes and Tips

• Coating pieces of chicken with cornstarch helps them get crispier in the Air Fryer, and also helps the General Tso’s sauce stick. Flour can be used instead.
• I always serve this chicken with white rice or chicken fried rice, and a side of egg rolls!

4.52 from 642 votes

Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken Recipe

This Air Fryer General Tso's Chicken is a healthier take on the classic Chinese takeout. Succulent chicken slathered in a tangy sauce, served with a side of fluffy rice, is pure heaven on a plate!

Expanded step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Prep: 5 minutes minutes

Cook: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time : 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 people

Print Rate Save Saved!

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

• ▢ 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into small pieces
• ▢ 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ Dash of black pepper

For the 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

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

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 salt, Dash of black pepper
• Spray Air Fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray.
• Place chicken in basket, separate 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 the 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

Storage: Store General Tso’s Chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days, or freeze for 3 months.

Nutrition Facts

Air Fryer General Tso's Chicken Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 397 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 215mg72%

Sodium 2074mg90%

Potassium 688mg20%

Carbohydrates 29g10%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 19g21%

Protein 46g92%

Vitamin A 357IU7%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 36mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author: Becky Hardin

Course:Main Course

Cuisine:American, Chinese

Did You Make This?We love seeing what you’ve made! Tag us on social media at @easychickenrecipes for a chance to be featured.

How to Make General Tso’s Chicken in the Air Fryer Step by Step

Cook the Chicken: Cut 1 pound of chicken (boneless thighs or breasts) into small pieces. Then toss in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, ½ teaspoon of salt, and a dash of black pepper. 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 General Tso’s Chicken with rice, veggies, or your other Chinese takeout favorites!

Easy Asian Chicken Recipes to Try!

Pineapple Chicken

Asian Chicken Meatballs Recipe

Crockpot Sesame Chicken

Cashew Nut Chicken

All Asian Recipes