General Tso’s Chicken is a take-out staple that’s even better when made at home! Crispy bites of fried chicken thighs are tossed in the best homemade sauce that’s sweet, spicy, and tangy. You won’t be ordering out anytime soon after you taste this easy chicken recipe!
What’s in this General Tso’s Chicken Recipe
When you order take-out, you never really know what you’re getting. Making this chicken in your own kitchen ensures that you know every single ingredient going into the mix!
- Egg White: You can discard of the yolk, you won’t be using it.
- Shaoxing Wine: This is a Chinese wine that can be used for both cooking and drinking.
- Soy Sauce: You can use tamari or coconut aminos instead if preferred.
- Sesame Oil: You’ll love the flavor this lends the chicken marinade!
- Sesame Seeds: For a little extra flavor, you can toast the sesame seeds if you’d like.
- Baking Soda: This helps the chicken crisp up perfectly while frying.
- Salt and Pepper: Go very light with the salt! Soy sauce (even low-sodium) lends plenty of salty flavor.
- Cornstarch: Don’t swap this ingredient with anything else! It’s essential for the breading.
- Chicken Thighs: Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe.
- All-Purpose Flour: This is the primary ingredient you’ll use to dredge the chicken with.
- Baking Powder: This works in tandem with the cornstarch and baking soda to crisp up the chicken.
- Peanut Oil: You’ll need this to fry the chicken.
- Sauce: Ingredients like soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and more are mixed together to create the sauce. Scroll below for more info!
PRO TIP: To increase the spice level of this dish, increase the amount of crushed red pepper flakes in the sauce or add some whole dried red chili peppers.
Can I substitute the Shaoxing wine with anything?
Yes! If you’re unable to find Shaoxing wine, you can use an equal amount of cooking sherry. You can also use an equal amount of mirin, but you’ll need to reduce the sugar in the sauce from ¼ to ⅛ cup.
General tso’s chicken is a Chinese-American staple. Essentially, it’s fried chicken thigh pieces tossed in a sweet, spicy, and tangy sauce.
Double-frying general tso’s chicken makes it extra crispy. Giving the batter time to rest and between fryings allows more moisture to evaporate when it goes in for the second fry, leading to faster browning without overcooking the meat.
Yes, but the chicken may not be as crisp. To bake general tso’s chicken, marinate and dredge the chicken pieces, then preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the chicken on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spray lightly with cooking oil spray, and bake for about 20 minutes, until the chicken registers 165°F internally. Toss in the sauce and serve.
How to Store and Reheat
General tso’s chicken is best enjoyed on the day it’s made, but it will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, preheat oven to 325°F and place chicken in an oven-safe dish in a single layer. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the chicken is 165°F internally.
How to Freeze
To freeze general tso’s chicken, lay the chicken in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 1 hour. Place frozen chicken in an airtight container or Ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow chicken to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
General tso’s chicken is best served over rice! You can always lighten up your plate with some steamed broccoli or Asian cucumber salad. To make your take-out night complete, consider making crab rangoons or egg drop soup!
More Asian Chicken Recipes We Love
- Easy Chicken Lo Mein
- Pineapple Chicken
- Bourbon Chicken
- Peanut Butter Chicken
- Chicken Katsu
- Caramel Chicken
General Tso’s Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 large egg white
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce see note
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ¾ cup cornstarch divided
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch chunks
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Peanut oil for frying
For the Sauce
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce see note
- 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 1½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Sliced green onions for garnish
- Steamed white rice for serving
- Steamed broccoli for serving
Equipment
Instructions
- Set a large plate and a wire rack set over a baking sheet aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg white, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and water until foamy. Add the sesame oil, sesame seeds, baking soda, black pepper, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Stir until well blended.1 large egg white, 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon water, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ¾ cup cornstarch
- Add the chicken pieces to the mixture, stirring to coat. Allow the chicken to marinate while you prepare the rest of the recipe.1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- In a second bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and remaining salt and cornstarch. Dredge the marinated chicken pieces through the dry mixture, then set on the large plate.½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Heat 1 ½ inches of peanut oil in a Dutch oven to 350°F.Peanut oil
- While oil is heating, make the sauce. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken broth, brown sugar, soy sauce, wine, cornstarch, sesame oil, and vinegar, whisking well until cornstarch is dissolved.½ cup low sodium chicken broth, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce, 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, 1½ tablespoons cornstarch, 1½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil, 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 2-3 minutes. Whisk the sauce mixture into the saucepan and bring to a boil for 1 minute, until thickened. Remove from the heat. Set aside.2 teaspoons vegetable oil, 4 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- When oil is at 350°F, carefully fry the chicken pieces in batches for 4-5 minutes until light brown. Transfer the chicken to the wire rack set over the baking sheet.
- Once all of the chicken has been fried once, with the oil at 350°F, fry the chicken a second time for 2-4 more minutes, until golden brown, very crisp, and 165°F internally. Transfer the chicken back to the wire rack set over the baking sheet to drain.
- Place the chicken in a large mixing bowl and pour the warm sauce over it, tossing to coat completely. Serve immediately garnished with green onions, with steamed rice and broccoli.Sliced green onions, Steamed white rice, Steamed broccoli
Notes
- Storage: Store leftover General Tso’s chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat covered with aluminum foil in a 325°F oven for 5-10 minutes.
- Substitution: If you’re unable to find Shaoxing wine, you can use an equal amount of cooking Sherry. You can also use an equal amount of Mirin, but you’ll need to reduce the sugar in the sauce from ¼ to ⅛ cup.
- Soy Sauce: Use an equal amount of tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten free alternative.
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