Description
General Tso’s Chicken is a beloved Chinese-American dish featuring crispy chicken thigh pieces coated in a flavorful, sweet, and spicy sauce. This recipe uses cornstarch for a perfect crispy texture and a homemade sauce that balances soy, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and a hint of heat for a delicious, restaurant-style meal at home.
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 (for frying, plus more as needed)
Sauce and Flavorings
- 2 tbsp minced ginger (from a 2-inch piece of ginger)
- 3 cloves garlic (or 1 tbsp grated or finely minced)
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (or added to taste)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional for garnish)
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 5 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar (or more to taste)
- 1 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 4 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes. Toss chicken in batches with cornstarch, tapping off the excess. Set dredged chicken pieces on a platter and set aside.
- Make the sauce: In a separate dish, combine cold water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, granulated sugar, and 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch. Whisk thoroughly to combine the sauce mixture evenly.
- Cook the chicken: Preheat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add extra light olive oil. Cook chicken in 2 to 3 batches, sautéing until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Remove cooked chicken from the pan and transfer to a bowl. Add more oil as needed between batches to maintain frying temperature. Leave at least 1 tbsp oil in the pan after the last batch.
- Sauté aromatics: Add minced garlic, minced ginger, and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Sauté for about 30 seconds or until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Simmer the sauce: Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the skillet with the aromatics. Bring it to a simmer while stirring constantly. Let it simmer for 1 minute, allowing the vinegar to mellow and the sauce to thicken slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional soy sauce or rice vinegar if desired.
- Combine chicken and sauce: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and toss well to coat each piece evenly with the sauce. Cook together for another 1-2 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Serve: Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Use chicken thighs for juicier, more flavorful results compared to breast meat.
- If you prefer less heat, reduce or omit the red pepper flakes.
- Adjust the sauce balance with extra soy sauce for saltiness or rice vinegar for acidity according to your taste.
- Hoisin sauce can be replaced with a mix of soy sauce and a little bit of honey or brown sugar in a pinch.
- For crispier chicken, you can double coat the chicken pieces in cornstarch and fry twice.
- Serve with steamed rice or stir-fried vegetables for a complete meal.
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
