Description
Whipping up General Tso’s Chicken at home brings restaurant-quality flavors right to your dinner table with crispy, golden-brown chicken pieces glazed in a perfectly balanced sweet and spicy sauce. Crushed red pepper flakes and tender chicken chunks make this classic Chinese-American dish a total crowd-pleaser that’ll have your family asking for seconds.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating:
- 2 lb chicken thighs
- ½ cup corn starch
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Aromatics and Spices:
- 2 tablespoons minced ginger
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
Sauce Ingredients:
- ½ cup cold water
- 5 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup extra light olive oil
Instructions
- Dice 2 pounds of chicken thighs into precise 1-inch cubes, ensuring uniform sizing for even cooking.
- Coat chicken pieces thoroughly in ½ cup cornstarch, gently shaking off excess powder to create a light, crispy exterior.
- Heat ¼ cup extra light olive oil in a large non-stick skillet to 375°F, preparing for high-heat frying.
- Fry chicken in small batches for 3-4 minutes, rotating pieces to achieve a golden-brown crisp without overcrowding the pan.
- Transfer fried chicken to a paper towel-lined plate, allowing excess oil to drain completely.
- Mince 2 tablespoons fresh ginger and 3 cloves garlic, creating a fragrant base for your sauce.
- In the same skillet, sauté ginger, garlic, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes for 30 seconds over medium heat.
- Whisk together ½ cup cold water, 5 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 ½ tablespoons hoisin sauce, 4 tablespoons sugar, and 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch until smooth.
- Pour sauce into the skillet, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes until it thickens and becomes glossy.
- Return crispy chicken to the pan, gently tossing to coat each piece evenly with the tangy sauce.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon sesame seeds over the chicken for a subtle nutty garnish before serving hot.
Notes
- Cornstarch creates the signature crispy coating, so make sure to shake off excess powder before frying for the best texture.
- Cooking chicken in small batches prevents overcrowding and ensures each piece gets perfectly golden and crisp.
- For a healthier version, try baking the chicken instead of deep-frying, using a wire rack to help maintain crispness.
- Vegetarians can swap chicken for firm tofu, pressing and drying the tofu thoroughly before coating and cooking to achieve a similar crispy result.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 to 6
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg