Description
A flavorful and crispy General Tso’s Chicken recipe featuring tender chicken thighs coated in corn starch, fried to golden perfection, and tossed in a tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy sauce. This dish is perfect for an authentic Chinese-American dinner at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 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
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
General Tso’s Sauce
- 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 Chicken: Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes. Toss chicken in batches with cornstarch, tapping off the excess. Set dredged chicken on a platter and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: In a separate dish, combine all the ingredients for your sauce and whisk to combine.
- Cook Chicken: Preheat a non-stick skillet with oil. Cook chicken in 2 to 3 batches, sautéing until golden on both sides and cooked through, then remove the chicken from the pan and transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining chicken, adding more oil as needed. Leave at least 1 Tbsp oil in the pan.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes to the pan and sauté for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Simmer Sauce and Combine: Add the prepared sauce to the skillet and bring it to a simmer while stirring. Let it simmer for 1 minute to cook off some vinegar acidity. Taste and adjust with more soy sauce or rice vinegar if desired.
- Toss Chicken in Sauce: Add the cooked chicken back to the pan and toss to coat evenly with the sauce.
- Serve: Serve immediately garnished with sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- To get extra crispy chicken, make sure your oil is hot before adding chicken pieces.
- If you want more spice, increase the amount of red pepper flakes or add a small amount of chili paste to the sauce.
- Substitute chicken breasts if preferred but thighs will be juicier and more flavorful.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos.
- Serve with steamed rice or stir-fried vegetables for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
