London’s Top Tip to Make It a Winner: Fry those chicken pieces until they’re extra crispy! This keeps the coating from soaking up too much sauce, ensuring every bite stays crunchy and flavorful.
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The clear sign of a winning meal in our house? When the two of us devour a dish meant for four in one sitting. I decided to include this recipe in my most recent Weeknight Winners dinner cookbook, paired with this Asian Cucumber Salad, and y’all—it barely made it to the table before we finished it off!
It has all the bold, takeout-style flavors you love, but with a lighter twist since it’s pan-fried instead of deep-fried. Serve it over steamed rice with a side of spicy cucumber salad, and you’ve got a dinner your family will beg you to make on repeat!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, you can jump to the recipe.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are the best choice—they’re juicy and packed with flavor. Chicken breasts work too; just be sure to cut the meat into bite-sized pieces.
- Cornstarch: The secret to ultra-crispy chicken! It’s also used to thicken the sauce. Tapioca starch works as a substitute if needed.
- Flour: Combined with cornstarch, flour makes the perfect batter. All-purpose flour is ideal, but a gluten-free 1-to-1 blend works great too.
- Oil: Since you’re frying at high heat, go for an oil with a high smoke point. Avocado oil is my go-to, but safflower, grapeseed, canola, or peanut oil work just as well.
- Soy Sauce: Regular, reduced-sodium, or Tamari (my personal preference!) all work—use whatever you have on hand.
- Hoisin Sauce: This thick, flavorful sauce is a must! If you’re gluten-free, look for a brand like San-J.
- Brown Sugar: Adds a rich sweetness to the sauce. Swap in coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup if you prefer.
- Rice Vinegar: Key for that authentic flavor. If you’re out, white wine vinegar works in a pinch.
- Ginger & Garlic: Always use fresh for the boldest flavor. Ginger paste is a quick and easy option, too.
- Sriracha: A must for that spicy kick! Adjust the amount based on your heat preference.
How to Make General Tso’s Chicken
Jump to the recipe for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
- Prep the chicken. In a large bowl, stir together ¼ cup cornstarch, flour, salt, and black pepper. Carefully place the chicken thigh pieces into the flour mixture. Toss until everything is coated.
- Cook the chicken. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or wok and set the stove to medium heat. Cook chicken in a single layer for 7 to 8 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove the crispy chicken pieces to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Make the sauce. Make a slurry by whisking 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water. Add that, along with the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and sriracha sauce to a medium bowl. Whisk well until no lumps remain in the sauce mixture. Pour the sauce into the empty skillet that the chicken was cooked in. Over medium-high heat, bring the sauce to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. The thick glossy sauce should reduce by about half.
- Add in the chicken. Add the fried chicken back into the spicy sauce and continue cooking. It will only need a few minutes for the chicken to warm up. Spoon the chicken and sauce over a bed of rice and garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
FAQs
Yes, General Tso’s chicken is spicy, although the degree of heat varies per recipe. You can customize this chicken dish by adjusting how much Sriracha sauce or other spices you add.
While you can freeze General Tso’s chicken, it won’t be quite as crispy when it is thawed. Be sure to keep it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 to 4 months.
Use a high smoke-point oil like avocado, peanut, safflower, or grapeseed oil to prevent burning while frying at high heat.
It’s best enjoyed fresh for the crispiest chicken, but you can prep the sauce and chop the chicken ahead of time. Fry the chicken just before serving for the best results.
The most generally accepted pronunciation is to leave the T off and just say, “General SO’s.” (I have to mention this as I OFTEN mispronounce it, lol!)
What to Serve with General Tso’s Chicken?
Now that you have the main dish, here are some sides to go along with this General Tso’s chicken recipe.
For a classic serving, whip up some Instant Pot White Rice and Air Fryer Broccoli.
You can also go with Coconut Rice, Mango Coconut Rice, Air Fryer Asparagus, Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts, or even Chinese Green Beans with Garlic.
It’s easy to go low-carb with Cauliflower Rice.
More Takeout Dinner Favorites
Sometimes, you just crave some takeout food. Make them healthier at home with these recipes.
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General Tso’s Chicken Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon cornstarch divided
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons avocado oil divided
- ⅓ cup soy sauce or tamari
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 teaspoon sriracha optional
Serving:
- Cooked white rice
- Green onions green parts only, thinly sliced, optional
- Toasted sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and cut them into bite-sized pieces. In a large bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of the cornstarch, flour, salt, and black pepper. Add the chicken pieces and toss until evenly coated.1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, shake off any excess coating from half of the chicken and add it to the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes, then turn and cook for an additional 4-6 minutes, or until crispy and lightly golden. Line a plate with paper towels. Once the chicken is cooked, transfer it to the paper towel-lined plate. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons avocado oil to the skillet and repeat with the remaining chicken.4 tablespoons avocado oil
- While the chicken cooks, in a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, water, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, sriracha, if using, and the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch.⅓ cup soy sauce or tamari, ¼ cup hoisin sauce, ½ cup water, ¼ cup packed brown sugar, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger, 3 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon sriracha
- Once the skillet is empty, reduce the heat to medium. Pour in the soy sauce mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly, or until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Reduce the heat to low, return the chicken to the skillet, and cook until heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve the General Tso’s Chicken over a bed of white rice, topped with green onions and toasted sesame seeds, if using.Cooked white rice, Green onions, Toasted sesame seeds
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Notes
- Chicken. Boneless skinless breasts may be used instead of thighs.
- Nutrition. Facts are calculated based on a serving of chicken without any rice or sides.
- Prep ahead. Whisk together sauce ingredients, but don’t cook yet. Cut the chicken, but wait to coat in the flour and starch.
- Storage. This will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. It may lose a little of its crispness, but you can freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3-4 months. To reheat, add back to a skillet until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I thought it was a little too heavy in the rice vinegar. Everything else was great. Will probably make again with about half the amount of vinegar.
Thanks for your feedback! And yes- that’s a great idea to adjust the amount to your preference. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment 🙂
Would be perfect if about half the saltiness. We like salty food, but I’d probably cut the hoisin sauce by a third, if not a half.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! I’m sorry it was too salty. Different brands have different amounts of sodium. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Made this tonight for my family. I used chicken breast since that was what I had. It was delicious according to the critics.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Dimitrios! Glad it could satisfy the critics 😉 Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
My husband thought it was too salty!The next time I would use low sodium soy sauce!
That’s a good idea! Thanks for trying it out and leaving a comment.
Excellent recipe! Easy and delicious. Tastes better than takeout. Will be making this again!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Lesley! I love recipes that beat takeout. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Made this for the first time tonight! It is the best General Taos recipe I have tried. My youngest son is a General Taos coniseouier and he approved. Will be going into the rotation.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Amanda! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Loving your recipes and plan on healthier tastier meals for 2023 as the norm rather than a treat. However, hubby can’t take anything too hot. He likes a little chilli flake ginger soy etc but siracha I think too hot this chicken dish has so many hot ingredients. Any suggestions to cool it down a little?
Nowhere local, live in the Welsh Countryside, for Asian ingredients so I decided to order a lot of items online and stock up rather than waiting until I can get to a bigger town to try your recipes.
Thanks for your channel awesome
Lynne
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Lynne! You can absolutely leave out the spicy ingredients or simply decrease them. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Good recipe. I really dislike chicken thigh meat so made with breast meat. Turned out really well. I also stir fried some red peppers and zucchini and added them in to increase the veg element of our dinner. Yummy.
Thanks for the recipe.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Lynn! This sounds delicious with breast meat and extra veggies. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
My family and I loved this! My celiac husband was thrilled to eat Chinese food that was as good as take-out, but safely gluten free (I bought gluten free hoisin from Amazon – had to buy a two-pack, but that’s ok cuz we’ll be making this again… and again!). And I was thrilled to have as-good-as-take-out but with way fewer calories, no MSG, etc. The kids didn’t care just as long as it was delicious… which it was! Thanks for your awesome website, London! Yours is my favorite cooking blog.
Oh I’m so happy to hear your husband was able to enjoy it, Sherry!! And your kids, too! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave such a kind comment and rating! This recipe is actually this month’s Cooking Challenge recipe. If you happened to snap a photo you should send it to london@evolvingtable.com for a chance to enter the contest! Also, please let me know if there are any other takeout dishes you’d like to see on the blog and I’ll see what I can do for you 🙂
That’s so thoughtful of you to ask about other recipes. Maybe I missed it but I haven’t seen sweet and sour chicken on your blog. We would love a recipe for that. I emailed a picture of the Sept cooking challenge this morning. If you didn’t get it, plz let me know.
I don’t have a recipe for Sweet and Sour Chicken yet! But will keep that in mind when recipe testing in the future 🙂 I have not received an email from you, yet – can you try sending it again to london@evolvingtable.com Excited to have you enter!