General Tso’s Chicken
This is my take on a beloved takeout classic: General Tso’s Chicken. It balances crisp, golden-brown chicken bites with a glossy, sticky sauce that’s sweet, tangy, and savory all at once. The recipe below uses boneless skinless chicken thighs for juiciness, a light coating that fries up crisp, and a straightforward sauce that comes together in minutes. It’s great for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or impressing friends without hours in the kitchen.
Why this version works
Chicken thighs give you deep flavor and more forgiving results than breast meat—especially when frying. I use a simple batter of all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and eggs so the crust is light and crackly rather than heavy. The sauce blends soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, garlic, and ginger to hit sweet, salty, and tangy notes, while a bit of chicken stock stretches and rounds the flavor so it clings to each piece.
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 and ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Make-ahead notes
You can cut the chicken ahead of time and keep it chilled for up to 24 hours. The sauce components can be whisked together and stored in the fridge for a day as well. If you plan to reheat leftovers, keep sauce and chicken slightly separate so the crust stays crisper after reheating in a skillet or oven.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowls
- Medium skillet or wok
- Small saucepan
- Tongs or slotted spoon
- Paper towels and a plate for draining
- Measuring cups and spoons
Step-by-step instructions
Follow these clear steps to get perfectly fried chicken and a silky sauce that coats every bite.
1. Prepare the chicken and the coating
- Pat 1 and ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Cut into bite-size pieces so they cook evenly.
- In a large bowl, combine ½ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup cornstarch, and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir until evenly mixed.
- Crack 2 large eggs into a separate bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Working in batches if necessary, dip the chicken pieces into the beaten eggs, letting excess drip off, then toss them in the flour-and-cornstarch mixture until they are well coated. Shake off excess coating and transfer the pieces to a plate while you heat the oil.
2. Fry the chicken
- Pour 1 and ½ cup vegetable oil into a medium skillet or wok and warm it over medium-high heat. The oil should be hot enough that a small bit of coating sizzles immediately; if you have a thermometer, aim for about 350°F (175°C).
- Carefully add a single layer of coated chicken pieces to the hot oil without crowding the pan. Fry in batches so each piece has space; overcrowding will lower the oil temperature and make the coating soggy.
- Fry the chicken, turning occasionally, until the exterior is golden brown and crisp and the interior is cooked through, about 4–6 minutes per batch depending on size. Transfer cooked pieces to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with remaining chicken.
3. Make the sauce
- Wipe out the skillet lightly if there is any burned flour or bits, then add 1 tablespoon olive oil and warm it over medium heat.
- Add 2 teaspoons minced garlic and 1 teaspoon grated ginger to the skillet. Sauté briefly, about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant and just starting to color. Watch closely so they do not burn.
- Pour in ½ cup chicken stock and ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Add 4 tablespoons packed brown sugar, 4 tablespoons rice vinegar, and 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is smooth.
- In a small bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with a tablespoon or two of cold water to make a smooth slurry. Pour the slurry into the simmering sauce while stirring constantly. Cook for another minute or two until the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency that coats the back of a spoon. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of chicken stock and stir to loosen it; if it’s too thin, let it simmer a little longer while stirring.
4. Combine and finish
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the fried chicken pieces to the skillet with the sauce and toss to coat each piece thoroughly. Use tongs or a slotted spoon and stir gently so the crisp coating stays intact while the sauce envelops the chicken.
- Once everything is evenly coated and heated through, remove the skillet from the heat. Transfer the sauced chicken to a serving platter.
- Serve immediately over steamed rice or alongside stir-fried vegetables for a complete meal. For a finishing touch, sprinkle with thinly sliced green onions or toasted sesame seeds if you like.
Troubleshooting and tips
- If your coating absorbs too much oil and becomes greasy, make sure the oil is hot enough before frying and avoid crowding the pan. The correct oil temperature seals the coating quickly.
- For an extra-crisp finish, double-fry the chicken: fry once until just cooked, remove and let rest for a few minutes, then fry again very briefly to re-crisp before tossing in sauce.
- If the sauce becomes grainy after adding the cornstarch slurry, remove the pan from heat and whisk vigorously; simmer gently to smooth it out. Always mix cornstarch into cold water first so it disperses evenly.
- Adjust sweetness and tang by adding more brown sugar or rice vinegar to taste. The listed amounts are balanced for most palates.
Make it a meal
Serve this General Tso’s Chicken with steamed white or brown rice, or try it with cauliflower rice for a lighter option. Quick sautéed broccoli, snow peas, or bok choy tossed with a pinch of salt and garlic make ideal vegetable sides. If you want to add heat, toss in a few dried red pepper flakes or thinly sliced fresh chilies when you add the garlic and ginger.
Storage and reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat so the sauce warms through without making the crust too soggy; a quick blast in a preheated oven (400°F / 200°C) for 8–10 minutes also works well to recrisp the coating. If you separated sauce and chicken before storing, recoat the crisp chicken just before serving for best texture.
Final thoughts
This recipe is a simple, flavorful way to make General Tso’s Chicken at home with ingredients you likely already keep on hand. The balance of textures—crispy coating and sticky sauce—makes it a repeat dinner favorite. Follow the steps closely: dry the chicken, keep the oil hot, and finish by tossing the chicken briefly in the glossy sauce. That’s all it takes to get that irresistible, comforting plate of saucy chicken that everyone reaches for first.
Enjoy your dinner, and don’t forget to taste the sauce before you finish simmering so you can tweak the balance of sweet, salty, and tangy to your liking.
General Tso's Chicken
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Combine the 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a shallow bowl and mix well.
- Beat the 2 large eggs in a separate bowl.
- Heat 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven to about 340°F (175°C) for frying.
- Working in batches, dip each piece of chicken first into the beaten eggs, then dredge in the flour mixture, shaking off excess.
- Fry 5–6 pieces at a time until golden and cooked through, about 3–4 minutes, turning once; transfer to paper towels to drain.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat, then add the minced garlic and grated ginger and sauté for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Whisk together 1/2 cup chicken stock, 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce, 4 tablespoons packed brown sugar, 4 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a measuring cup or small bowl until smooth.
- Add the sauce mixture to the skillet, bring to a simmer until it thickens and becomes glossy, about 1–2 minutes.
- Add the fried chicken to the sauce and toss until each piece is evenly coated and heated through.
- Serve immediately with rice and steamed vegetables.
Notes
- If you can't find hoisin sauce, you can make a homemade version using the linked recipe.
- To reduce calories, skip coating and deep-frying and pan-cook the chicken until no longer pink, then add the sauce and simmer.
- Nutrition values are estimates and vary by product used.
