General Tso's chicken is crispy, twice-fried chicken in a deliciously sweet and sticky glaze. This mouthwatering dish delivers a combination of Asian flavors that will knock your chopsticks off! Serve with steamed broccoli and white rice and garnish with sliced green onions.
What Is General Tso's Chicken?
General Tso's (pronounced tsow) chicken is a Chinese-American dish that features deep-fried chicken tossed in an irresistibly sticky glaze made with garlic, sugar, soy sauce, and chiles. The dish is named after 19th-century military leader Tso Tsung-t'ang.
How to Make General Tso's Chicken
Dive into an unforgettably fiery-sweet flavor that's easy to make at home. You'll find the full recipe below with step-by-step instructions, but here's what you can expect when you make this top-rated recipe:
- Begin by coating and frying chicken thigh pieces until they are golden brown and begin to float.
- Fry in batches, then set chicken aside.
- Repeat the process for an extra crispy, double-fried result.
- Drain the chicken on a towel-lined plate.
- Make the sauce, then toss with the fried chicken until it absorbs some of the sauce.
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 pinch white pepper
- 1 cup cornstarch
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons chopped green onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 6 dried whole red chilies
- 1 strip orange zest
- ½ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
Directions
- Setp1
Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). - Setp2
Whisk egg in large mixing bowl. Add chicken, salt, sugar, and pepper; mix well. Mix in cornstarch, a little bit at a time, until chicken is well coated.
- Setp3
Working in batches, carefully drop one piece of chicken at a time into the hot oil. Fry until chicken turns golden brown and begins to float, about 3 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and allow to cool as you fry the next batch.
- Setp4
Once all of the chicken has been fried, refry the chicken, starting with the batch that was cooked first. Fry each batch until chicken turns deep golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Setp5
Prepare sauce: Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Stir in green onion, garlic, whole chiles, and orange zest. Cook and stir until garlic turns golden and chiles brighten, 1 to 2 minutes. - Setp6
Add sugar, soy sauce, chicken broth, peanut oil, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and ginger; bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Whisk 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in water until dissolved. Stir into the boiling sauce. Return to a boil and cook until the sauce thickens and is no longer cloudy from the cornstarch, about 1 minute.
- Setp7
Stir chicken into the boiling sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook until chicken is heated through and has absorbed some of the sauce, about 3 minutes.
What to Serve With General Tso's Chicken
This classic takeout dish is often served with broccoli on a bed of rice, but the deep, savory flavors would also partner well with a pear and pomegranate salad or fragrant ginger-lemon carrots.
How to Store and Reheat General Tso's Chicken
Make the most of your leftovers by refrigerating them in an airtight container for up to 3 days, making sure to store rice separately to avoid mushiness. When you're ready for round two, simply reheat the ingredients on the stovetop or in the microwave.
