Description
This General Tso’s Chicken recipe delivers crispy, tender chicken pieces coated in a tangy, sweet, and mildly spicy sauce. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner, it balances savory flavors with a hint of heat and a touch of sweetness, garnished with sesame seeds for an authentic finish.
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
- 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 the Chicken: Cut chicken thighs into 1-inch cubes. Toss the chicken pieces in batches with corn starch, tapping off any excess, then set them aside on a platter.
- Make the Sauce: In a separate bowl, combine cold water, low sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, granulated sugar, and corn starch. Whisk thoroughly until smooth and set aside.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add the extra light olive oil. Fry the chicken pieces in 2 to 3 batches, sautéing until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Remove cooked chicken to a bowl. Add more oil to the pan as needed for subsequent batches, leaving at least 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet after all chicken is cooked.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add minced garlic, minced ginger, and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Sauté for about 30 seconds or until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Simmer the Sauce: Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the skillet with the aromatics. Bring to a simmer while stirring continuously. Let it simmer for 1 minute to slightly reduce and cook off the vinegar’s sharpness. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more soy sauce or rice vinegar if desired.
- Combine and Serve: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and toss to coat evenly with the sauce. Cook together for an additional minute to ensure the chicken is well coated and heated through. Serve immediately garnished with optional sesame seeds.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, double-dredge the chicken pieces by tossing them in cornstarch once more before frying.
- Use extra light olive oil or a neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil for frying to avoid overpowering the sauce’s flavor.
- Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to control the heat level according to your preference.
- Low sodium soy sauce helps control the saltiness in the dish; regular soy sauce can be used but reduce additional salt.
- Make sure to simmer the sauce well to activate the thickening power of the cornstarch and balance the flavors.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
