General Tso's Chicken

Homemade General Tso’s chicken features golden and crispy chicken bits drenched in a thick glossy sauce. It's an easy authentic recipe. Watch the video below to see how I make this in my kitchen.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Chinese

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 13

Total Time 18

Servings servings

Calories 272kcal

Author Arman Liew

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast cut into one-inch cubes
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons oil to fry

General Tso's sauce

1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons water divided
2 teaspoons chili sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

In one bowl, mix together the eggs, salt, and pepper. In a shallow bowl, combine the cornstarch and flour and mix until combined.
Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, followed by the flour mixture, until all the chicken is used up.
Add 2-3 inches of oil to a large pot. Once it reaches 325F, add a single layer of chicken and fry for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Repeat the process until all the chicken is fried up. Be sure to regularly check the temperature of the oil to ensure it doesn't drop below 325F.
Make the sauce by adding the honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, water, chili sauce, and rice wine vinegar to a small saucepan. Bring it to a simmer. Whisk the cornstarch with one tablespoon of water and mix until the sauce.
Transfer the sauce over the crispy chicken pieces and mix until completely coated.

Video

Notes

TO STORE. Transfer the leftover chicken into an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.

TO FREEZE. Place the cooked and cooled leftovers in a shallow container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.

TO REHEAT. I find using a non-stick skillet or pan WITHOUT oil to be the best way to bring back the crispiness of the chicken.

Recipe variations

For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free soy sauce and hoisin sauce.
Bake the chicken If you want to reduce the added oil from frying. Simply bake them in the oven at 200C/400F for 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through.

Nutrition