General Tso’s Chicken has been one of America’s most popular Chinese takeout dishes for decades.
And while the citizens of China are familiar with General Tso – a statesman in the Qing Dynasty – they’ve never heard of his chicken. That’s because General Tso’s Chicken is a Chinese-American creation. And a great one at that.
Bite-sized pieces of chicken are dipped in a coating and fried until perfectly crispy, then tossed in a delicious sweet and spicy sauce. Steamed broccoli is a popular accompaniment in many takeout places and of course a bed of fragrant steamed rice.
Next time you’re craving General Tso’s chicken, skip the takeout joint – not only will this rival your favorite takeout version, it’ll be hot and ready in less than 30 minutes!
Let’s get started!
Place the chicken in a medium-sized mixing bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the marinade ingredients together and then pour over the cubed chicken. Stir to thoroughly coat and set aside. Also combine the sauce ingredients in another bowl until the sugar and cornstarch are dissolved and set aside until later.
Combine the coating ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
Pick up the chicken pieces and shake off the excess marinade, then dredge the pieces in the cornstarch mixture, evenly coating the pieces and shaking off the excess.
Working in batches, deep fry the chicken in oil heated to 375ºF until the chicken is cooked through, golden brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes.
Place the chicken on paper towels to drain.
Heat the tablespoon of oil in a wok or large heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the garlic, ginger and red chilies for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the sauce and simmer until thickened, a minute or two.
Add the fried chicken and stir to thoroughly coat. Simmer for a minute until the chicken has absorbed the sauce but is still crispy. Stir in the green onions.
Serve immediately with steamed rice and broccoli (traditional in many takeout places).
Enjoy!
General Tso's Chicken
Ingredients
- For the Marinade:
- 2 large egg whites
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- For the Coating:
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour gluten free: substitute GF flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- For the Sauce:
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chinese rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- 3 tablespoons white granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 6 small dried red chilies seeded and broken into pieces
- 3 green onions cut into 1 inch pieces
- High heat oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk the marinade ingredients together and then pour over the cubed chicken. Stir to thoroughly coat and set aside.
- Combine the sauce ingredients and stir until the sugar and cornstarch are dissolved. Set aside.
- Pick up the chicken pieces and shake off the excess marinade, then dredge the pieces in the cornstarch coating mixture, shaking off the excess.
- Working in batches, deep fry the chicken in oil heated to 375ºF until the chicken is cooked through, golden brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Place the chicken on paper towels to drain.
- Heat the tablespoon of oil in a wok or large heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the garlic, ginger and red chilies for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the sauce and simmer until thickened. Add the fried chicken and stir to thoroughly coat. Simmer for a minute until the chicken has absorbed the sauce but is still crispy. Stir in the green onions.
- Serve immediately with steamed rice and broccoli (traditional in many takeout places).
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Adina says
20 January, 2016 at 1:46 amThis dish looks delicious, it might be worth borrowing the Friteuse from my friend. :)
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
20 January, 2016 at 3:43 amHomemade take-out is where it’s at!! And you feel so accomplished when everything’s done ;) YUM!
Christie says
20 January, 2016 at 4:57 amWow does this look good. The chicken looks so crunchy and moist and that sauce is divine.
heather @french press says
20 January, 2016 at 7:54 amthis is one of our favorite take-out dishes, and while I don’t love to fry at home, I cannot wait to try it!
Laura says
20 January, 2016 at 4:26 pmLearning to make this at home would be nothing short of dangerous lol–although I could add all the broccoli I wanted that way! Well done, this looks wonderful!
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts says
20 January, 2016 at 6:00 pmGeneral Tsos is my favorite thing to order, definitely making my own next time! Hoemamde takeout is always so much better!
Erin says
20 January, 2016 at 7:49 pmMy favorite! I made beef and broccoli for dinner tonight and my kids devoured it. I bet they would LOVE this.
Cathy | Lemon Tree Dwelling says
20 January, 2016 at 7:54 pmThis looks absolutely amazing! And now I’m craving it!!!!
Erin @ Texanerin Baking says
21 January, 2016 at 1:56 amInteresting that it’s an American thing! I’ve always wondered why that’s not on menus in Germany. And I love that you deep-fried the chicken. Deep-fried chicken is my absolute favorite!
Sarah Walker Caron (Sarah's Cucina Bella) says
21 January, 2016 at 5:56 amThis is one of my favorite things to order at the Chinese food place. And your homemade version looks amazing.
Andi @ The Weary Chef says
21 January, 2016 at 7:53 amThis looks so delish!! I love Chinese takeout! Can’t wait to try this!
Maryanne @ the little epicurean says
21 January, 2016 at 10:48 amLove the step by step photos! I’ll have to try this out next date night in. We love general tsos chicken!
fabiola@notjustbaked says
21 January, 2016 at 11:55 amPerfection! I’ve not made this at home yet and now I’ll totally try it. Looks amazing!
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
21 January, 2016 at 6:05 pmThis looks absolutely perfect! So much better than takeout!
Christina | Christina's Cucina says
21 January, 2016 at 11:08 pmLOve, love, love this! What a tasty dish and you’ve made it look so simple! On my “to make” list! ;)
Vicky @ Avocdo Pesto says
22 January, 2016 at 8:53 amLooove making my own take out recipes at home and this is another classic that can be so much healthier and more delicious when made at home : ))
Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens says
22 January, 2016 at 2:17 pmLove that this recipe comes together so quickly – and that, when you make it at home, you have total control over what goes in! Fabulous!
Christiane ~ Taking On Magazines says
24 January, 2016 at 5:41 pmThat really does look JUST like take-out General Tso’s. I’m definitely giving it a try!
Annie @ Annie's Noms says
25 January, 2016 at 12:30 amHOW have I never tried General Tso’s chicken!?! It looks so amazing and I can’t believe how little time it takes! I need to make this!
Brandon @ Kitchen Konfidence says
25 January, 2016 at 6:44 amThis recipe makes me want to buy a deep fryer :P The finished General Tso’s Chicken looks SO good.
Karyn @ Pint Sized Baker says
25 January, 2016 at 2:19 pmHomemade General Tso’s Chicken sounds amazing!! No more take out for me!
Steph @ Steph in Thyme says
25 January, 2016 at 4:01 pmThis is restaurant perfection! Skipping the take out next time – bravo!
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says
31 January, 2016 at 12:46 pmThis looks delicious!
Heather | All Roads Lead to the Kitchen says
20 February, 2016 at 6:40 amThis is our most requested dish – yours looks just right!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
20 February, 2016 at 4:13 pmThanks, Heather! :)
Candace Nielson says
15 April, 2016 at 6:17 pmMade this tonight and it is A++! Better than any takeout we’ve had, we all loved it and my boys left nothing remaining. Thanks for such a great recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
15 April, 2016 at 6:23 pmThanks so much, Candace, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Danielle says
9 May, 2016 at 5:54 pmJust made this and served it with pan fried noodles! This will become a regular meal at my house. The sauce is perfect. Not overly sweet and just enough heat. My fiance was craving chinese take out and this blew him away. We didnt use all the sauce, but we dont like things swimming in sauce. This recipe is fabulous.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
9 May, 2016 at 9:19 pmThat’s awesome, Danielle, I’m so happy to hear that, thanks so much!
Dan says
17 May, 2016 at 4:56 pmGreat recipe! I made this for my wife and I and she loved it. Didn’t change a thing! We recently had General Chicken at a very good local restaurant and this recipe was just as good. Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
17 May, 2016 at 11:54 pmThat’s so awesome, Dan, I’m glad to hear it was a hit, thank YOU!
Krista says
18 May, 2016 at 10:30 amWow! This is a great looking Chinese dish! No more take out!
Erin @ The Speckled Palate says
18 May, 2016 at 6:19 pmHuh. I had no idea that General Tso’s Chicken was a Chinese-American creation! You learn something new every day. Pinning this recipe so we can make General Tso’s Chicken, my husband’s favorite takeout order, next time we get the hankering for Chinese!
Renee - Kudos Kitchen says
19 May, 2016 at 6:08 amIt does take a bit of time, but the results are so worth it. Your chicken looks incredible!
Debra A Attinella says
19 May, 2016 at 3:16 pmThis looks amazing and needs to be on my dinner plate!
Serene @ House of Yumm says
20 May, 2016 at 5:52 pmThis is always one of the things I order for take out!! I definitely need to try making it on my own now :)
Suzanne says
20 June, 2016 at 8:15 pmMade this for my picky family tonight. My son said it was the best Chinese meal I’ve ever prepared….hmmmm, that’s high praise! Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe with great instructions!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
20 June, 2016 at 9:39 pmThat’s terrific, Suzanne, I’m so glad it was a family hit – thank you!!
Fran G says
10 July, 2016 at 7:07 pmOnly made one change – one additional tablespoon of sugar, we like it a bit sweeter but it’s still not all that sweet. Very, very good. Looking forward to leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
10 July, 2016 at 11:04 pmThat’s great to hear, Fran – thank you and I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Dorothy Brown says
25 January, 2017 at 2:00 pmAfter making this recipe I deleted the one I was previously using. Meant to comment sooner. I’ve made this about three times since I found this. It’s a little more complicated than my other recipe but worth the effort. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
31 January, 2017 at 4:51 pmWonderful, Dorothy, thank you so much!
Sadie says
8 February, 2017 at 11:55 amCan Mirin be substituted for the sherry and/or the rice vinegar? And can chili flakes be used instead?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
8 February, 2017 at 12:12 pmHi Sadie, yes, mirin can be used instead of the rice wine/sherry but not as a substitute for the rice vinegar. Yes, you could use some chili flakes instead.
Nathan Lombough says
27 February, 2017 at 8:59 pmTHE BEST recipe I’ve tried for General Tso’s (and I’ve tried several). Straightforward recipe, easy to follow instructions, and the result is amazing – DELICIOUS!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
28 February, 2017 at 11:02 pmAwesome, Nathan, thanks so much!
James says
11 March, 2017 at 1:54 pmIt is really good, but lacking slightly from the recipe I am trying to recreate. It is worth fixing again definitely. The best I have had was near where I lived a few years ago at a restaurant called “the double dragon 2” and it surpassed every other by miles. This recipe the chicken is almost exact (I used boneless and skinless chicken thighs as never had this with white meat). But just slightly lacking something. I tried adding some honey and ketchup and it added a few notes, but not quite the exact symphony I wanted.
Lou says
29 April, 2017 at 11:47 pmThis dish is sooooooo good!I’ve made it a few times now, even with drumsticks one time because they were reaching expiry date. Does it need to be serve immediately thought like you suggest in the recipe? I’ve got a party coming up and I’d love to bring this dish along and keep it in a warmer. Would that be OK?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
30 April, 2017 at 9:14 amFantastic, Lou, thank you! The main reason it’s recommended to serve immediately is so that the breading retains a bit of its crispiness. Otherwise, there’s no problem with keeping it in a warmer and serving it later.
Christine Whittard says
3 June, 2017 at 11:00 pm15 minutes prep time. You have te joking!
Nicholas says
8 August, 2017 at 4:47 pmReally, really good. An almost perfect replication of one of our favortie local joints.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
8 August, 2017 at 4:59 pmAwesome, thank you, Nicholas!
Matt barrett says
12 August, 2017 at 5:19 pmI have been looking for this for 5 years. This is the best recipe I have made. Just added an extra 1\2 teaspoon of cornstarch to the sauce.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
12 August, 2017 at 8:08 pmFantastic, Matt, thanks so much!
Jake Norton says
25 October, 2017 at 8:58 pmThis recipe ROCKS! Seriously the best I’ve tried and beats takeout any day.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
25 October, 2017 at 9:03 pmAwesome, Jake, thank you!
Natalie Loftus says
12 November, 2017 at 7:04 pmI’ve tried several of your recipes and this one’s another winner. So much better than any takeout version I’ve had. Delicious!
Tammy Worden says
15 February, 2018 at 1:35 pmI made this exactly as written and it’s the best recipe I’ve found for General Tso’s. Everyone loved it, thanks for sharing this recipe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
15 February, 2018 at 1:39 pmWonderful, thanks so much, Tammy!
Renee says
3 March, 2018 at 5:55 amI cooked this last night for 2 friends and it was delicious! The ratios for the sauce are perfect. I sprinkled some sesame seeds on top. The soy sauce is very salty so do not add any extra salt to the recipe. If you like spicier you could probably add some cayenne powder.
I didn’t deep fry the chicken, I just pan fried it with lots of oil so it would crisp up, and turned it often. Then put it on paper towels before it went in the sauce.
You could probably add some orange juice or orange zest to the sauce and make “orange chicken”. The sauce is very good, it gets thick and sticky. I will definitely make this again for friends.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
3 March, 2018 at 9:04 amI’m so glad you enjoyed it, Renee, thank you!
Kerry says
13 March, 2018 at 6:02 pmAm I the only one who thinks his recipe is so salty you want to die! Made a huge batch for my family I was very very disappointed no one would eat it!
Cortney Myers says
1 May, 2018 at 5:47 pmI use low sodium soy sauce so maybe try that.
Margi says
7 April, 2018 at 11:35 amI have made your General Tso’s several times and it is awesome! Thank you so much. Better than at Chin Chins!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
7 April, 2018 at 7:30 pmFantastic, Margi, I’m happy to hear that, thank you!
Cortney Myers says
1 May, 2018 at 5:46 pm6 chilis made it way too spicy for my family so when I made it the 2nd time, I only used 3. It was perfect! A fantastic recipe!!!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
1 May, 2018 at 5:52 pmFantastic, Cortney, I’m glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
Christy Snipes says
9 May, 2018 at 12:11 pmWhat is the size of one serving? I know it makes 4 servings, but I wondered the size of the servings, 1 cup?
Nancy says
14 June, 2018 at 5:57 amIt was really great! Been searching forever for a General Tso’s Chicken recipe. I finally found it. Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
15 June, 2018 at 12:46 amI’m so glad you enjoyed it, Nancy, thank you!
Anonymous says
26 August, 2018 at 8:56 pmBetter than the best general tsos takeout I’ve ever had. Flavors all line up perfect. Good heat, DONT skip on the whole dried res chilis. Hot enough that I blow my nose, not so hot that it takes away from the dish (and I’m Scandinavian. My forte is pickled and fermented foods, not spicy foods). Follow this recipe to the letter.
Linda altom says
21 September, 2018 at 5:36 pmLove General Tao’s chicken. The recipe sounded good. Tried it tonight. The only change I made was pepper flakes an I used pork. Turned out very good. Would have been hotter if I had used the peppers. I think the pork is as good as the chicken. Try it and see. Great recipe.
Linda Altom
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
21 September, 2018 at 5:41 pmFantastic, Linda! Pork is a great choice and I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you!
Natalie Corina says
13 October, 2018 at 12:11 pmThe double the sauce for this General Tso Chicken and it was outstanding!!! I will be making this recipe from now on with double sauce. Very tasty even my whole family loved it!!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
13 October, 2018 at 12:44 pmFantastic, Natalie, I’m so gad it was a hit, thank you!
Tara says
19 October, 2018 at 10:00 amI made this last night, and it is absolutely divine! Totally better than the takeout place I could walk to. Absolutely worth the effort!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
19 October, 2018 at 10:37 amThat’s so awesome, Tara, I’m thrilled to hear that, thank you!
Brian Wirduam says
27 December, 2018 at 12:49 pmMade this followed the recipe except I did not use corn flour in sauce as the chicken will thicken the sauce added orange zest and peanuts at the end just to give it a twist but very nice
Sylvia says
4 February, 2019 at 11:33 amI love that I can use the same recipe for my vegetarian guests by substituting the chicken with cauliflower florets. That way everyone eats the same delicious meal! Makes cooking for different dietary needs so simple!
I love it both ways!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
4 February, 2019 at 1:51 pmFantastic, Sylvia, thank you!