General Tso Chicken. Crispy juicy chicken smothered in a tangy, sweet, savory sauce with a spicy kick! It serves deliciously for dinner, lunch or leftovers. Ready in just 25 minutes!
This general tso chicken from scratch is easy to make at home and will make your taste buds sing!
What is General Tso Chicken?
General Tso Chicken is one of the most popular Chinese dishes in Asian food to date! It's a tasty chicken dish made of crispy chicken pieces coated in a sweet, savory, flavorful sauce with spicy flavors! The sweet sauce is thanks to the hoisin and brown sugar complimented with delicious aromatics! It has easily become one of my favorite recipes.
Where did General Tso Chicken come from?
This is a popular Chinese takeout dish served at many take away style restaurants or Chinese restaurants. It was first invented by a Hunan cuisine chef named Peng Chang-kuei from the Hunan province of China.
Peng created the dish in the 1950's. The name of this dish was dedicated to TsoTsung-t'ang (Zuo Zongtang), who was a 19th century military leader or General who enjoyed this popular Chinese-American dish.
What does General Tso Chicken taste like?
Imagine crispy fried chicken bites covered in a thick glossy sauce that tastes sweet, salty, spicy and tangy all at the same time! There are also notes of sesame and ginger that enhance the flavour profile of this dish.
Easy to make!
My original recipe is simple to make at home and can be made in under 25 minutes! All the ingredients are accessible, and I share substitutes where possible and applicable. If it's your first time making General Tso Chicken, good news, I share step-by-step pictures, detailed instructions and a video to quickly explain the process.
This will be the best ever general tso chicken recipe made at home and I’m very excited to share it with you!
No batter and no deep frying!
There is no deep frying in this recipe! We are simply shallow frying this chicken in little oil. You can of course use your air fryer and I will share instructions on how to do that in the below recipe card.
However, if you prefer deep-fried chicken pieces, feel free to do so and deep fry the chicken pieces for 4-5 minutes until they're golden brown in hot oil at 350 degrees F. Then remove and set aside the fried chicken on a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil.
There's also no batter just cornstarch! This is enough to create a crispy golden brown chicken if you follow my instructions properly.
Ingredients
For this recipe you’ll need the below simple ingredients (see recipe card for full measurements).
Note: Most Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.
- Skinless boneless chicken thighs: or substitute with chicken breast if you prefer white meat.
- Corn starch: or substitute with potato starch. This helps to make our juice chicken crispy.
- Fresh ginger: a key aromatic that offers a sharp zingy flavor to our tangy sauce.
- Green onion: giving our delicious General Tso's chicken recipe color and flavor!
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil. Avoid olive oil, coconut oil or any heavy scented oils.
- Sesame seeds: an optional garnish that lends a nutty flavor to our cooked chicken.
General Tso Sauce:
- Hoisin sauce: the key ingredient to our sweet sauce. This is like a dark, thick, Asian BBQ sauce. It's used in cooking Chinese food to offer a sweet molasses flavor. Do not confuse this with oyster sauce which has a similar texture.
- Regular soy sauce: to create the perfect balance between sweet and savory flavors. This is different from dark soy sauce as it's not as dark or thick in color. You may also substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce of your choice.
- Brown sugar: This makes the stir fry sauce sweeter and is another key ingredient to my homemade version of General Tso chicken.
- Rice wine vinegar or rice vinegar: you may also substitute with white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. If you have Shoaxing wine, this is also another great substitute.
- Garlic: this brings that garlicky flavor.
- Sesame oil: to give our chicken dish a nutty flavor.
- Red pepper flakes or red chili flakes: to give our homemade General Tso's chicken a spicy kick! You may also omit this ingredient if you wish.
- Cornstarch and water: to make our cornstarch slurry which helps to thicken the spicy sauce. If you want more flavor, you can substitute the water with chicken broth or chicken stock.
How to make General Tso Chicken
In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients and set aside.
Cut each thigh into bite size pieces, about 6-8 pieces per thigh depending on size. Do not pat chicken thighs dry, some moisture is needed for the next step. If you plan to air fry your chicken, see below on how to do that.
In a large bowl, add chicken pieces followed by cornstarch. Mix to coat each piece of chicken evenly.
In a wok or large pan, set over medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil or any neutral oil. To test, insert a wooden chopstick into the oil and look for bubbles. If you see bubbles, the oil is hot.
Carefully lower coated chicken into oil and quickly spread apart. Once chicken is spread apart, do not touch or move the pieces around. Allow pieces to sear and form a golden crust, about 5-6 minutes on each side.
Remove and transfer fried chicken to a plate lined with paper towels or a wire rack for excess oil to drip off. Pour out any excess oil from pan.
In the same wok set over medium high heat, add your ginger followed by pre-mixed sauce. Let it come to a boil to thicken and reduce.
Then finally toss in your fried chicken and mix until each piece is coated in sauce. Optionally, garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
How to make Air Fryer General Tso Chicken
You can make this chicken in the air fryer. Please refer to the recipe card below under Notes to find out how or read below:
- Lightly spray air fryer basket with oil. Transfer the coated chicken into your air fryer basket in a single layer, giving each piece enough space. You may need to air fry in two batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Spray enough oil over chicken. Air fry at 400 degrees F for 12-14 minutes until crispy and brown, no flipping required.
Cooking Tips
Prepare ingredients ahead of time!
This is important. The cooking process is quick (about 15 minutes) so you don’t want to be scrambling as the chicken is frying in the pan or it can lead to overcooked chicken.
Heat level is crucial for crispy chicken!
Medium high heat is the key to getting the chicken crispy and golden.
Spread chicken apart after tossing into pan
Once you’ve tossed your chicken into the pan, quickly spread it apart so it doesn’t stick together as it fries making it harder to flip.
Don’t be tempted to move chicken constantly
After you’ve spread the chicken apart, do not move it around constantly. Let it sear and form a crispy crust on both sides. The more you move it around, the chicken will lose its crust.
FAQ
Below are frequently asked questions about this authentic general tso chicken recipe:
Is General Tso Chicken spicy?
Yes, but if you prefer no spice, you can make this mild by omitting the red pepper flakes or reducing the amount to half.
Where can I buy hoisin sauce?
Hoisin sauce is found at most Asian grocers in the sauce aisle and at many Western grocers. It’s also sold online.
Can I sub hoisin sauce with another ingredient?
I wouldn’t recommend it as there aren’t many great substitutes that really mimic the taste and texture of it. You can make it from scratch by following this recipe by Omnivore’s Cookbook!
Can I sub rice vinegar with white vinegar?
Yes, or feel free to use apple cider vinegar or Shaoxing wine.
Can I use chicken breast instead?
Yes, but be cautious in overcooking this as chicken breast is not as forgiving as thigh since it does not have much fat. I would recommend only cooking it until it reaches in internal temperature of 165 F using to a cooking thermometer.
Why isn’t my chicken crispy?
These are some factors why your chicken couldn’t get crispy:
- The cornstarch didn’t stick to your chicken because the chicken was abnormally dry to the touch. For future, rinse the chicken and let moisture drip off completely, then dice it.
- Chicken pieces did not have time to sear and form a crust.
- Too much movement and tossing of the chicken pieces.
- Low of a heat was used. Make sure to use at least medium heat to medium high heat.
- Chicken did not have enough time to cook to develop a crust.
Other recipes you may like!
If you enjoyed this crunchy general tso chicken, you may enjoy these other recipes:
- Orange Chicken
- Sweet Spicy Gochujang Chicken
- Mongolian Chicken
- Lemon Chicken
- Sweet And Sour Chicken
- Ginger Chicken
- Honey Sesame Chicken
📖 Recipe
Easy General Tso Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs diced
- ¼ cup cornstarch or potato starch
- 5 slices ginger peeled (each slice is about ¼ cm thick)
- ½ stalk green onion finely chopped
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- ¼ teaspoon sesame seeds optional garnish
General Tso Sauce:
- 4 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white vinegar
- 2 teaspoon garlic minced
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or red chili flakes)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch
- ½ cup water cold
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Cut each thigh into bite size pieces, about 6-8 pieces per thigh depending on size. Do not pat chicken thighs dry, some moisture is needed for the next step. If you plan to air fry your chicken, please refer to Notes now.
- In a large bowl, add chicken pieces followed by cornstarch. Mix to coat each piece evenly.
- In a wok or large pan, set over medium high heat, heat vegetable oil or any neutral oil. To test if oil is hot, insert a wooden chopstick into the oil and look for bubbles. If you see bubbles, the oil is hot
- Carefully lower coated chicken into oil and quickly spread apart. Once chicken is spread apart, do not touch or move the pieces around. Allow pieces to sear and form a golden crust, about 5-6 minutes on each side.
- Remove and transfer fried chicken to a paper towel lined plate or wire rack. Pour out any excess oil from pan.
- In the same wok set over medium high heat, add your ginger followed by pre-mixed sauce. Let it come to a boil to thicken and reduce.
- Then finally toss in your fried chicken and mix until each piece is coated in sauce. Optionally, garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Notes
Suggested Equipment & Products
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Ryder
This was really tasty just like takeout but now even better because I can make it from home. Thank you!
christieathome
Thank you so much Ryder! Glad you enjoyed it!
Garry
This recipe is amazing, I'm so glad I found you and I cant wait to try some of your other recipes.. 🙂
christieathome
Thank you Garry! I am so glad you enjoyed it and I hope you enjoy my other recipes too!
Abby
Just made this for my brother. He couldn't stop saying how good it was. He saw how I made it and was impressed. Thank you!
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Abby! Thrilled to hear that you and your brother enjoyed it so much! That is music to my ears 🙂
Stephanie
This recipe was soo yummy!! I made it for the first time tonight and my boyfriend loved it! It’s such an easy recipe, especially for a busy week night. I added in some lightly steamed broccoli for some greens! Thank you Christie!
christieathome
I am so glad you enjoyed it Stephanie! Thank you so much for making my recipe 🙂
Sheena M
This recipe was delicious. I doubled the sauce, as I doubled the chicken. Definitely perfect instructions. I look forward to making the Hoisin sauce next time as I never would have thought to make it! This will definitely be a monthly repeat in our household. We served this with broccoli and cauliflower rice.
christieathome
Thank you so much for this kind review Sheena! I am really happy to hear that you enjoyed it 🙂 This is music to my ears. Have a wonderful day!
Sheena M.
I can confirm, the make your own hoisin is fantastic too. Thanks for a great recipe. I look forward looking over your website!
Cheers.
Shaneika
Made this over the weekend and it came out good. Maybe will use a little less hoisin sauce next time (I had added a little extra of all the sauce ingredients).
Shay
Is there a particular hoisin sauce you use??
christieathome
I like using the brand by Lee Kum Kee.
Christiane
I just made it, I followed the recipe. It’s so yummy over Jasmin rice! Definitely making it again, thank you Christie ❤️
christieathome
The pleasure is all mine Christiane! I am so glad you enjoyed my recipe and thank you for making it 🙂 Have a lovely day! - Christie
Patty
I made this for my father yesterday for his birthday dinner(86 years young) he loves General Tso's chicken. He likes is spicy. So in addition to the red pepper flakes I added serrano peppers sliced thin(market did not have red peppers) to the sauce. Both my brother and father said it was better than the carry out. Than you soo much for recipe. Can this be made with shrimp and how long would you cook the the shrimp and would you do shrimp the same way?
christieathome
What an honour that you had made this for your father for his birthday! I am very flattered that your brother and father said it was better than take out. Thank you so much for making my dish for such a special occasion! Yes, this can be also done with shrimp in a similar fashion, I would only cook the shrimp until they have become pink and curled, then quickly remove them so they do not overcook. Once you've reduced your sauce, mix in the fried shrimp just until the sauce has coated each piece, only to prevent overcooking. I hope this helps!
Edward
Great recipe made if for my family and they all loved it. In future however I will grate the ginger and add it to the sauce so that it covers everything. Then I served it will some rice and vegetables and was an absolute hit!
christieathome
Thanks Edward for making my recipe! I'm so glad you enjoyed it with the family and happy it was a hit!
Jeremy
My Taiwanese wife really enjoyed this recipe. She even ate the leftovers the following day. Many thanks!
christieathome
Thanks for making my recipe Jeremy! So glad you and your wife enjoyed it 🙂
Jessica
My first recipe of yours and woah. I’m not a skilled cook by any means but trying to get more creative for my fam. My husband proclaimed I’m “the G.O.A.T” after this one and he rarely hands out compliments. Seriously so delish!
I served with baby bok choy and some rice, they’re already asking me to repeat. Xo
christieathome
I'm really happy to read this Jessica! Thanks for making my recipe. What a kind comment from your husband and I hope you continue to enjoy my recipes 🙂
Tracy S.
Girl, YES! 10/10. The sauce was perfect. Wouldn’t change a thing. It was so quick & easy to make. I’ll be posting your recipe to my TikTok (@traystewie) tomorrow! Thank you for a fantastic recipe!
christieathome
Thanks so much for the kind review Tracey! So glad you enjoyed it and thank you for sharing about my recipe on social media. Have a lovely day!
Tiffany
perfect recipe - thank you!!
christieathome
Thanks so much Tiffany! So glad you enjoyed it!
Nancy
This was amazing! Will be making it again and again!
christieathome
Thank you so much for these kind words and for making my recipe, Nancy! I'm so glad you enjoyed the dish 🙂 Have a lovely day!
JJ
I made this last night for me and my family and it was AMAZING!! They all loved it and will most definitely be coming back to make it again
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe JJ! I'm so happy the whole family enjoyed my General Tso chicken and I hope you continue to enjoy it many times to come!
Deanne
Yummy! It's a keeper for sure!
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe Deanne! So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
maya
i made this last week and am making it again today because i loved it so much!
christieathome
Thanks for making my recipe Maya! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
makai
IT WAS AMAZING
christieathome
So incredibly happy to read this! Thank YOU for making my recipe and sharing this with me! Have a wonderful day, Makai!
Dominic
How do I quantify a "slice" of ginger? Can you give an alternative measurement for that?
christieathome
For me a slice of ginger is about 1/4 cm thick.
Henry O'Brien
I made this for the first time yesterday and I really enjoyed it.
Next time, I think I will reduce the sugar content though.
Nonetheless, I definitely encourage people to try this recipe.
christieathome
Thanks so much for your kind comment Henry! I'm so happy to hear that it worked out well for you! Thank you for encouraging others to try it. Have a great day!
Maya Cichowicz
I had to use oyster flavored sauce instead of hoisin and it tasted just like general tso takeout. Definitely will repeat this recipe.
christieathome
Thank you so much Maya! I'm so glad you enjoyed my recipe. Happy it worked out with oyster sauce instead.
April Salazar
I'm gonna try this recipe out for supper tonight is there any way you can substitute ground ginger for the fresh ginger, please let me know. Thanks 😊
christieathome
Yes, feel free to sub with ground ginger but at half the amount specified.
Dan
This recipe is stupid good. I added some finely sliced carrots. Really really good. Served on rice.
christieathome
Haha thank you so much, Dan! I am so glad you enjoyed it!
Loretta
I will be making this for supper tonight. How much powdered ginger would I need to use? I don’t have any idea what half the specified amount would be. Thank you!
christieathome
I would suggest adding 1/4 tsp of powdered ginger. I hope you enjoy it!
Cindy
The chicken turned out great, my husband liked it but he asked could I make it a little sweeter with a little more vinegar twang
? We loved it but I think a little less Hoisin it kinda overpowered the taste but was still good. Think I could increase brown sugar 3 Tbsp and vinegar
To 2Tbsp ? Thank you for this recipe once i tweak it to my husbands taste I am sure it will be his favorite dish. He asked me to cook again tomorrow with Shrimp YUM 😋
christieathome
Fantastic! So happy to read this - thanks for making my recipe and glad you both enjoyed it! Yes, feel free to tweak it to your liking by reducing the hoisin and adding more sugar and vinegar.
Cindy
I will and Thank You !
Will be in our rotation for sure.
Mrs. M
Preferred over take out!! This was an easy recipe and very good.
christieathome
Fantastic! Glad I could provide a recipe that could beat take out! Thanks for making my recipe and have a nice evening!
Camille
This recipe is exactly if not better than restaurant quality. The instructions to let the chicken cook/sear for 5-6 min without touching it was so important to follow. It was crispy even with the sauce coating it. Ridiculously good. I never leave reviews, but this one is spot on with the real deal. Don’t use any other recipe for General Tso’s.
christieathome
Thank you so much for sharing this very kind review, Camille! I appreciate it so much 🙂 Have a wonderful day!
HannaS
So easy to make and absolutely delicious!!
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Hanna! So happy that you enjoyed it! 🙂
Carolyn
Easy great flavor. I have made 3X now family enjoys. Easy cleanup
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Carolyn! So happy you enjoyed it with your family on multiple occasions 🙂
Sandy Stiner
We’ve made half a dozen of Christie’s recipes and this is our fav!!!! We’ve made it many times and love it!!!
christieathome
Awww this makes me so happy to read, Sandy! Thank you so much for the continued support. I am very grateful that you enjoyed this one as well 🙂
Elise
THIS WAS SO TASTY!!! I used chicken breast and cooked it just to temp. I'm so sad I didn't double the recipe to have more left overs. Next time!
christieathome
Thanks for making my recipe, Elise! 🙂 Happy you really enjoyed it!
Donna Christensen
Love, love the General Tso and so easy to make in no time at all. Now I don’t have to go out to Chinese places. Very good 😊
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Donna! I am really happy to read this and glad I could help!
Kathy
Oh my gosh! So better than the restaurants in my area. Hubby LOVED it. Definitely will be making again. Followed instructions as posted 😀
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Kathy! So glad you and your husband enjoyed it! Happy it was better than the restaurant!
Steve Nettemeyer
This recipe is quick and easy. Like you said the key is to get the chicken crispy by not playing with it. The family loved it served over brown rice with broccoli. Making it again tonight!! Thank you!!
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Steve! Glad it was quick and easy. Happy the whole family enjoyed it and that you will be making it again tonight 🙂 Have a lovely weekend!
Katrina
A great staple dish for students and those new to cooking! The instructions are so well written and the chicken turns out perfect every single time. Awesome for left overs as well!
christieathome
Thank you so much for your kind review, Katrina! I'm really happy you enjoy the recipe so much and thank you for the positive feedback on my instructions 🙂 Have a lovely day!
EEVA
This recipe has been on my weekly rotation for months. My family really loves it. Thank you for sharing
christieathome
Thank you so much for sharing your kind review with me! I really appreciate that and so happy it's a family favorite! Have a great day 🙂