General Tso's Chicken
Crispy fried chicken tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce with hints of ginger and garlic. A beloved Chinese-American takeout favorite that's surprisingly easy to make at home.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 35g
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 3 cups vegetable oil for frying
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1.5 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp sliced green onions
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 3 whole dried red chilies
Instructions
- 1
Cut chicken thighs into 1.5-inch bite-sized pieces and pat dry with paper towels.
- 2
In a shallow bowl, mix cornstarch, flour, salt, and black pepper.
- 3
In another bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, and sesame oil. In a small cup, mix cornstarch and water into a slurry.
- 4
Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet to 350°F. Working in batches, dredge chicken pieces in the cornstarch mixture and carefully add to the hot oil, frying 3-4 minutes until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
- 5
In a large wok or skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes, stirring for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 6
Pour in the sauce mixture and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
- 7
Add the fried chicken to the sauce and toss to coat evenly. Cook for 1 minute.
- 8
Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and dried red chilies. Serve immediately over steamed rice.
Tools you’ll need
- large heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet
- candy/deep-fry thermometer
- paper towels
- shallow bowl
- wok or large skillet
- wooden spoon or wok spatula
- measuring cups and spoons
- small bowl
- slotted spoon or spider strainer
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