General Tso's Chicken (2024)

This recipe for General Tso’s chicken is battered crispy chicken pieces tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. A takeout classic that’s simple to make at home and even better than what you would get in a restaurant!

My family loves Chinese food, and I’ve set out to recreate all their favorite recipes at home. I often make crab rangoon, chicken lettuce wraps and this irresistible crispy General Tso’s chicken.

General Tso’s chicken is one of my all time favorite Chinese food dishes. I love that it’s crispy, with a hint of sweet and a hint of spicy. I’ve started making this recipe at home when we’re craving Asian food, but don’t want to take the time to go to a restaurant. It’s been a huge hit, both with the kids and the adults!

This is one of my favorite Chinese entrees. When I want to make a Chinese food feast, I like to pair this chicken with some of my favorite appetizers like hot and sour soup, egg drop soup and cream cheese wontons. You also could serve this chicken with a flavorful side dish like beef lo mein or beef fried rice. Mix and match your own ultimate Chinese dinner!

General Tso’s Chicken Ingredients

When you make General Tso’s chicken you will need chicken thighs, eggs, flour, cornstarch, vegetable oil, sesame seeds, green onions, salt and pepper. For the sauce you will also need garlic, red pepper flakes, chicken broth, hoisin sauce, brown sugar and soy sauce.

How Do You Make General Tso’s Chicken?

This dish starts with cubes of chicken you season with salt and pepper and then batter with flour, cornstarch and eggs. Deep fry those chicken morsels until they are golden brown. Whisk together a sweet and savory sauce made with soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, red chili flakes and hoisin sauce. Heat the sauce in a pan or skillet and toss the chicken in the sauce until it is coated. The final step is to add a sprinkle of sesame seeds and green onions, then serve and enjoy.

Tips For The Perfect General Tso’s Chicken

• This chicken is best served immediately, as the coating will absorb the sauce and get softer as it sits.
• Use a frying thermometer to make sure your oil stays at 350 degrees F. If the oil is too hot, the outside of the chicken can burn before the inside cooks through. If the oil is too cold, the chicken will absorb more oil and be heavy and greasy.
• You can use chicken breasts instead of thighs if you prefer, although thighs are the more traditional choice.
• When you remove the cooked chicken from the hot oil during the frying process, place it on a plate covered with clean paper towels to absorb any excess oil.

General Tso’s Chicken Variations

While this chicken dish is delicious, you can modify it to suit your own taste.

• Spicy: To increase the spiciness of your chicken, feel free to add more red pepper flakes. If you want, you can also include some whole dried red chili peppers.
• Flavoring: You can make the sauce more tangy by adding some grated ginger or a little rice vinegar. For a more savory sauce, try adding a little sesame oil.
• Protein: Instead of chicken you could make this dish with small cubes of steak or pork.
• Vegetables: You could add cooked vegetables to the dish by adding them to the sauce at the same time as the chicken. You could use mushrooms, bell peppers, snow peas, baby corn or zucchini.

I love to make this sweet and spicy chicken at home. There is something about enjoying those crispy chicken pieces hot and coated with freshly made sauce that I can’t resist. Don’t bother with takeout and instead give this recipe a try!