Description
General Tso’s Chicken is a popular Chinese-American dish featuring crispy, deep-fried chicken pieces tossed in a tantalizing sweet, savory, spicy, and tangy sauce. This recipe uses boneless skinless chicken thighs marinated and coated in cornstarch for extra crunch, then fried and quickly stir-fried in a flavorful sauce made with soy, hoisin, vinegar, chili paste, and ginger. Perfect served hot with steamed rice, it balances bold flavors with crispy texture for a delightful homemade takeout experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce & Marinade
- 3 tbsp soy sauce (light or all-purpose, not dark soy)
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or substitute white wine vinegar)
- 2 tsp chili paste (any kind; Sambal Oelak recommended)
- 1 tsp sesame oil (toasted preferably)
Chicken & Marinade
- 600g (1.4 lb) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2.5cm (1″) pieces (breast or tenderloin can be substituted)
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp garlic, finely grated
Coating & Frying
- 1 cup cornflour/cornstarch
- 1 – 4 cups oil for frying (peanut, vegetable, or canola oil)
Sauce Thickening
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 3/4 cup low sodium chicken stock/broth
Stir-Fry Aromatics
- 2 tbsp oil (peanut, vegetable, or canola)
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
Garnish
- Finely sliced green onion
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare Sauce-Marinade: In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, chili paste, and toasted sesame oil to create the sauce marinade.
- Marinate Chicken: Remove 2 tablespoons of the prepared sauce marinade and combine it with the chicken pieces. Add the finely grated ginger and garlic to the chicken mixture, stir well, and let it marinate for 30 minutes to infuse flavors.
- Coat Chicken: Add the cornflour to the marinated chicken and toss until each piece is fully coated and separated to ensure even crispiness.
- Remove Excess Cornflour: Transfer the coated chicken to a colander and shake gently to remove any loose excess cornflour, preventing clumping during frying.
- Make Thickened Sauce: To the remaining sauce marinade, add brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of cornflour. Stir well, then gradually whisk in the chicken stock until smooth.
- Heat Oil for Frying: Heat about 2 cm (4/5 inch) of oil in a deep skillet or large pot to 200°C (390°F). Adjust oil quantity as needed for frying.
- Fry Chicken: Carefully fry the chicken pieces for approximately 3 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Prepare Stir-Fry Base: Discard the frying oil, clean the skillet, or use a separate large skillet. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add finely chopped garlic, ginger, and red chili flakes to the hot oil. Sauté for about 30 seconds until the garlic becomes light golden and fragrant.
- Cook the Sauce: Pour in the thickened sauce mixture and bring it to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, until it thickens enough to leave a clear path when drawn across the pan’s base.
- Toss Chicken in Sauce: Add the fried chicken pieces to the skillet and toss quickly to coat the chicken evenly. The faster you toss, the crispier the chicken remains.
- Garnish and Serve: Transfer the coated chicken to a serving plate, garnish with finely sliced green onions and sesame seeds, and serve immediately alongside your choice of steamed rice.
Notes
- This recipe video above demonstrates the perfect balance of sweet, savory, spicy, and tangy flavors combined with crispy chicken bites, creating a favorite Chinese takeout dish at home.
- Use light or all-purpose soy sauce for authentic flavor; avoid dark soy sauce to maintain the balance.
- The recommended oils for frying and stir-frying are peanut, vegetable, or canola oil for their high smoke points.
- To reduce oil usage, shallow fry instead of deep-frying can be done but may affect crispiness.
- Cornflour (cornstarch) is crucial for achieving a crispy outer coating on the chicken.
- Toasted sesame oil adds a richer, nuttier flavor to the sauce marinade.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 465 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 974 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 143 mg
