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General Tso's Chicken Recipe

General Tso's Chicken Recipe

General Tso’s Chicken is crispy double-fried chicken tossed in a sweet, spicy, tangy sauce made with soy, garlic, ginger, chilies, and orange zest.
It’s bold, comforting, and perfect over rice for a homemade takeout-style dinner that feels indulgent, satisfying, and totally worth the little bit of frying chaos.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 634
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken
  • 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • A pinch of white pepper
  • 1 cup cornstarch
For the Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons chopped green onion
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 6 dried whole red chilies
  • 1 strip orange zest
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup water

Method
 

  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot or fryer to 375°F.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Add chicken, salt, sugar, and white pepper. Mix until coated. Sprinkle in cornstarch a little at a time, stirring until every piece looks thick and pasty.
  3. Fry the chicken in batches, dropping pieces in carefully. Cook about 3 minutes until light golden and floating. Remove and let rest while frying the rest.
  4. Once all chicken is fried once, fry it again in batches for about 2 more minutes until deep golden and extra crispy. Drain on paper towels.
  5. In a wok or large skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over high heat. Add green onions, garlic, chilies, and orange zest. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
  6. Add sugar, soy sauce, chicken broth, peanut oil, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and ginger. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.
  7. Whisk cornstarch and water together, then stir into the sauce. Boil until thick and glossy, about 1 minute.
  8. Add the crispy chicken, reduce heat, and toss everything together for about 3 minutes until coated and sticky.

Notes

This is the kind of dish that makes your kitchen smell like a Friday night. It’s messy, loud, and way more fun than it should be.
If your chicken isn’t perfectly shaped or your sauce is a little extra sticky, congrats. You’re doing it right.