• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • About
  • Contact Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Dinner at the Zoo

  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • Appetizers
  • Dessert
  • One Pot Meals
  • Slow Cooker
  • Asian Food

Home » Asian Food » General Tso’s Chicken

Published: December 2, 2019 Last Modified: February 5, 2020 By Sara 72 Comments

General Tso’s Chicken

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
General Tso's Chicken Recipe #chicken #asianfood #dinner #dinneratthezoo #copycatrecipe

This recipe for General Tso’s chicken is battered crispy chicken pieces tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. A take-out classic that’s simple to make at home and even better than what you’d 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 Recipe #chicken #asianfood #dinner #dinneratthezoo #copycatrecipe General Tso's Chicken Recipe #chicken #asianfood #dinner #dinneratthezoo #copycatrecipe

General Tso's chicken coated in a sweet and spicy sauce, then topped with sesame seeds.

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!

What is General Tso’s chicken?

This chicken dis is a popular Chinese entree made with fried chicken pieces coated in a sweet and slightly spicy sauce. This chicken is similar to sesame chicken, but the sauce has a little more heat and a more complex savory flavor. It is often served with a side of steamed broccoli.

Chicken pieces coated in egg, flour and cornstarch.

How do you make General Tso’s chicken?

This dish starts with cubes of chicken that are battered and deep fried until golden brown. The chicken pieces are tossed in a sauce made with soy sauce, garlic, red chili flakes and hoisin sauce. The final step is to add a sprinkle of sesame seeds and green onions, then serve and enjoy.

Breaded and fried chicken thigh pieces.

Tips for this chicken recipe

  • Be careful not to fry too many pieces of chicken at the same time to avoid the pieces sticking or clumping together. I typically fry about 6-8 pieces at a time.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Crispy chicken in a skillet filled with savory and spicy sauce.

What is the difference between orange chicken and General Tso’s chicken?

While, General Tso’s chicken and orange chicken are both delicious Chinese stir fries, they are very different dishes. They both have golden fried chicken pieces in a sweet sauce, but General Tso’s chicken has a more savory flavor relying on soy sauce, chili flakes and chicken broth. Orange chicken is sweeter, has orange juice in the sauce and has a lighter colored sauce.

General Tso's chicken served over steamed rice.

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 take out and instead give this recipe a try!

More delicious Chinese food recipes

  • Sweet and Sour Chicken
  • Korean Fried Chicken
  • Mongolian Chicken
  • Chicken and Green Beans
  • Sweet Chili Chicken
General Tso's chicken coated in a sweet and spicy sauce, then topped with sesame seeds.
Print Pin
5 from 55 votes

General Tso's Chicken

This recipe for General Tso's chicken is battered crispy chicken pieces tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. A take-out classic that's simple to make at home and even better than what you'd get in a restaurant!
Course Main
Cuisine Asian
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 365kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup corn starch
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons green onions sliced

For the sauce:

  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or more to taste
  • 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch

Instructions

  • Place the eggs in a bowl; add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Mix together the flour and corn starch and place in a shallow bowl or on a plate.
  • Heat 3 inches of oil in a deep pot to 350 degrees F.
  • Dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture, then coat in the flour mixture. Repeat the process for all of the chicken pieces.
  • Fry 8-9 pieces of chicken at a time for 5 minutes or until browned. Repeat with all the remaining chicken.
  • While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce. 
  • Heat the 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Whisk together the chicken broth, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce and corn starch.
  • Add the liquid mixture to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
  • Add the chicken pieces to the pan and toss to coat with the sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 672mg | Potassium: 442mg | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Vitamin C: 21.5mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2.3mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @DinnerAtTheZoo or tag #dinneratthezoo!
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Filed Under: Asian Food, Dinner, Featured Recipes

FREE TOOLKIT: 5 Secrets to Meal Planning

Learn my 5 Meal Planning Secrets & get my Meal Planning Toolkit...FREE!

    ​
    ​

    Still hungry? Follow Dinner at the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

    « Baked Beans with Bacon
    Vegetable Lasagna »

    Comments

    1. DJ says

      February 13, 2021 at 3:56 am

      5 stars
      Just like all of Sara’s recipes that I’ve tried, this did not disappoint. A bit time consuming, but well worth it in the end. II added some ground ginger and a drop of sesame oil to the sauce. I’ve made this two times now, and it’s already earned a spot on the family favorites list. Thank you.

      Reply
    2. Tina b says

      February 3, 2021 at 7:38 pm

      5 stars
      This was amazing and soooo easy!I was skeptical but it was to die for!!

      Reply
    3. Tina says

      January 31, 2021 at 5:15 pm

      5 stars
      My 1st time with this adventure. I sure think it’s a 2 person job. But wow…it was all worth it in the end. Loved this recipe thank you so much! Great results.

      Reply
    4. Ginny says

      January 31, 2021 at 12:30 am

      5 stars
      OMG, that sauce was so good. I could ea it with a spoon! It was really a delicious dinner.

      Reply
    5. Kristyn says

      January 30, 2021 at 8:18 pm

      5 stars
      Mmm…this is the best General Tso’s chicken!! I love Asian flavors, so to be able to make great, yummy chicken at home makes me so happy!

      Reply
    6. Natalie says

      January 30, 2021 at 7:42 pm

      5 stars
      This chicken is loaded with flavor!! I could eat it anytime of day! It is a meal the whole family enjoys!!

      Reply
    7. Tony says

      January 27, 2021 at 5:40 am

      5 stars
      Very good!! I added some ground ginger. I believe that is a part of General Tao sauce.

      Reply
    8. Gia says

      January 5, 2021 at 5:08 pm

      Question: it says to consume right after cooking because the chicken soak up the sauce and will get soggy. Is it possible to not mix the sauce until you’re ready to eat the dish?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        January 5, 2021 at 9:20 pm

        Yes that should be fine!

        Reply
    9. Jordan says

      January 2, 2021 at 5:23 pm

      5 stars
      Was my first time trying General Chicken and this was a great start! This may just have been a user error but the chicken didn’t get very crispy like I thought it would before the chicken inside started to overcook so it wasn’t the crispiest. But the sauce was so good! I can’t help but to alter recipes so we added a bit of rice vinegar and some ginger (at beginning with garlic and red pepper). Will definitely make this again and try to tweak the breading and def double the red pepper flakes it seemed spicy in the pan alone but once added to the chicken it got a lot more mild (my 3 year old could eat mild) and I like a little heat!

      Reply
      • Kamika says

        January 16, 2021 at 11:26 pm

        5 stars
        I found potato starch makes a crisper coating than the corn starch. You can also take out some flour and replace with more potato starch. And thick soy sauce makes it more of a glaze so it doesn’t soak as fast. I like mine a bit sticky. But to each is own. Great feasting!

        Reply
    10. Diane says

      December 29, 2020 at 3:05 pm

      Made this for dinner tonight, I followed the recipe to the letter and I am here to say it was DELICIOUS! Someone had commented it was like teriyaki which almost swayed me not to make it, I am not a teriyaki fan. This was not at all like teriyaki. The only thing as I was cleaning up I saw the sesame seeds sitting on the counter. Oh well, there will be a next time for sure! Thanks.

      Reply
    11. Stephanie Arke says

      December 17, 2020 at 3:45 pm

      5 stars
      Very delish. It didn’t taste like General Tso to me, more like a teriyaki. but the family loved it. will make again

      Reply
    12. Ed says

      December 7, 2020 at 5:53 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe!
      I married into a Chinese family so when I take on a chinese dish, i’m swimming in deep water! But this one, with some rice and bok-choi, came off to perfection and I’m really thrilled.

      Reply
    13. Jennifer says

      November 9, 2020 at 4:47 pm

      Amazing! Made for the first time tonight and my picky boyfriend gave it a 10 out of 10 and asked when are we having it again! So easy and delicious!

      Reply
    14. Cindy says

      October 18, 2020 at 12:57 pm

      5 stars
      You’ve done it again Sara. It’s an extremely rare occurrence for me to try another person’s recipe, when looking up something new, which for me is around 4-5 days a week. I always come back to you. This was no different. Read a million on the net, came back to you. For me, the clincher was that there was no vinegar. Unlike 99% of Americans, I can’t stand vinegar at all, so of course, again, I went with yours!! It was insanely delicious, and I will be making this forever more. Thanks so much for such a delicious and easy recipe. As for the person who commented on the sugar, there’s many a Chinese sauce that calls for sugar, as well as, many other kinds of cooking!!

      Reply
    15. Amanda says

      September 26, 2020 at 6:32 pm

      5 stars
      Just made this i already had a sauce but the chicken turned out very tasty i used chicken breast. My family loved it

      Reply
    16. Sam says

      September 14, 2020 at 5:52 pm

      Going to try this recipe soon, but i just have one question. Many other recipes have vinegar, what makes this one different without the vinegar? Curious if this is a lot sweeter compared to the others? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Sara says

        September 15, 2020 at 3:16 pm

        I don’t consider this dish to be overly sweet but you could try adding vinegar if you prefer it that way!

        Reply
    17. Bobbie says

      July 24, 2020 at 12:11 pm

      I can’t wait to make this tonight!

      Reply
    18. Gretchen says

      July 16, 2020 at 3:03 pm

      5 stars
      This is one of my favourite recipes I’ve made from your site!! I recently purchased an air fryer and I wanted to know if you had a guide on how to make the same breaded chicken for this!

      Reply
      • Sara says

        July 16, 2020 at 9:38 pm

        I actually haven’t tried this one in an air fryer, you could try coating the breaded chicken pieces in cooking spray then adding them to the air fryer.

        Reply
    19. Judi says

      July 5, 2020 at 7:59 am

      I have made this recipe twice. Tonight it will make it thrice!! We

      Reply
    20. Srinivasan says

      June 20, 2020 at 1:46 pm

      5 stars
      I have made this recipe a few times now and everyone loved it

      Reply
    « Older Comments
    Newer Comments »

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating





    With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More

    Game Day Snacks

    A platter of sausage cheese balls with honey mustard sauce for dipping.

    Sausage Cheese Balls

    A plate of bacon wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese.

    Bacon Wrapped Dates

    A bowl of eggplant caponata served with olives, cured meats and bread.

    Caponata Recipe

    A piece of bread scooping into a pan of spinach dip.

    Hot Spinach Dip

    Chicken lettuce wraps on a serving plate, garnished with green onions.

    Chicken Lettuce Wraps

    Several pictures of Super Bowl appetizer recipes including 7 layer dip, baked chicken wings and Philly cheesesteak eggrolls.

    45 Incredible Super Bowl Appetizer Recipes

    More Posts from this Category

    Featured Recipes

    Shrimp tacos with sweet and tangy mango salsa and creamy cilantro lime sauce.

    Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa

    This honey garlic shrimp stir fry is an easy recipe that's ready in 20 minutes.

    Honey Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry

    Chicken and green beans coated in honey garlic sauce.

    Chicken and Green Beans

    A quick and easy chicken taco soup full of beans and vegetables that's ready in just 25 minutes. #StockUpOnDelMonte #Safeway Ad

    Chicken Taco Soup

    FREE TOOLKIT: 5 Secrets to Meal Planning

    Learn my 5 Meal Planning Secrets & get my Meal Planning Toolkit...FREE!

      ​
      ​

      Categories

      Sites I am featured In
      PRIVACY POLICY ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT © Sara Welch and Dinner at the Zoo® LLC, 2015-2022.
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest
      • RSS
      • Twitter
      • About Me
      • Contact Me
      • All Recipes
      • Dinner
      • Appetizers
      • Dessert
      • One Pot Meals
      • Slow Cooker
      • Asian Food