General Tso's Chicken
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General Tso's chicken is an American-Chinese restaurant classic: bite-size pieces of chicken, battered and fried until crispy, then tossed in a glossy sweet-savory-spicy sauce of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger and dried red chilies. Despite being named after a Qing dynasty general, it has no real connection to him — it's a takeout invention. Made well at home, it's crispier and far less gloopy than delivery. The keys are a light cornstarch batter and a double fry (once to cook, once hotter to crisp), a sauce balanced so it's tangy and savory rather than just sweet, and tossing the chicken in the sauce only at the last second so it stays crunchy. It comes together in about 35 minutes and is reliably a family favorite, with the heat fully adjustable by how many chilies you add.
Why you'll love this general tso's chicken
- Crispy chicken in a glossy, balanced sweet-savory-spicy sauce — crunchier and fresher than any takeout.
- The double-fry trick keeps the chicken crisp even after it's sauced.
- Fully adjustable heat, from a gentle warmth to a real kick.
- We balance the sauce so it's tangy and savory, not just sweet and gloopy.
Ingredients
Chicken & coating
- 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tbsp light soy saucesubstitutes →
- 1 egg, beaten
- ¾ cup cornstarch
- 4 cups neutral oil, for frying
General Tso's sauce
- 3 tbsp light soy saucesubstitutes →
- 2 tbsp rice vinegarsubstitutes →
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp hoisin saucesubstitutes →
- ½ cup chicken stock or water
- 1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp cold water
Aromatics
- 6–8 dried red chilies, to tastesubstitutes →
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2 scallions, sliced
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Equipment
- Wok or deep pot for frying — Deep enough to fry the chicken in batches.(shop →)
- Spider or slotted spoon — For lifting the chicken from the oil.(shop →)
Instructions
Toss the chicken with the soy sauce and beaten egg, then dredge in cornstarch, pressing so each piece is well coated. Stir the sauce ingredients (except the slurry) together; mix the slurry separately.
Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry the chicken in batches for 3–4 minutes until pale golden and cooked through, then remove and drain.
Raise the oil to 375°F (190°C) and fry the chicken a second time for 1–2 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Drain on a rack.
💡 The double fry is the secret to crispy General Tso's: the first fry cooks the chicken, the second crisps the crust so it survives the sauce.
Pour off all but 1 tbsp oil. Over medium heat, fry the dried chilies, garlic and ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant — don't let them burn.
Pour in the sauce and bring to a simmer, then stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until glossy and thickened, about a minute.
Add the crispy chicken, toss quickly to coat, scatter the scallions over, and serve immediately while crisp.
💡 Sauce and serve fast. The longer the chicken sits in the sauce, the softer the crust gets.
Tips & notes
- Double-fry for crunch: once at 350°F to cook, once at 375°F to crisp. It's what keeps the chicken crispy under the sauce.
- Chicken thighs stay juicier than breast and are more forgiving; cut them into even 1-inch pieces.
- Balance the sauce — it should be savory and tangy with a sweet edge, not cloying. Start with less sugar and adjust.
- Control the heat with the number of dried chilies; remove the seeds for milder, leave them in for more kick.
- No deep-frying? Shallow-fry in an inch of oil, or air-fry the coated chicken until crisp, then toss with the sauce.
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General Tso's Chicken
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Intermediate
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 egg, beaten
- ¾ cup cornstarch
- 4 cups neutral oil, for frying
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- ½ cup chicken stock or water
- 1 tbsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tbsp cold water
- 6–8 dried red chilies, to taste
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2 scallions, sliced
Instructions
- Toss the chicken with the soy sauce and beaten egg, then dredge in cornstarch, pressing so each piece is well coated. Stir the sauce ingredients (except the slurry) together; mix the slurry separately.
- Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry the chicken in batches for 3–4 minutes until pale golden and cooked through, then remove and drain.
- Raise the oil to 375°F (190°C) and fry the chicken a second time for 1–2 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Drain on a rack.
- Pour off all but 1 tbsp oil. Over medium heat, fry the dried chilies, garlic and ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant — don't let them burn.
- Pour in the sauce and bring to a simmer, then stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until glossy and thickened, about a minute.
- Add the crispy chicken, toss quickly to coat, scatter the scallions over, and serve immediately while crisp.
Nutrition (est., per serving): 470 cal · 32 g protein · 34 g carbs · 22 g fat
General Tso's Chicken FAQ
Who was General Tso and is the dish really his?
General Tso (Zuo Zongtang) was a real Qing dynasty military leader from Hunan, but the dish named after him has no genuine connection to him — it's a 20th-century American-Chinese restaurant creation (with roots often traced to Taiwanese-American chefs). It's beloved takeout, just don't expect it on a menu in mainland China.
How do you keep General Tso's chicken crispy?
Use a cornstarch-based coating, fry the chicken twice (once at 350°F to cook, once at 375°F to crisp), and toss it in the sauce only at the very last moment before serving. The double fry builds a crust that holds up, and sauce-and-serve-immediately keeps it from going soggy.
What's the difference between General Tso's and sesame or orange chicken?
They share the same crispy fried-chicken base but differ in sauce. General Tso's is sweet, savory and spicy with dried chilies; sesame chicken is milder and sweeter with toasted sesame and no heat; orange chicken is bright and tangy with fresh orange. If you like a little spice, General Tso's is the one.
Can I make General Tso's chicken less spicy?
Yes — the heat comes almost entirely from the dried chilies, so use fewer (or none) for a mild version. You'll still get the signature sweet-savory-tangy glossy sauce. Removing the chili seeds also tones down the heat while keeping the flavor.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Yes, though thighs are juicier and more forgiving. If you use breast, cut it into even 1-inch pieces and don't overcook it, since lean breast dries out faster. The coating and double-fry method are the same either way.
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