General Tso Chicken

This recipe for General Tso Chicken features crispy fried chicken tossed in a flavorful, extra saucy mixture. Serve it with white rice for a complete meal.

General Tso Chicken

General Tso Chicken is all about that perfect balance of sweet, savory, and just a little bit spicy. The secret to getting it right at home is simple. A light, crispy batter, a quick double fry, and a sauce that is bold, glossy, and packed with flavor.

This recipe is great for beginners because the steps are easy to follow and you learn a lot of skills along the way. You will see how small ingredients like ginger, rice vinegar, and hoisin sauce build layers of flavor without making the recipe complicated. Once everything comes together, the chicken turns sticky, saucy, and exactly like the classic dish everyone loves.

It is one of those meals that feels special without being hard to make. Serve it with white rice or fried rice and you have the perfect takeout style dinner right at home.

Prep and Cook Time

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 3 large chicken breasts

• One half cup flour

• One half cup cornstarch

• One half teaspoon baking powder

• One half teaspoon salt

• One half teaspoon white pepper

• 1 egg

• One half cup water

For the Sauce

• 6 tablespoons sugar

• 6 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• One half teaspoon crushed red peppers

• 6 teaspoons rice vinegar

• 8 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

• One fourth to one half teaspoon ginger

• 8 tablespoons chicken broth

• 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce

• 2 tablespoons water (for cornstarch slurry)

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces.

2. Make the batter by whisking together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, white pepper, egg, and water.

3. Add the chicken to the batter and mix well.

4. Deep fry the chicken at 350 to 375°F for about 5 minutes or until golden brown.

5. Let the chicken rest and then double fry it for extra crispiness.

6. Prepare the sauce by mixing sugar, brown sugar, garlic powder, crushed red peppers, rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, chicken broth, and hoisin sauce.

7. Dissolve the sugar in the sauce mixture.

8. Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing water and cornstarch, then add it to the sauce to thicken.

9. Add the fried chicken to the sauce and toss to coat completely.

Notes/Tips

• Double frying gives the chicken that classic crispy texture that holds up under sauce.

• Adjust the crushed red pepper to make it mild or spicy.

• If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of chicken broth or water.

• If the sauce is too thin, add a little more cornstarch slurry.

• Hoisin sauce adds depth and sweetness, so do not skip it.

• Best served right away so the chicken stays crisp.