General Tso’s Chicken Recipe — Crispy Sweet-Spicy Stir-Fry

I love chicken and I love Chinese food — especially the chicken dishes. The mix of garlic, ginger, soy sauce and toasted sesame oil is irresistible: nutty, pungent, spicy and deeply savory. When that aroma hits, I need dinner fast.

I first saw this recipe on Evil Chef Mom and immediately wanted it that night. General Tso’s chicken—sweet, spicy, crispy on the outside and tender inside—is a classic at buffets and restaurants, but it’s easy to make fresh at home.

We live far from any decent Chinese restaurant, so I planned to make it myself. I texted my husband asking him to pick up boneless, skinless chicken thighs and broccoli. He came home with bone-in drumsticks and peas. The next nights brought pork chops, then ground beef and potatoes. Several trips to the store turned up no boneless, skinless thighs at all. My General Tso and I were becoming star-crossed lovers.

Finally, on my birthday shopping trip the thighs were plentiful. I celebrated like a fool in the butcher aisle and went home to make the dish. It was worth the wait.

Adapted with thanks to Evil Chef Mom.

General Tso’s Chicken

Rebecca Lindamood

Sweet and hot, crispy and tender, garlicky and gingery General Tso’s chicken is a favorite that you can easily prepare at home for a fresher, more satisfying result.

Ingredients

For the chicken:

1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighstrimmed of fat and cut into 1 1/2″ pieces
Canola, peanut or vegetable oilfor frying

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
1 cup chicken broth or stock
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon Chinese chile-garlic sauce
3 tablespoons raw sugar (Demerara or Turbinado)
1 tablespoon peanut, canola or vegetable oil

For serving:

4 scallions thinly sliced
Steamed broccoli
Hot cooked white rice

Instructions

Prep your chicken:

In a mixing bowl, stir together the sesame oil, soy sauce, egg white, and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cornstarch until a thick, smooth slurry forms.
Add the chicken pieces and stir until evenly coated. It may look odd at first, but it comes together.
Cover lightly and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Begin the sauce:

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining sauce ingredients until smooth. Pour into the pan with the garlic and ginger, stir until the sauce thickens and becomes shiny, then keep warm over low heat.

To fry the chicken:

Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a heavy, high-sided skillet over high heat.
When the oil shimmers, add one piece of chicken at a time without crowding the pan.
Cook about 4 minutes per side, until deep golden brown and crisp.
Transfer cooked pieces to a paper towel–lined plate and repeat with remaining chicken.
Add all the chicken to the prepared sauce and toss to coat. If you like, add steamed broccoli so it’s coated too. Increase heat to medium and stir until everything is hot through.
Sprinkle with sliced scallions and serve immediately over white rice.

Notes

A note: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are forgiving—tender and juicy even when cooked until crisp on the outside. Be sure to cook the pieces through so the coating stays crisp under the sauce.

Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate nutrition with the exact ingredients you use if needed.