Easy General Tso’s Chicken is a beloved Chinese-American dish made simple at home. The homemade sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy sauce delivers better flavor than most takeout.
Easy General Tso’s Chicken
Chinese takeout is a family favorite for good reason: it’s convenient, satisfying, and offers a variety of crowd-pleasing options. But ordering out every week adds up, and you may prefer to control the ingredients and spice level. Making General Tso’s Chicken at home is straightforward, affordable, and surprisingly authentic-tasting with everyday grocery store ingredients—no wok or special tools required.
This homemade version lets you adjust the heat, reduce or omit additives, and stretch ingredients to create several meals for the price of one takeout order. The cornstarch coating yields a crisp exterior while the balanced sauce becomes glossy and clings to each piece. Serve it over plain steamed rice to let the sauce shine.
For the best results, prepare the sauce first so it’s ready when the chicken is cooked. The sauce combines savory, sweet, and tangy elements and thickens quickly with a little cornstarch. Fry the chicken in small batches to keep the coating crisp, then briefly cook aromatics in the pan before returning the chicken and adding the sauce. Garnish with sliced green onions or toasted sesame seeds for color and texture.
White rice is the classic accompaniment. A simple method is to rinse the rice, use roughly a 1:1 rice-to-water ratio for many modern pots, and let the rice rest before fluffing. This produces tender, separate grains that pair perfectly with the rich sauce.
If you enjoy this recipe, try other easy Chinese-style dishes you can make at home, such as fried rice or Mongolian beef. Cooking from scratch is a great way to customize flavors, control portions, and save money.
Ingredients for General Tso’s
- Chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- Cornstarch (for coating and for the sauce)
- Vegetable oil (about 1 cup) — peanut oil works if you prefer extra flavor
- Minced garlic
- Minced ginger
- Red pepper flakes
For the sauce:
- Rice vinegar
- Hoisin sauce
- Soy sauce
- Sugar
- Cornstarch (for thickening)
How to Make Copycat General Tso’s Chicken
Follow these straightforward steps to recreate a restaurant-style General Tso’s at home.
1. Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 cup water, 4 tablespoons sugar, 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 4 tablespoons rice vinegar, and 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce. Set aside.
2. Prepare the chicken: Toss bite-sized chicken pieces in the remaining 6 tablespoons cornstarch so each piece is lightly coated. Let them sit while you heat the oil.
3. Fry the chicken: Heat about a cup of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully add the chicken in small batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry until the coating is golden and crisp, then remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat until all pieces are cooked.
4. Sauté aromatics: Drain all but about a tablespoon of oil from the pan, then add 1 tablespoon minced ginger, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook briefly over medium heat until fragrant.
5. Combine and finish: Return the cooked chicken to the pan and toss to combine. Pour in the sauce mixture and stir until the sauce is heated through and thickens, about 1–2 minutes. The sauce will become glossy and coat each piece.
6. Serve: Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve over steamed rice and enjoy.
General Tso’s Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp Cornstarch, divided
- 1/2 cup Water
- 4 tbsp Sugar
- 4 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 4 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 3 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp Cornstarch (for sauce)
- 3 Chicken Breasts, cut into small pieces
- Vegetable Oil, about a cup
- 1 tbsp minced Ginger
- 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 tsp minced Garlic
- Green Onions, sliced (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 cup water, 4 tablespoons sugar, 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 4 tablespoons rice vinegar and 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce. Whisk until blended and set aside.
- Toss chicken in the remaining cornstarch and set aside.
- Add oil to a skillet and heat over medium-high heat.
- Cook chicken pieces in small batches until browned and crisp.
- After removing the last batch of chicken, drain all but about a tablespoon of the oil from the pan.
- Add ginger, red pepper flakes and garlic and heat until fragrant.
- Add back the cooked chicken and toss to coat.
- Add the sauce mixture and stir until heated and the sauce has thickened, about 1–2 minutes.
- Optionally garnish with sliced green onions and serve over rice.
Nutrition
