General Tso’s Chicken is a sweet and slightly spicy Asian dish made with crispy chicken and a lovely rich sauce that comes together quickly!
This pairs really well with fluffy white rice or Sweet and Spicy Green Beans for a delicious and complete meal.
This easy Asian chicken is made with tender chicken thighs and has a slightly sweet and spicy sauce thanks to pineapple juice and a touch of cayenne pepper!
General Tso’s Chicken
This recipe is a classic in Chinese cuisine and is known for its crispy texture, tangy and slightly sweet sauce, and the perfect balance of flavors that leave you craving more. It’s actually pretty similar to this Amazing Orange Chicken in crispy texture and sweetness but has a slightly different flavor profile.
What Is General Tso’s Chicken?
General Tso’s Chicken is a popular Chinese-American dish that typically consists of deep-fried pieces of chicken, stir-fried with a rich and flavorful sauce. The sauce, which is the star of the dish, is a combination of tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy flavors. General Tso’s Chicken is known for its bold and distinctive taste, making it a favorite among lovers of Chinese inspired cuisine.
Ingredients Needed
Here’s a quick list of ingredients you’ll need in order to make this easy General Tso’s Chicken. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients located in the printable recipe card below.
- Chicken Thighs – boneless
- Cornstarch – acts as a thickening agent
- Salt & Pepper
- Vegetable Oil
- Sugar – white
- Soy Sauce – regular or low sodium
- Pineapple Juice – unsweetened
- Rice Vinegar
- Garlic Cloves
- Cayenne Pepper
- Ginger – dried
- Green Onions
How To Make General Tso’s Chicken
I’ll walk you through how to cook crispy chicken, then how to make the lovely tangy sauce that goes with it.
Prepare Chicken
Place the cut-up chicken in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup cornstarch to the bowl and toss to coat evenly.
Cook Chicken
Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, brown the chicken on all sides.
PRO TIP: Cook the chicken in a few batches to not overcrowd your skillet. This helps ensure the much-desired crispiness!
Remove the skilled once browned to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess grease and cover to keep warm.
Make The Sauce
Whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, rice vinegar, garlic, cayenne pepper, and dried ginger in a medium-sized bowl.
Once the chicken is cooked add the sauce to the empty skillet. Stir and let the sauce cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until it thickens. Add the chicken back to the skillet and toss to coat.
Serve hot over a bed of steamed rice and garnish with sliced green onions. Enjoy!
Tips and Variations
- Want it MORE spicy? just add a little extra cayenne pepper or you can drizzle with some Sriracha, which is my favorite way to enjoy this.
- Bulk up the dish with some chopped onion, red bell peppers, or green peas, or just leave it all chicken, the choice is yours!
- If you add extra veggies, add them to the skillet after the chicken and before the sauce. Then add the sauce directly to the veggies, and add the chicken after.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make Ahead: Yes! You can make this recipe up to 3 days ahead of time. Keep the cooked chicken and sauce separate refrigerated and then cook together in the pan before serving.
Refrigerate: Store covered for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Freezer: Transfer to a freezer-safe container and store for up to 3 months.
More Easy Asian Recipes
We LOVE some easy spicy Asian recipes. Here are a few of my favorites! Don’t forget to let me know how you like them!
- Pei Wei Spicy Chicken
- Easy Mongolian Ground Beef Recipe
- Instant Pot Asian Beef Short Ribs
- Copycat Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
This General Tso’s chicken recipe is a family favorite, I know you’ll love it as much as we do!
General Tso’s Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ¼ cup cornstarch, plus 2 tsp; divided
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed (or finely minced)
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp ginger, minced or dried
- ⅓ cup green onions, sliced (for garnish)
Instructions
- Place the cut up chicken in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup cornstarch to the bowl and toss to coat evenly.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, brown the chicken on all sides (you may have to do a few batches to not over crowd your skillet), remove from the skillet once browned to a paper towel lined plate and keep warm.
- Meanwhile whisk together the remaining ingredients (2 tsp corn starch, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup pineapple juice, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 cloves of pressed garlic, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper and 1/4 tsp dried ginger in a medium size bowl. Once the chicken is cooked add the sauce to the empty skillet. Stir and let the sauce cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until it thickens.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet and toss to coat. Serve hot over a bed of steamed rice and garnished with sliced green onions. Enjoy!
Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
Ellie
A very tasty dish and we enjoyed it thoroughly! However it took much longer than 30 minutes to put together. I browned the chicken in a wok in small batches and oil splattered everywhere. A big cleanup! Not sure I’ll make this dish again because of that.
Ellie
Melissa
I made this tonight and it was a huge hit with the whole family!! I doubled the sauce and served it on chow mein noodles. We’ll definitely be adding this to our rotation!
Thanks for sharing this recipe
Melissa
Oh forgot to mention that I added some stir fried veggies.. Carrots, red pepper and celery. Absolutely delish!!
Charlene
I made this last night and my husband thought I picked up Chinese food! It was so good! Thank you!
Shawn
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it Charlene! 🙂
Rach's Recipes
This is a staple in our household. Absolutely love General Tso’s chicken. Thinking about making it with noodles next time around, what do you think?
Shawn
I think that sounds like a great idea! 🙂
Elisa
Me parece rico. Lo voy a hacer.
Smart Fitness Expert
This chicken looks amazing! Definitely going to try it out!
Shawn
Thanks! 🙂