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General Tso’s Chicken is considered to be the most popular American Chinese takeout dish – and for good reason! My version includes double frying the chicken to get it extra crispy, and then coated in a sweet, spicy, tangy sauce. You’re going to love making General Tso’s Chicken at home!
Watch the Authentic General Tso’s Chicken Recipe Video Below!
Table of Contents
PRO TIP
My 3 Secrets to Chicken That STAYS Crispy in the Sauce!
The secret for chicken that stays crispy in the sauce is a unique dry batter consisting of flour + cornstrach + baking powder. When mixed with the flour, the cornstarch makes the flour coating crispier and gives it that golden brown color! (It has to do with prevention of gluten development.) The baking powder reacts with the oil and creates tiny air bubbles, which also helps form a crispy coating.
To get the crispiest texture on the General Tso’s Chicken when frying, you must create craggily bits in the dry batter! I do this by pouring a little bit of the flavorful chicken marinade into the dry batter and rub it together with my hands. If there isn’t enough marinade, just drizzle 2 tablespoons of water into the dry batter and rub it together with your hands! Small, uneven clumps of batter will form, which will turn into the crispy texture when fried!
If you want your General Tso’s Chicken to be extra crispy, you can fry for a second time for 1 minute at 350F! I love this technique because it gets the batter of the chicken EXTRA crispy and also allows for batter to stick better to the sauce.
Ingredient Tips
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
- shaoxing wine – This is one of my favorite Chinese pantry staples. It adds a depth of flavor and complexity to the sauce and truly one of my “secret ingredients” for making restaurant quality Chinese food. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with mirin, sherry, or even chicken broth.
- light soy sauce – You will need “light” (not “low sodium”) or “all-purpose” soy sauce. Do NOT use dark soy sauce, as it is too intense for a fried rice recipe.
- white pepper – I love white pepper and it’s used very commonly in Chinese cooking (another “secret ingredient” for cooking restaurant quality Chinese food at home). It has an earthier flavor than black pepper. I recommend having some in your pantry but if you can’t find it, you can always substitute with black pepper.
- all-purpose flour – Combining flour and cornstarch is how you get an addictively crispy and delicious batter. When mixed with the flour, the cornstarch makes the flour coating crispier and gives it that golden brown color! (It has to do with prevention of gluten development.)
- baking powder – Baking Powder is one of my favorite tricks in frying foods that still taste light and airy. The baking powder reacts with the oil and creates tiny air bubbles, which helps the outer layer get crispy while keeping it light and airy.
- chicken stock – if you don’t have chicken stock on hand, you can substitute with water
- crushed szechuan chili flakes – if you don’t have this, you can substitute with another chili flakes (ex: Korean chili flakes or crushed red pepper flakes)
- cornstarch + water – Cornstarch slurry is used in a lot of Asian cooking to thicken sauces and soups. A slurry means a mixture of liquid (usually water) and a thickening agent (in this case, cornstarch). TIP: Make sure to re-mix your cornstarch slurry right before using it.
- neutral oil, for frying – My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil! I don’t use olive oil when cooking Chinese food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. The flavor profile does not work with the flavors of Chinese cooking.
If you want to try other chicken Chinese Takeout dishes, try my sticky Sesame Chicken, tangy Sweet and Sour Chicken, classic Orange Chicken, Chicken and Broccoli or String Bean Chicken! If you love the bright citrus of Orange Chicken, you definitely have to try Chinese Lemon Chicken! You won’t be sad that Panda Express discontinued Sweetfire Chicken Breast when you can make it at home!
Recipe Instructions
1. Marinate the Chicken
Marinate your chicken with garlic, ginger, Shaoxing wine, light soy, white pepper, and kosher salt for 30 minutes.
2. Mix the General Tso’s Chicken Sauce
Premix your sauce by combining light soy, sugar, Szechuan chili, and warm chicken stock to help dissolve your sugar. The warm chicken stock will help dissolve the sugar into the sauce. Otherwise, the sugar may have sunk to the bottom when you pour the sauce in step 5.
3. Mix the Dry Batter for the Chicken
In a large bowl, whisky together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Drizzle in some of your extra chicken marinade and combine to create craggily bits for extra texture. Coat your chicken pieces well, pressing the dredge in to make sure there are no bald spots.
4. Fry (and Double Fry!) the Chicken
Heat 3 inches of neutral oil in a wok or dutch oven and heat to 325F. Fry your chicken at 325F for 3-4 minutes (oil should not come down below 300F, work in batches if needed).
Remove chicken and bring oil to 350F; fry a 2nd time at 350F for 2 minutes and set aside. I love using a thermometer like this infrared thermometer for frying and keeping track of my oil temperature.
If it is your first time cooking with a wok, make sure to read my “How To Season a Wok” post.
5. Finish the General Tso’s Chicken
Before you start the final step, make sure you have the garlic and ginger, mixed General Tso’s Chicken sauce, vinegar, and mixed cornstarch slurry. The cooking will be fast so it’s best to have everything within arms reach. Over high heat, fry garlic and ginger for 15 seconds in 2 tablespoons of neutral oil.
Once the aromatics are fragrant, add the premixed General Tso’s sauce. Stir to combine until bubbling, then add in vinegar. We add the vinegar at the very end to preserve the potency of the vinegar. Mix to combine, then add the cornstarch slurry. Stir it in for and you’ll see the sauce thicken up and become glossy (about 30-45 seconds).
Once the General Tso’s Chicken sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, add in the crispy chicken and stir in sauce until coated! Serve with Chicken Fried Rice or Chicken Lo Mein (or try my Egg Fried Rice and copycat Panda Express Chow Mein)!
PRO TIPS
Expert Tips for the BEST General Tso’s Chicken
Cut the Chicken into Uniform Pieces – Whether you use chicken breast or thigh, make sure to cut your chicken into uniform pieces to ensure that your Sesame Chicken cooks evenly.
Coat Your Chicken Thoroughly – Individually coat the chicken pieces in the dry seasoning mix so that there are no dry spots. Be sure to pack the dry mix in to the chicken with your hands (I like squeezing it in) to properly coat the chicken so the batter sticks.
Monitor the Oil Temperature – Do not let your frying oil drop below 325F when frying! I highly recommend you use a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. If you see it dropping below 325F, fry your chicken in batches. Frying at a low temperature will result in too much moisture (AKA SOGGY chicken!)
Rest After Dredging – Once the chicken is dredged in the seasoning mix, let them rest for 10-15 minutes. This helps the batter stick to the chicken when frying!
Pre-mix Your Sauce – The cooking process for the General Tso’s Chicken sauce is FAST so it’s a great idea to premix your sauce together, then add it straight into the pan! The corn starch will help thicken the sauce into that velvety texture that Chinese restaurants made so famous.
Success is in the Prep! – For a recipe that comes together extremely quickly, the key to pulling General Tso’s Chicken off successfully is having your ingredients prepped and in bowls right next to your wok or pan! Have your premixed sauce, chicken, and vegetables ready and easily accessible during the cooking process.
Double Fry – If you want your General Tso’s Chicken to be extra crispy, you can fry for a second time for 1 minute at 350F! I love this technique because it gets the batter of the chicken EXTRA crispy and also allows for batter to stick better to the orange sauce.
Avoid Overcrowding – My KEY TIP would be to avoid crowding your pan – crowding can lead to your General Tso’s Chicken not cooking thoroughly and becoming mushy. If you think your dish will be crowded, use a larger pan, cast iron, or dutch oven, OR cook in batches.
Storage and Reheating
You can store this in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
I like reheat General Tso’s Chicken in the air fryer in order to crisp up the chicken (if you love air fryer recipes – try my Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Air Fryer Chicken Tenders, or Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken). When reheating the chicken in the air fryer, the sauce with further caramelize and infuse into the crispy batter! Air fry at 350°F for 6-8 minutes or until warmed through and crispy.
Alternatively, reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. I don’t recommend reheating General Tso’s Chicken (or any fried chicken) in the microwave unless you don’t care about the texture and just want to heat it back up as quickly as possible.
If you tried this General Tso’s Chicken or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Authentic General Tso’s Chicken (Video)
Equipment
- Infrared Thermometer for monitoring oil temperature!
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb chicken thigh, cut into 2" pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Dry Batter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
Sauce
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 tbsp crushed szechuan chili flakes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
Cornstarch Slurry
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
Other Ingredients
- neutral oil, for frying; I used avocado oil
- scallions, chopped (for garnish)
- sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Marinate your chicken with garlic, ginger, Shaoxing wine, light soy, white pepper, and kosher salt for 30 minutes.
- Premix your sauce by combining light soy, sugar, Szechuan chili, and warm chicken stock to help dissolve your sugar.
- In a large bowl, whisky together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Drizzle in some of your extra chicken marinade and combine to create craggily bits for extra texture. Coat your chicken pieces well, pressing the dredge in to make sure there are no bald spots.
- Fry your chicken at 325F for 3-4 minutes (oil should not come down below 300F, work in batches if needed). Remove chicken and bring oil to 350F; fry a 2nd time at 350F for 2 minutes and set aside.
- Over high heat, fry garlic and ginger for 15 seconds; then add your premixed sauce. Stir to combine, then add in vinegar and cornstarch slurry. Stir for 30 seconds or until sauce has thickened and is glossy; add in your chicken and stir in sauce until coated.
Notes
Storage and Reheating
You can store this in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I like reheat General Tso’s Chicken in the air fryer in order to crisp up the chicken. When reheating the chicken in the air fryer, the sauce with further caramelize and infuse into the crispy batter! Air fry at 350°F for 6-8 minutes or until warmed through and crispy. Alternatively, reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. I don’t recommend reheating Orange chicken (or any fried chicken) in the microwave unless you don’t care about the texture and just want to heat it back up as quickly as possible.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Will try this
My go to recipe for general tso’s. I’ve tried many but this is the best!
My family and I tried this chicken at a restaurant, it was so delicious I had to try replicating it at home. Lucky for me I knew I would find it here, so I made it at home and it was even better than the restaurant version!
So easy to follow and so delicios! Have made so many attempts with not so great outcomes. So grad I found this one!! Can’t wait to try the air fryer version
I’ve made this so many times, it’s simple and delicious and dare I say better than take out? I have loved learning to cook different recipes from CJ eats! Insta handle @jacklynhammer
Could I use beef with the same recipe or would I need to change something?
You should be able to use beef and prepare it the same way. Let me know how it goes!
First time we made this I’ve never heard of shoaxing wine but it was so much fun learning. Also taught me how to make craggily bits on my recipes. It came out soooo good. Prob my personal favorite out of the ones we have tried.
How many people does this recipe feed?
Hi Lily – I would say this feeds about 3 people when served with rice!