General Tso’s Chicken with Crisp Golden Coating and Tangy Sweet-Spicy Sauce
By Lucas Morgan
Pan-frying the cornstarch-coated chicken in batches gives each piece room to turn golden before the sauce coats it. This General Tso’s chicken is a Chinese-American dish with juicy chicken, a crisp outer layer, and a thick, tangy sweet-spicy sauce.
Chicken thighs are trimmed and cut into one-inch pieces, then dredged in cornstarch so their coating can brown in oil. The sauce uses cold water, low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin, sugar, and cornstarch; whisking it before cooking keeps the skillet work moving once the chicken comes out. Fresh ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes go into the remaining oil for a quick fragrant base.
Look for a golden coating on both sides of the chicken before transferring it from the skillet. The sauce should simmer while being stirred, then cook for one minute before the chicken returns, giving the vinegar time to soften and the cornstarch time to thicken it. Overcrowding the pan is the main problem: crowded pieces do not brown as evenly and can stick.
Serve the chicken hot with sesame seeds if desired. The article suggests steamed rice with steamed broccoli or Korean carrot salad, and notes that the sauce gradually absorbs into the crisp coating, so the texture is best right after tossing.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Cooking the chicken in batches gives the cornstarch coating space to brown evenly, producing golden pieces instead of pale, crowded chicken.
- Whisking the sauce before heating keeps the cold water and cornstarch evenly combined, helping it thicken smoothly once it reaches a simmer.
- Fresh ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes are sautéed briefly in the remaining oil, building a fragrant base before the sauce enters.
- A one-minute sauce simmer softens the rice vinegar and thickens the mixture, so it clings to the chicken when tossed.
- Using chicken thighs supports a juicier result because the source notes that chicken breast can turn dry in this skillet preparation.
- Serving immediately preserves more of the crisp outer coating, since the thick sauce gradually absorbs into it as the chicken sits.
Ingredients
- •2 lb chicken thighs (trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces)
- •0.5 cup corn starch
- •0.25 cup extra light olive oil (for frying, plus more as needed)
- •2 tbsp ginger (minced, from a 2-inch piece)
- •3 cloves garlic (or 1 Tbsp grated or finely minced)
- •0.5 tsp red pepper flakes (or added to taste)
- •1 tsp sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)
- •0.5 cup cold water
- •5 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- •3 tbsp rice vinegar (or more to taste)
- •1.5 tbsp hoisin sauce
- •4 tbsp granulated sugar
- •1.5 tbsp corn starch (for the sauce)
Instructions
- 1
Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes.
- 2
Toss the chicken in batches with cornstarch, tapping off the excess.
- 3
Set the dredged chicken on a platter and set aside.
- 4
In a separate dish, combine all sauce ingredients and whisk to combine.
- 5
Preheat a non-stick skillet with oil.
- 6
Cook the chicken in 2 to 3 batches, sautéing until golden on both sides and cooked through.
- 7
Remove each cooked batch from the pan and transfer it to a bowl.
- 8
Repeat with the remaining chicken, adding more oil as needed.
- 9
Leave at least 1 Tbsp oil in the pan.
- 10
Add the garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes.
- 11
Sauté for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- 12
Add the sauce to the skillet and bring it to a simmer while stirring.
- 13
Let the sauce simmer for 1 minute to cook off the vinegar a little.
- 14
Taste the sauce and add more soy sauce or rice vinegar to taste if desired.
- 15
Add the chicken and toss to coat.
- 16
Serve garnished with sesame seeds if desired.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
386
Protein
20g
Fat
26g
Carbs
18g
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