General Tso’s chicken is a Chinese-American takeout favorite: crisp bites of chicken coated in a glossy sauce that is sweet, tangy, savory and a little spicy all at once. Making it at home is easier than most people expect, and you do not need a pot of hot oil. This version is sized for two, with 12 ounces of chicken thighs fried in a shallow layer of oil in a single skillet, then tossed in a sticky sauce made in the same pan. It takes about 30 minutes from start to finish and tastes just like a good takeout order, with a lot less waiting around.
Why you’ll like it
- Made for two: a generous portion for each person over rice, without a mountain of leftovers.
- Crispy without deep frying: shallow frying in a nonstick skillet gives a golden crust with far less oil.
- One skillet: the chicken, the sauce and the final toss all happen in the same pan.
- Pantry sauce: soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin, sugar and cornstarch make a sauce that tastes like takeout.
- Easy to adjust: make it spicier, tangier or milder with a pinch of pepper flakes or a splash of vinegar.
What is General Tso’s chicken?
General Tso’s chicken is a Chinese-American dish of fried chicken pieces tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. It is not a traditional dish from China, but a dish that grew up in Chinese-American restaurants, which is why it tastes so familiar to anyone who has ordered takeout in the United States.
The flavor is a balance of sweet, tangy and savory, with a gentle heat from dried chili. Soy sauce brings saltiness, sugar and hoisin bring sweetness and body, rice vinegar adds tang, and ginger and garlic give it depth. The texture comes from a thin cornstarch coating that fries up crisp on the outside while the thigh meat stays tender inside.
It is often compared with orange chicken and sesame chicken. Orange chicken leans on citrus, while General Tso’s has a more savory, garlicky and spicy character with less fruit in the sauce.
What makes it work
Chicken thighs. Thigh meat stays juicy and tender at high heat, and it forgives a little extra time in the pan. Breast meat dries out more easily in small pieces.
A cornstarch coating. Cornstarch fries up lighter and crisper than flour. Shaking off the excess keeps the coating thin, so it turns crisp rather than powdery or thick.
Shallow frying in batches. Frying in a single layer gives every piece contact with the hot oil, so the crust turns golden. Crowding the pan lowers the temperature and steams the chicken instead.
A fast sauce. A little cornstarch in the sauce thickens it in a minute or two into a glossy glaze that clings to the chicken without making it heavy.
Tossing at the last moment. The sauce softens the crust as it sits, so the chicken goes into the sauce at the end and goes straight to the table.
How it is sized for two
Most General Tso’s chicken recipes serve four to eight people and call for a pound or two of chicken. For two people, 12 ounces of thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces, gives about six ounces each, which is a good portion over a bowl of rice.
A 10-inch nonstick skillet works well. Half the chicken fits in a single layer at a time, so the pieces fry rather than steam, and the same pan is then used to make the sauce, which keeps the cleanup short. The sauce is scaled to be generous enough to coat the chicken and spoon over the rice without drowning the crust.
Because the chicken is cooked in two batches, it helps to set up a plate lined with paper towels first, so each batch can go straight to it.
Ingredients for General Tso’s chicken
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below. Here is how to choose each one.
- Chicken thighs: boneless and skinless, cut into even 1-inch pieces so they cook at the same pace.
- Cornstarch: used twice, once for the crisp coating and once to thicken the sauce.
- Neutral oil: canola or vegetable oil, which can take medium-high heat for pan-frying.
- Fresh ginger and garlic: minced fresh gives a brighter flavor than powdered.
- Crushed red pepper flakes: for the heat. Start with the amount in the recipe and add more if you like it spicy.
- Low-sodium soy sauce: so the sauce is salty enough without being overpowering.
- Rice vinegar: for tang. Add a little more at the end if the sauce tastes too sweet.
- Hoisin sauce and sugar: for sweetness, color and body.
- Scallion and sesame seeds: optional, for a fresh finish.
- Steamed rice: to serve.
How to make General Tso’s chicken
- Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Coat the chicken pieces in cornstarch and shake off the excess.
- Fry the chicken in two batches in a nonstick skillet until golden.
- Cook the ginger, garlic and pepper flakes briefly, then add the sauce and simmer until glossy.
- Toss the chicken in the sauce and serve at once over rice.
Step-by-step notes
Mixing the sauce. Whisk the water, soy sauce, vinegar, hoisin, sugar and cornstarch together first, until the cornstarch dissolves. It settles quickly, so you will stir it again right before it goes in the pan.
Coating the chicken. Pat the chicken dry so the coating sticks, then toss it with the cornstarch. Lift the pieces out one at a time and tap off the extra so you are left with a thin, even layer.
Frying. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Fry half of the chicken in a single layer for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through, then move it to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the rest, leaving about a tablespoon of oil in the pan.
Making the sauce. Cook the ginger, garlic and pepper flakes in the leftover oil for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Stir the sauce again, pour it in and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until it turns glossy and thick.
Tossing. Return the chicken to the pan and toss for a few seconds, just long enough to coat every piece. Serve right away, over rice, with the scallion and sesame seeds.
How to keep the chicken crispy
Crispy chicken in a sauce is a balancing act, since the sauce is wet and the crust is not. These habits help the most.
- Keep the coating thin. A thick coat turns doughy once the sauce hits it.
- Fry in batches. Crowded chicken steams and stays pale.
- Drain on paper towels. This takes off the extra oil so the crust stays light.
- Make the sauce first. Have it ready and thick, so the chicken spends only seconds in it.
- Serve immediately. The sauce slowly soaks into the crust, so this dish is best right out of the pan.
If you are cooking ahead, keep the fried chicken and the sauce apart and combine them just before serving.
Tips and variations
- Use chicken breast. It works, but it is leaner and easier to overcook, so keep the pieces slightly larger and watch the time.
- Make it spicier. Add more pepper flakes, or a spoonful of chili paste to the sauce.
- Make it milder. Leave out the pepper flakes entirely.
- Add vegetables. Steamed broccoli is a classic partner and soaks up the sauce well.
- Marinate if you have time. A short marinade with a little of the sauce, ginger and garlic adds flavor to the chicken itself.
- Use an air fryer. Coated chicken can be cooked in an air fryer for a lighter version, though the crust will be less golden.
What to serve with it
General Tso’s chicken is best over a bed of rice that catches the sauce.
- Steamed white or jasmine rice is the classic choice.
- Steamed or stir-fried broccoli adds color and a fresh bite.
- Fried rice or noodles make a bigger meal.
- Sliced cucumber or a quick slaw cools the heat.
For another weeknight stir-fry made in one pan, see our simple stir fry for two.
Storage and reheating
This dish is at its best right after cooking. If you have leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days. The coating softens as it sits in the sauce.
To bring back some crunch, warm the chicken in an air fryer or the oven rather than the microwave, and heat the sauce separately before tossing them together.
A crisp bite, a sticky glaze and a bowl of rice: takeout night at home gets a lot easier than it sounds.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is General Tso’s chicken?
It is a Chinese-American dish of fried chicken pieces tossed in a sweet, tangy and spicy sauce. It was developed in Chinese-American restaurants and is a menu staple for takeout.
What is the difference between General Tso’s and orange chicken?
Orange chicken has a citrus-forward sauce flavored with orange, while General Tso’s has a savory, garlicky and spicy sauce with ginger, soy sauce, vinegar and chili. Both use fried chicken pieces in a sticky glaze.
What does General Tso’s taste like?
It tastes sweet, tangy and savory with a gentle kick of heat. The chicken is crisp on the outside and tender inside, and the sauce is glossy and slightly sticky.
Is General Tso Chinese or Thai?
Neither, strictly speaking. It is a Chinese-American dish, created in Chinese-American restaurants rather than a traditional dish from China or Thailand.
Print
General Tso’s Chicken for Two
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
Description
General Tso’s chicken for two: crispy pan-fried chicken thigh pieces tossed in a sweet, tangy and lightly spicy sauce, made in one skillet.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup cornstarch, for coating
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil, for pan-frying
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch, for the sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced
- steamed rice, to serve
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk the cold water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sugar and the 2 teaspoons cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
- Pat the chicken dry and toss it with the 1/4 cup cornstarch until every piece is coated, tapping off the excess.
- Heat the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken in a single layer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Move it to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with the rest, leaving about 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan.
- Add the ginger, garlic and pepper flakes to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Stir the sauce, pour it in and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until glossy and thickened.
- Add the chicken and toss quickly to coat. Serve right away over rice, topped with the scallion and sesame seeds.
Notes
Equipment: 10-inch nonstick skillet, small bowl, slotted spoon, paper towels
- Cut the chicken into even 1-inch pieces so they cook at the same pace.
- Shake off the extra cornstarch so the coating is crisp rather than powdery.
- Cook the chicken in two batches: a crowded pan steams instead of fries.
- Toss the chicken in the sauce at the very last moment and serve immediately, since the sauce soaks into the coating.
- Adjust the heat with the red pepper flakes, or add a little more rice vinegar for tang.
- Doneness: The chicken is done when the coating is golden and crisp and a piece cut in half is white all the way through, at 165°F inside; the sauce should be glossy and coat the back of a spoon.
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days. The coating softens as it sits in the sauce; re-crisp the chicken in an air fryer or oven and warm the sauce separately.
- Cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (USDA FSIS).
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese-American
