Description
Experience the ultimate in sweet, salty, and spicy flavors with this crispy General Tso’s Chicken recipe. Featuring perfectly battered and fried chicken tossed in a bold, balanced sauce made with soy, hoisin, sambal oelek, and a touch of heat from sriracha and chili flakes, this dish rivals any takeout favorite. Served over jasmine rice and garnished with green onions and dried chilies, it’s the perfect homemade Chinese-American classic to impress family and friends.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sambal oelek
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons sriracha
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3/4 cup chicken stock or broth
Chicken and Coating
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins, cut into 1″ pieces (boneless skinless thighs or breasts also work)
- 1/2 cup self-rising flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup filtered water
Frying and Aromatics
- 2 cups peanut oil (vegetable or canola oil also work), for frying
- 3 tablespoons peanut oil (vegetable or canola also work), for sauce sauté
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 6-7 whole dried Sichuan chili peppers (optional; reduce red pepper flakes if using)
To Serve
- Jasmine rice
- Sliced green onions and/or whole dried chilies for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together light soy sauce, sambal oelek, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sriracha, toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and chicken stock until smooth. Set aside.
- Make the batter: In a separate bowl, combine the self-rising flour and cornstarch. Slowly whisk in filtered water until you achieve a smooth, slightly thick batter that will coat the chicken pieces well.
- Heat oil for frying: In a deep skillet or wok, heat 2 cups of peanut oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). This temperature is essential for crispy chicken without sogginess.
- Batter and fry chicken: Dip the chicken pieces into the batter, allowing excess to drip off, and carefully lower them into the hot oil in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Sauté aromatics: Remove all but 3 tablespoons of the frying oil from the pan, leaving it on medium heat. Add grated ginger, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and dried Sichuan chilis (if using). Sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Finish the sauce: Give the prepared sauce mixture another quick whisk and pour it into the pan with the aromatics. Stir continuously as the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Toss chicken in sauce: Add the fried chicken pieces back into the pan and toss gently but thoroughly to coat all the pieces evenly with the sticky, flavorful sauce.
- Serve: Spoon the General Tso’s chicken over steamed jasmine rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and whole dried chilies for an extra pop of color and heat. Serve immediately for best crispiness.
Notes
- The perfect balance of sweet, salty, and seriously spicy, this General Tso’s Chicken is better than any takeout Chinese food and has taken years to perfect.
- Using chicken tenderloins helps achieve uniform cooking and a tender bite, but boneless skinless thighs or breasts work well too.
- If dried Sichuan chili peppers are unavailable, simply reduce the amount of red pepper flakes to control the heat level.
- This recipe makes 4 servings but doubles well for larger groups.
- Serve over jasmine rice to soak up the delicious sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
