General Tso’s Chicken

Sweet and spicy General Tso’s chicken is packed with veggies for a classic Asian dish that everyone will love!

With all the Asian recipes we have on the site, it’s only right we include this classic General Tso’s chicken! It’s a little sweet like our Orange Chicken and Honey Chicken recipes.

General Tso's chicken with broccoli served over white rice on white plate.

What Is General Tso Chicken?

One of our favorite Asian dishes is General Tso’s chicken. It is seriously addicting!!

So, what is General Tso chicken? It’s a sweet, deep-fried chicken recipe served mostly in North American Chinese restaurants. It has a bit of a sweet taste and after adding broccoli it makes it so hearty and tasty.

This chicken dish is named after Zuo Zongtang or Tso Tsung-t’ang. He was a military leader during the Qing dynasty. It’s unclear why this general gets his name associated with this delish meal. In fact, when asked, his descendants hadn’t even heard of the dish!

General Tso v Orange Chicken

General Tso’s chicken is different from Orange Chicken. Orange chicken has more of a sweet and sour tangy taste with orange peel and juice. General Tso’s chicken is spicier with a little bit of sweetness in it. Both are delicious but they definitely have different flavors going on.

Chicken cut into cubes for General Tso Chicken recipe.

How to Make General Tso Chicken

This General Tso chicken recipe is quick and simple and a family favorite recipe!

SAUCE. Mix sugar, chili sauce, and vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside.

CHICKEN. In another bowl, mix flour and cornstarch. In a third bowl, beat soy sauce and egg white. Add chicken to the egg white mixture and toss to coat, then transfer coated chicken to the flour bowl and toss around.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add floured chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7–8 minutes, or until chicken is cooked and crispy.

BROCCOLI. Add broccoli to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until broccoli is softened, then add General Tso sauce to the skillet and cook for 2–3 more minutes, making sure to coat the broccoli and chicken.

Serve over rice or noodles.

Pieces of chicken coated in flour.

Deep Fry Directions

If you wish to deep fry the chicken you can, but you’ll need to drain the oil before continuing with the recipe. 

  • Heat a couple of inches of oil in a frying pan. Fry the chicken pieces until cooked through and golden brown. Remove the pieces and let them drain on paper towels.
  • Pour the hot oil into a heat-safe bowl to cool before discarding. Add the chicken back into the pan along with ½ tablespoon of oil and the broccoli then continue with the recipe as written.

Variations + Serving Suggestions

This General Tso’s chicken recipe is perfect as is, but to make it your own try any of these suggestions.

  • Sweeter. Add half to 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey.
  • Spicier. Add 5-6 whole dried chilies, 1 tsp ginger, or ½ tsp red pepper flakes.
  • Add 2 teaspoons of hoisin sauce for an extra layer of flavoring.
  • Top with sesame seeds or green onions.

Serving suggestions. You’ll definitely want to serve General Tso’s chicken on top of a big pile of rice. You could make a rice bowl out of it with white rice or brown rice.

We also like to serve it with:

A close up of chicken and broccoli cooking in a pan.

Storing Info

STORE. Keep leftover homemade General Tso chicken in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

FREEZE. For longer storage, keep in an airtight freezer-safe container for 3-4 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat in a sauté pan. If you’re in a hurry it can be microwaved.

General Tso's chicken served on top of white rice with broccoli.

Recipe FAQ

How do I cut evenly sized pieces of chicken?

One trick I use to cut boneless skinless chicken thighs (or chicken breasts) into even pieces is to partially freeze them first. Use a sharp knife to cut the half-frozen meat into even cubes. Allow it to thaw before making the recipe.

What oil is best to use when making General Tso’s chicken?

You will want to use an oil that has a high smoking point such as vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil, or sesame oil. I have also recently come across a cooking olive oil suitable for higher temperatures that works well for stir fry.

Is General Tso’s chicken spicy?

Most people find this dish to be mildly spicy with a sweet and tangy taste. If you find it too spicy, eat it with white rice to help dampen the spice. To make it even spicier, add red pepper flakes on top of your serving.

For More Asian Chicken Recipes, Check Out:

General Tso Chicken Recipe

general tso chicken served over white rice and plate with chopsticks
5 from 13 votes
Sweet and spicy General Tso's chicken is packed with veggies for a classic Asian dish that everyone will love!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 296 kcal
Author Lil’ Luna

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 egg white
  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 bunch broccoli florets cut into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups)
  • 2 cups cooked white rice or cooked noodles

Instructions
 

  • Make General Tso’s sauce by mixing sugar, chili sauce, and vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • In another bowl, mix flour and cornstarch. In a third bowl, beat soy sauce and egg white. Add chicken to the egg white mixture and toss to coat, then transfer coated chicken to the flour bowl and toss around.
  • Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add floured chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7–8 minutes, or until chicken is cooked and crispy.
  • Add broccoli to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until broccoli is softened, then add General Tso’s sauce to the skillet and cook for 2–3 more minutes, making sure to coat the broccoli and chicken.
  • Serve over rice or noodles.

Video

Notes

FREEZE. For longer storage, store in an airtight freezer-safe container for 3–4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in a skillet. If you are in a hurry, you can also microwave the chicken.
Variations. For a sweeter sauce, add ½–1 tablespoon sugar or honey. For a spicier dish, add 5–6 whole dried chilies, or you can use red chili flakes. Add 2 teaspoons of hoisin sauce for an extra layer of flavoring. Top with sesame seeds.

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About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Comments:

  1. One of my hubby’s favorite dishes. This looks amazing. I can’t wait to make it for him. I adore your site and am on it daily. Thanks for sharing.

  2. 5 stars
    we had this on Sunday & it was gone in minutes!! It has great flavor & is crisp! We have found a new favorite!

  3. 5 stars
    My daughter would have this meal every day if she could! it is really good! we love the taste and how easy it is to make! Yummy

  4. 5 stars
    My grandaughters favorite Chinese meal! We all love chinese food and when we make this dish i have to triple or quadruple the recipe. So good and very authentic!

  5. 5 stars
    Im an orange or honey chicken fan and Dont really deviate however im so glad i tried this recipe. It was sO good!

  6. 5 stars
    This recipe is a favorite at my house because it is so easy, so yUmmy, and Everyone loves it. Thanks for the awesome recipe!