This General Tso’s Chicken is just as delicious as your favorite restaurant’s version and incredibly easy to make at home! Tender chicken thighs are lightly battered, fried to perfection, and coated in a sweet, spicy, and sticky sauce made with soy sauce, chili peppers, garlic, and ginger. It’s a quick, simple dish that’s both healthier and tastier than Chinese takeout.
INGREDIENTS
Chicken:
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon cornstarch, divided
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free 1-to-1 blend)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
Sauce:
- ⅓ cup soy sauce or tamari
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon ginger, finely minced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce (optional)
For Serving:
- Cooked white rice
- Green onions (green parts only, thinly sliced, optional)
- Toasted sesame seeds (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the Chicken:
- Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of cornstarch, the flour, salt, and black pepper. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat evenly.
- Cook the Chicken:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Shake off any excess coating from half of the chicken and place it in the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 4-6 minutes, or until crispy and golden.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the rest of the chicken.
- Make the Sauce:
- While the chicken cooks, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, water, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, sriracha (if using), and the remaining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a medium bowl.
- Combine Sauce and Chicken:
- Once the skillet is empty, reduce the heat to medium and pour in the sauce mixture.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Reduce the heat to low, return the chicken to the skillet, and stir until the chicken is fully coated and heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve:
- Serve the General Tso’s Chicken over cooked white rice. Garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds, if desired.
