General Tso’s Chicken is saucy, juicy and crispy. The signature sauce is thick and loaded with flavor. If you are a die-hard orange chicken fan, you must try this dish! Make it all in one dish in the comfort of your home for a sweet and spicy treat!

General tsos chicken served over a bowl of white rice

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My family loves ordering in Chinese takeout, but lately, I’ve been having a blast recreating my favorite dishes at home.

Not only is homemade “takeout” healthier, but you’ll save money. That’s a win-win in my book. Let’s get started!

General Tso’s Chicken

General Tso’s Chicken is a Chinese-American dish of fried chicken pieces that are breaded and tossed in a tangy sauce. This dish is very similar in style to sesame or orange chicken. But, like in much of Chinese food, it’s the sauce that makes each dish unique.

Typically, General Tso’s Chicken is served with a bed of steamed rice and a side of steamed broccoli. If you want to make a full spread of takeout favorites, try your hand at making some chow mein too. Don’t forget the chopsticks!

General Tso’s Chicken in a pan

How to Make General Tso’s Sauce:

The sauce for General Tso’s chicken is so simple to make with pantry staple ingredients: rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, water, sugar, and some corn starch to thicken the sauce. Simply add the ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine.

How to Prepare General Tso’s Chicken

Don’t be intimidated about making your own General Tso’s Chicken! It’s so easy, you’ll never call it in again. Follow these easy steps to nail it every time:

  • Cut chicken into 1-inch size cubes. Toss the chicken with corn starch.
  • Cook your chicken until all sides are golden brown.
  • Remove the chicken from the pan.
  • Saute garlic, ginger and pepper flakes in the pan.
  • Add the sauce and bring to a simmer then add chicken.
  • Toss the chicken, making sure to evenly coat each piece. Serve hot to hungry people!

Step by step of making General Tso's chicken

Tips for the Best Tso’s Chicken

  • Prepare ingredients ahead of time. This recipe will have you moving fast. Prep all your ingredients ahead of time so you can add them on the fly.
  • Adjust the Spice. Add more or less red pepper flakes according to your spice preference.
  • Use Fresh Ginger and Garlic. It might be tempting to use the powdered stuff, but great Chinese food is defined by the freshest ingredients.
  • Opt for Low Sodium Soy Sauce. I always purchase low-sodium soy sauce just in case I want to tweak the salt levels before serving. It’s just perfect for this recipe, as it also calls for hoisin, a salty, and garlicky sauce used frequently in Chinese cooking.
  • Chicken Thighs Bring the Most Flavor. Chicken thighs make for the juiciest pan-fried chicken. I find chicken breast tends to be too dry for this recipe.
  • Don’t Overcrowd the Pan. Cook chicken in small amounts or use a very large pan. Be sure to give the chicken a good stir here and there to prevent it from sticking.
  • Use a non-stick pan. The coating can be a bit delicate, so use a non-stick to ensure it stays intact.
    • Hot Tip: Serve and enjoy General Tso’s Chicken immediately. The sauce tends to absorb into the crispy outer layer, leaving it a bit soggy if it sits around too long.

A bowl of General Tso’s Chicken with rice

More Asian-Inspired Dishes:

  • Beef Stir Fry: This simple stir fry is perfect for a hectic weeknight with a sneakily high serving of veggies.
  • Chicken Stir Fry – easy, saucy and loaded with veggies and cashews
  • Chicken Fried Rice – a genius way to use up leftover rice and frozen vegetables
  • Yakisoba Noodles: This quick-and-easy noodle dish is always on my rotation.
  • Veggie Lo Mein: Your vegetarian friends will love you. These noodles are great hot or cold.

General Tso’s Chicken Recipe

4.91 from 684 votes
General tsos chicken served over a bowl of white rice
General Tso’s Chicken is a Chinese takeout go-to. Make it all in one dish in the comfort of your home for a sweet and spicy treat!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 8 servings
  • 2 lb chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup corn starch
  • 1/4 cup extra light olive oil, for frying, plus more as needed
  • 2 tbsp minced ginger, from a 2-inch piece of ginger
  • 3 cloves garlic, or 1 Tbsp grated or finely minced
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or added to taste
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds, optional for garnish

General Tso's Sauce

Instructions

  • Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes. Toss chicken in batches with cornstarch, tapping off the excess. Set dredged chicken on a platter and set aside.
  • In a separate dish, combine all the ingredients for your sauce and whisk to combine.
  • Preheat a non-stick skillet with oil. Cook chicken in 2 to 3 batches, sauteeing until golden on both sides and cooked through then remove the chicken from the pan and transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining chicken, adding more oil as needed. Leave at least 1 Tbsp oil in the pan.
  • Add the garlic, ginger and pepper flakes. Sautee for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
  • Add the sauce to the skillet and bring it to a simmer while stirring. Let it simmer for 1 minute to cook off the vinegar a little. Taste the sauce and add more soy sauce or rice vinegar to taste if desired. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Serve garnished with sesame seeds if desired.

Nutrition Per Serving

386kcal Calories18g Carbs20g Protein26g Fat6g Saturated Fat5g Polyunsaturated Fat13g Monounsaturated Fat0.1g Trans Fat111mg Cholesterol502mg Sodium290mg Potassium0.4g Fiber7g Sugar163IU Vitamin A0.5mg Vitamin C20mg Calcium1mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
General Tso’s Chicken Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
386
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
26
g
40
%
Saturated Fat
 
6
g
38
%
Trans Fat
 
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
5
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
13
g
Cholesterol
 
111
mg
37
%
Sodium
 
502
mg
22
%
Potassium
 
290
mg
8
%
Carbohydrates
 
18
g
6
%
Fiber
 
0.4
g
2
%
Sugar
 
7
g
8
%
Protein
 
20
g
40
%
Vitamin A
 
163
IU
3
%
Vitamin C
 
0.5
mg
1
%
Calcium
 
20
mg
2
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: general tsos chicken
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 386
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

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4.91 from 684 votes (523 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Caraline
    May 7, 2025

    This was the best takeout recipe I’ve had! Your recipe is awesome!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      May 7, 2025

      I’m so glad you loved the recipe!

      Reply

  • Wendy
    May 1, 2025

    Made this for dinner tonight for my daughter and myself. I’ve made other Chinese food recipes I’ve found online, and my daughter said it’s her new favorite! It was delicious! Served it with fettuccine (my lo mein noodles substitution!) and a bag of frozen Asian blend veggies, it was a perfect dinner, thank you! I love your recipes!

    Reply

  • Shannon
    April 27, 2025

    Great recipe! Added some habenero peppers to add some spice and it turned out really good !

    Reply

  • David
    April 17, 2025

    Liked this recipe like all of Natasha’s! Not a great cooker of Asian food but have my families tastes down. Read comments and being salt sensitive cut down on soy sauce by one tbs and added lemon grass to kick up the citrus flavor. I also double breaded the chicken let them sit for an hour then re tossed them to kick up the crunch which worked out well … I also deep fried the chicken in batches as I have a deep frier and it is easier for me to do it that way …. Turned out great! Being the primary cook in my family sometimes cooking gets old but having Natasha’s quick good and easy and nutritious new ideas have been a godsend

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      April 17, 2025

      Hi David! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe. The addition of lemon grass sounds like a great idea!

      Reply

    • Amberly
      April 27, 2025

      How did you double dredge the chicken to get a good crunch?

      Reply

  • Katia
    April 15, 2025

    It’s so good. I wish I could share the picture. It’s not bland, it has a great kick to it and tastes fantastic! Thank you so much! All your recipes are a perfection!

    Reply

  • TJ Nies
    March 20, 2025

    It was generally good, but bland. I would add more sugar to the sauce, and salt & pepper the chicken before dredging.
    I realize the soy sauce and pepper flakes are supposed to season the chicken, but as mentioned it was bland. Other than that critique, great recipe!

    Reply

  • Pat
    March 15, 2025

    I love this recipe. I double the sauce because we like things saucy!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 15, 2025

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  • Kelsey
    March 5, 2025

    It was good. Not as good as takeout but a good homemade recipe

    Reply

  • Sonia
    March 5, 2025

    It was delicious and have been making it often

    Reply

  • Joel Alfaro(walkedawayjoe)
    March 1, 2025

    Hi Natasha once again thank you for this recipe. I kid you not i was myself surprised of how good it came out. Served it with some pork fried rice I also made. 🙏TY

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      March 1, 2025

      You’re so very welcome!

      Reply

  • Kerry Exton
    February 27, 2025

    Not impressed. Follow recipe to the T and flavor profile just was not what I expected. Between recipe and ordering from restaurant, definitely chose restaurant

    Reply

    • Natasha
      February 27, 2025

      Hi Kerry, I’m sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy it. Did you change anything in the recipe or ingredients?

      Reply

      • Kerry
        February 27, 2025

        Followed recipe. Unfortunately I did not enjoy dish at all

        Reply

        • Natasha
          February 28, 2025

          Hi Kerry, I’m sorry to hear that. Did you make any changes or substitutions in the recipe?

          Reply

  • Dottie G
    February 21, 2025

    This was the best. My husband and I gobbled it up. The only change I made was to drop the sugar to 2 T. Thanks for this it was delicious

    Reply

  • Andrea Mundiyamkal
    February 18, 2025

    Instead of making my own chicken I used costcos Kirkland lightly breaded chicken with your sauce to save time and it came out way too salty. Any suggestions on what I can do to reduce the salt? Ideally I can use costcos chicken.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      February 18, 2025

      If you find it too salty, you can add a little bit of chicken broth or water. You can also add more vegetables or ingredients and try lightly rinsing the chicken.

      Reply

  • Amber
    February 7, 2025

    Seems like something is missing. I went through the recipe over and over and just cant figure out whats missing.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      February 10, 2025

      HI Amber, can you share any more details on what went wrong – I’d like to help troubleshoot.

      Reply

    • Fernanda
      February 16, 2025

      Try adding red pepper flakes to it. I think it adds a nice balance.

      Reply

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