General Tso’s Chicken Recipe – Crispy, Sticky & Better Than Takeout

This general tso chicken recipe is the ultimate takeout fakeaway — golden, craggy pieces of cornstarch-coated chicken thighs fried until shatteringly crisp, then tossed in a glossy sweet-spicy glaze made with hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and whole dried red chilies. Unlike the often-soggy delivery version, this homemade General Tso’s chicken stays crunchy for hours and takes just 45 minutes, so you’ll never need to order it again.

Why You’ll Love This General Tso’s Chicken

• Better than takeout — crispier chicken, fresher sauce, and ready in the time delivery would take.
• Shatteringly crispy coating — the cornstarch (not flour) coating is the secret to that signature craggy crunch.
• Sticky sweet-spicy glaze — hoisin, soy, rice vinegar, and dried red chilies give you that perfect balance of sweet heat.
• One bowl of fried chicken, restaurant gloss — toss the chicken in the sauce at the very last minute so every bite stays crunchy.

General Tso’s Chicken Ingredients

For the Crispy Chicken: 1½ lbs (700g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces / 1 egg white, lightly beaten / 2 tablespoons soy sauce / ½ cup cornstarch, plus 2 tablespoons more for dusting / ½ teaspoon baking powder (optional, for extra craggy coating) / ½ teaspoon white pepper / 3–4 cups neutral oil (peanut or vegetable), for frying

For the Sticky Glaze: 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce / 2 tablespoons soy sauce / 2 tablespoons rice vinegar / 3 tablespoons sugar (white or light brown) / 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water (slurry) / 8–10 whole dried red chilies / 4 cloves garlic, minced / 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced / 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil / 1 tablespoon neutral oil

For Serving: Steamed white rice or jasmine rice / 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds / 2 green onions, thinly sliced

How to Make General Tso’s Chicken

Step 1: Coat the Chicken. Toss the chicken pieces with the egg white and 2 tablespoons soy sauce until evenly coated. Sprinkle over the cornstarch, baking powder, and white pepper; toss again until the chicken looks dry and chalky. Let it sit 10 minutes.

Step 2: Mix the Sauce. Whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar. Set the cornstarch slurry beside it.

Step 3: Fry the Chicken Twice. Heat 3 inches of oil in a wok or deep, heavy pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry the chicken in 2–3 batches for 4–5 minutes, until light golden — don’t crowd the pan. Drain on a wire rack. Raise the oil to 375°F (190°C) and fry a second time, 2 minutes per batch, until deep golden and audibly crisp.

Step 4: Bloom the Aromatics. In a large wok or skillet, heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil over medium-high heat. Add the dried red chilies and stir-fry 20–30 seconds until fragrant — don’t burn them. Add the garlic and ginger; stir-fry 30 seconds more.

Step 5: Build the Sticky Glaze. Pour in the hoisin-soy mixture and bring to a simmer. Stir the cornstarch slurry once more, drizzle it in, and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens to a glossy, coat-the-spoon glaze. Stir in the toasted sesame oil; remove from heat.

Step 6: Toss and Serve. Add the crispy chicken to the wok and toss 30–60 seconds until every piece is lacquered in glaze. Serve immediately over steamed white rice, sprinkled with sesame seeds and green onions.

Tips

Use cornstarch, not flour (stays crunchy under sauce). Double-fry for real crunch (second fry drives out moisture). Dry the chicken before coating so the coating adheres. Don’t burn the chilies — 30 seconds is enough. Toss at the very end, right before serving.

What to Serve

Serve over steamed white rice or jasmine rice (classic), with cucumber salad, steamed broccoli, vegetable fried rice, hot and sour soup, or veggie spring rolls.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerator up to 3 days (coating softens). Freezer: fried unsauced chicken up to 2 months; thaw overnight in fridge (glazed version doesn’t freeze well). Reheat in 400°F (200°C) oven or air fryer 8–10 minutes to re-crisp. Avoid the microwave.

FAQs

Is General Tso’s chicken the same as sesame chicken? — Not quite: General Tso’s is spicier and tangier (dried red chilies, rice vinegar); sesame chicken is sweeter and mellower.

Can I make General Tso’s chicken less spicy? — Yes: use fewer chilies or shake out the seeds; the sugar balances the spice.

Can I bake or air-fry instead of deep-frying? — Yes: air-fry at 400°F (200°C) for 12–15 minutes with a light oil spray; very crisp, though not as craggy as deep-fried.

Why is my coating falling off in the oil? — Oil wasn’t hot enough (350°F/175°C minimum) or the pan was overcrowded; fry in small batches and let the coating sit 10 minutes before frying.

Is General Tso’s chicken actually Chinese? — It’s a Chinese-American classic popularized in the 1970s, named after General Tso (Zuo Zongtang), a 19th-century Qing dynasty general.