Description
A flavorful and crispy General Tso’s Chicken recipe featuring tender chicken thighs coated in a light cornstarch crust, fried to golden perfection, and tossed in a tangy, slightly sweet, and mildly spicy sauce made with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and hoisin sauce. Perfect for a delicious homemade takeout experience in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup extra light olive oil, for frying, plus more as needed
Aromatics & Sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced ginger (from a 2-inch piece of ginger)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tablespoon grated or finely minced)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)
- ½ cup cold water
- 5 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, or more to taste
- 1 ½ tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Prep Chicken: Cut chicken thighs into 1-inch cubes. Toss the chicken in batches with cornstarch, tapping off excess, and set aside on a platter.
- Make Sauce: In a bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients (cold water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sugar, and cornstarch) until well combined.
- Cook Chicken: Preheat a large non-stick skillet with ¼ cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Cook each batch until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside. Add more oil as needed for remaining batches.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same skillet, add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Simmer Sauce: Pour the prepared sauce into the skillet with the aromatics and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Simmer for 1 minute to cook off the raw vinegar flavor. Taste and adjust soy sauce or rice vinegar as needed.
- Combine and Serve: Add the cooked chicken back to the skillet with the sauce and toss to coat evenly. Garnish with sesame seeds, if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for juicier, more tender chicken compared to breast meat.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when frying the chicken to ensure crispy, evenly cooked pieces.
- You can adjust the level of heat by varying the amount of red pepper flakes.
- Serve with steamed rice or stir-fried vegetables for a balanced meal.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.