General Tso Chicken Recipe

Prep and cut

Trim excess fat from chicken thighs and cut into bite-size pieces (about 1 to 1½-inch). Pat pieces dry with paper towels.

Season

Place chicken in a bowl and sprinkle with 2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp garlic powder. Toss to coat evenly.

Make batter

In a medium bowl combine cornstarch and all-purpose flour. In a separate small bowl whisk the egg with 3 tbsp cold water then add to the dry mix and stir until you have a slightly thick batter that will cling to the chicken. If batter is too thick, add 1 tsp cold water at a time; too thin, add a little more cornstarch.

Coat chicken

Working in batches, dredge the seasoned chicken pieces in the batter, shaking off any large excess so each piece is well coated.

Heat oil

Pour 1½–2 cups neutral oil into a heavy skillet or wok and heat over medium-high until it reaches 350°F (175°C) or a drop of batter sizzles immediately.

Fry chicken

Fry chicken in batches so pieces aren’t crowded—about 4–5 minutes per batch—until golden brown and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or paper towels to drain. If desired, double-fry for extra crispness: let pieces rest 3–5 minutes, then return to hot oil for 1–2 minutes more.

Prepare sauce

In a bowl whisk together 4 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tbsp hoisin, 3 tbsp dark brown sugar, 1 cup chicken broth, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, and 1 tsp red chili flakes. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity as desired.

Prep vegetables

Core and cut the green bell pepper into 1-inch pieces. Slice scallions into 1-inch segments, separating white and green parts. If using dried red chiles, leave whole.

Sauté aromatics

Wipe out most of the frying oil from the wok leaving about 1–2 tbsp. Heat wok over medium-high heat, add the white parts of scallions, minced ginger (1 tbsp) and minced garlic (2 cloves). Stir-fry 20–30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Add peppers and chiles

Add bell pepper pieces and dried red chiles (if using). Stir-fry 1–2 minutes until peppers begin to soften but remain bright.

Add sauce and thicken

Pour the prepared sauce into the wok and bring to a simmer. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry and slowly whisk into the simmering sauce. Cook 1–2 minutes until sauce thickens and becomes glossy.

Toss with chicken

Return the fried chicken pieces to the wok and toss quickly to coat them in the sauce and heat through, 1–2 minutes. Add the green parts of the scallions and 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds; toss once more. If sauce seems too thick, add a splash of water or broth; if too thin, simmer a little longer.

Transfer General Tso chicken to a serving platter. Garnish with remaining scallion pieces and additional sesame seeds. Serve immediately with steamed white rice or fried rice.