General Tso’s Chicken (Crispy Chicken Without Deep-Frying)

User Reviews

4.9

165 reviews
Excellent
  • Prep Time

    15 mins

  • Cook Time

    15 mins

  • Total Time

    25 mins

  • Servings

    4 servings

  • Calories

    411 kcal

  • Course

    Main Course

  • Cuisine

    Chinese

General Tso’s Chicken (Crispy Chicken Without Deep-Frying)

An easy General Tso's chicken recipe that yields crispy chicken without deep-frying. It also uses much less sugar while maintaining a great bold taste. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll skip takeout next time because it’s so easy to make in your own kitchen and the result is just as good. {Gluten-Free Adaptable}To make this dish gluten-free, use tamari or coconut aminos instead of light soy sauce and dark soy sauce, use dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine, and use rice vinegar to replace Chinkiang vinegar.

I Made This!

123 people made this

Save this

99 people saved this

Ingredients

Servings
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts) , cut into 1" (2-cm) pieces
  • 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 1 egg , beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch

Sauce (or pre-made General Tso’s Sauce)

  • 1/3 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
  • 2 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (or soy sauce)
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Stir fry

  • 3 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 7 to 8 dried Chinese chili peppers (*Footnote)
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
  • 4 cloves garlic , minced
Add to Shopping List

Instructions

  1. Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set it aside.
  2. Combine the chicken pieces, vegetable oil, and salt in a big bowl. Mix well and let it marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Add the beaten egg into the bowl with the chicken. Stir to mix well. Add the cornstarch. Stir to coat the chicken until it forms an uneven coating with a little dry cornstarch left unattached.
  4. Heat the stir-fry oil in a heavy-duty skillet until hot, until it just starts to smoke. Add the chicken all at once and spread it out into a single layer in the skillet. Separate the chicken pieces with a pair of tongs or chopsticks.
  5. Cook without touching the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bottom turns golden. Flip to brown the other side, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a big plate and remove the pan from the stove. Let cool for 2 to 3 minutes.
  6. Place the pan back onto the stove and turn to medium heat. You should still have 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan. Add the dried chili pepper, garlic, and ginger. Cook and stir a few times until it releases its fragrance.
  7. Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch completely. Pour it into the pan. Stir and cook until it thickens, when you can draw a line on the bottom with a spatula without the sauce running back immediately.
  8. Add back the chicken pieces. Stir to coat the chicken with sauce, 30 seconds. Transfer everything to a plate immediately. Serve hot as a main dish.

Notes

  • You can use dried Chinese or Korean chili peppers in the dish. They add aroma to the sauce but don’t really add spiciness. If you want the sauce to be spicy, you should cut the peppers in half to release the seeds. Or you can add a small pinch of cayenne pepper to the sauce mixture.

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Serving 1serving Calories 411kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 29.5g (10%) Protein 25.2g (50%) Fat 20.6g (32%) Saturated Fat 4.3g (22%) Cholesterol 112mg (37%) Sodium 891mg (37%) Potassium 251mg (7%) Fiber 0.4g (2%) Sugar 12.8g (26%) Calcium 27mg (3%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 411 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 411kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 29.5g 10%
Protein 25.2g 50%
Fat 20.6g 32%
Saturated Fat 4.3g 22%
Cholesterol 112mg 37%
Sodium 891mg 37%
Potassium 251mg 5%
Fiber 0.4g 2%
Sugar 12.8g 26%
Calcium 27mg 3%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Genuine Reviews

User Reviews

Overall Rating

4.9

165 reviews
Excellent

Write a Review

Drag & drop files here or click to upload
Other Recipes

You'll Also Love

General Tso Chicken

Chinese
4.0 (3 reviews)

General Tso's Chicken Recipe

Chinese
4.6 (192 reviews)

Air Fryer General Tso's Chicken Recipe

Chinese, American
4.5 (1,926 reviews)

General Tso's Chicken

Chinese
5.0 (27 reviews)

General Tso's Chicken

Chinese, Chinese-American Fussion
5.0 (432 reviews)

General Tso's Chicken

Chinese
5.0 (24 reviews)

General Tso’s Chicken

Chinese
4.8 (474 reviews)

General Tso's Chicken

Chinese
4.9 (276 reviews)

Quick & Easy General Tso Chicken

Chinese
5.0 (168 reviews)

Authentic General Tso’s Chicken

Chinese
5.0 (18 reviews)

General Tso's Chicken

Chinese
5.0 (636 reviews)