General Tso’s Chicken With Thick Sweet-Spicy Sauce
By Emma Collins
Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Total
30 min
Servings
8
Level
Easy
Dinner takes 30 minutes from prep to serving with this one-skillet General Tso’s chicken. Cornstarch-coated chicken thighs turn golden before they are tossed in a thick, sweet-spicy sauce made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. It makes eight servings.
Chicken thighs are cut into one-inch pieces, coated in cornstarch, and pan-fried in batches with extra-light olive oil. The sauce starts with cold water, low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin, sugar, and cornstarch, which are whisked separately before cooking. Fresh ginger, garlic, and pepper flakes build the aromatic base in the skillet, while optional sesame seeds finish the plated chicken.
Set out the sauce and aromatics before heating the pan, because each batch of chicken is removed before the sauce comes together. Look for golden color on both sides of the chicken and a fragrant garlic-ginger mixture after about 30 seconds. The main misstep is overcrowding the skillet: crowded pieces stick more readily and lose the browned exterior needed for the finished coating.
Serve the chicken hot, as directed, with steamed rice, steamed broccoli, Korean Carrot Salad, or chow mein. The sauce gradually absorbs into the cornstarch exterior as it sits, so the crispest texture comes from plating promptly rather than holding it in the skillet.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Finishes in 30 minutes because the chicken cooks in batches while the sauce needs only a brief simmer before everything is tossed together.
- One non-stick skillet handles frying, aromatics, and sauce, which limits cleanup and helps keep the cornstarch coating intact during cooking.
- Uses familiar pantry sauce ingredients, including soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin, sugar, and cornstarch, so the flavor base needs no specialty preparation.
- Makes eight servings from two pounds of chicken thighs, giving a practical option for a family meal or planned extra portions.
- Keeps prep organized with a separately whisked sauce, so the fast skillet stage can proceed without stopping to measure liquids.
- Lets you control the heat by adding red pepper flakes to taste, while ginger and garlic provide the recipe’s stated aromatic base.
Ingredients
- •2 lb chicken thighs (trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces)
- •0.5 cup corn starch
- •0.25 cup extra light olive oil (for frying, plus more as needed)
- •2 tbsp ginger (minced, from a 2-inch piece of ginger)
- •3 cloves garlic (or 1 Tbsp grated or finely minced)
- •0.5 tsp red pepper flakes (or added to taste)
- •1 tsp sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)
- •0.5 cup cold water
- •5 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- •3 tbsp rice vinegar (or more to taste)
- •1.5 tbsp hoisin sauce
- •4 tbsp granulated sugar
- •1.5 tbsp corn starch
Instructions
- 1
Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes.
- 2
Toss chicken in batches with cornstarch, tapping off the excess.
- 3
Set dredged chicken on a platter and set aside.
- 4
In a separate dish, combine all the ingredients for the sauce and whisk to combine.
- 5
Preheat a non-stick skillet with oil.
- 6
Cook chicken in 2 to 3 batches, sautéing until golden on both sides and cooked through, then remove the chicken from the pan and transfer to a bowl.
- 7
Repeat with the remaining chicken, adding more oil as needed.
- 8
Leave at least 1 Tbsp oil in the pan.
- 9
Add the garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes.
- 10
Sauté for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- 11
Add the sauce to the skillet and bring it to a simmer while stirring.
- 12
Let it simmer for 1 minute to cook off the vinegar a little.
- 13
Taste the sauce and add more soy sauce or rice vinegar to taste if desired.
- 14
Add the chicken and toss to coat.
- 15
Serve garnished with sesame seeds if desired.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
386
Protein
20g
Fat
26g
Carbs
18g
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