Make sticky, spicy General Tso's chicken on the stovetop that's even better than your favorite Chinese takeout! Serve this easy homemade recipe over rice for a quick and delicious weeknight meal.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg white, 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch, 2 tablespoons of the dry sherry, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and chili powder; whisk until well combined.
Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or at least 30 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of the chicken stock; whisk until smooth.
Add the remaining chicken stock, 1 tablespoon dry sherry, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar; whisk until combined and set aside.
In a large pot, heat vegetable oil to 350ºF.
Remove the chicken from the marinade and carefully slide it into the hot oil.
Fry the chicken, turning it once, until golden brown and cooked through; about 2 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.
In a large saucepan or wok, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
Add the chile peppers, sliced red bell pepper and broccoli; cook until tender.
Add garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and 1/2 cup sliced green onions.
Continue to cook for a few seconds; add the chicken stock sauce, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Arrange cooked chicken on a platter and pour the sauce over it.
Serve general Tso's chicken over rice and garnish with green onions and/or sesame seeds.
Don't skip the marinade, as it tenderizes the chicken. You can cut the marinating time to 30 minutes if you can't wait 2 hours.
Add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to the marinade for extra tender chicken.
Use sesame oil instead of vegetable oil for added Asian flavor.
Cut your chicken into bite-sized pieces a day or two in advance to save prep time.
Feel free to swap in other veggies like snap peas, cabbage, carrots, green beans, or cauliflower.
Dry Sherry: I use dry sherry since it’s easier to find than rice wine. Another option is to use dry vermouth or white wine like Pinot Grigio. If you’d prefer to skip the alcohol, feel free to substitute it with chicken stock.
Chicken Stock: Low-sodium chicken stock or broth is best for balancing the saltiness.
Rice Vinegar and Sugar: Find rice wine vinegar alongside other cooking vinegars, or in the Asian food aisle of most major grocery stores.
Dried Chilies: Dry red chili peppers give this classic Chinese chicken dish a nice hit of spice and heat. You can adapt the amount of chilies to taste or use 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes per one chili.
Seasonings: I use dry ginger for convenience. I also include red pepper flakes for extra heat, though that’s optional.
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Chinese
Keyword: chinese chicken recipes, general tso's chicken, general tso's chicken recipe