General Tso’s Chicken is one of the most popular Chinese dishes abroad. The chicken is deep-fried until crispy and tender, then coated in a sweet, savory, and slightly spicy sauce with dried red chilies. It’s incredibly satisfying and perfect with steamed rice.
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes | Serves: 3–4
🌴 Ingredients:
· Chicken thighs, 300g (about 10.5 oz; boneless, cut into small cubes)
· Fried peanuts, a small handful (about 50g; the crispy soul of the dish)
· Scallion, 1 (about 50g; cut into small sections, mostly using the white part)
· Dried red chilies, 5–6 (about 8g; cut into sections, deseeded)
· Sichuan peppercorns, a small pinch (about 2g)
🌴 Aromatics:
· Minced ginger, a small piece (about 5g)
· Minced garlic, 3–4 cloves (about 15g)
🌴 Seasonings:
· Light soy sauce, 2 tbsp (about 30ml; 1 tbsp for marinating, 1 tbsp for the sauce)
· Chinkiang vinegar, 2 tbsp (about 30ml; the soul of the dish)
· Sugar, 1 tbsp (about 12g; key for the sweet and sour taste)
· Oyster sauce, ½ tbsp (about 7.5g)
· Cooking wine, 1 tbsp (about 15ml; for marinating)
· Cornstarch, 1 tsp + ½ tsp (about 5g + 2.5g; 1 tsp for marinating, ½ tsp for the sauce)
· Water, 2 tbsp (about 30ml; to mix with the ½ tsp cornstarch for the slurry)
· Egg white, a little (about 15g; for marinating)
· Dark soy sauce, a little (about 2.5ml; for color)
· White pepper powder, a pinch (about 0.5g)
· Salt, about 1–2g, to taste
· Cooking oil, as needed
All spoon measures are level. Chinkiang vinegar is slightly sweet and malty—use it as listed for the perfect sweet and sour balance.
🌴 Instructions:
- Marinate the Chicken
Cut the chicken into small cubes. Marinate with 1 tbsp light soy sauce, cooking wine, egg white, 1 tsp cornstarch, salt, and white pepper for 15 minutes. ⚠️ Tip: This keeps the chicken tender and juicy. I’ve tried cooking it without marinating before, and it turned out dry and tough. - Make the Kung Pao Sauce
In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp light soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, sugar, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, white pepper, 2 tbsp water, and ½ tsp cornstarch. ⚠️ Tip: The ratio of vinegar to sugar is key. Mix the cornstarch with water first to make a slurry, or it will clump up when added to the hot pan. - Stir-fry the Chicken
Heat oil in the pan, add the marinated chicken, and stir-fry over high heat for about 1–2 minutes until it changes color. Set aside. ⚠️ Tip: Don’t overcook it; it will go back into the pan later. - Sauté the Aromatics
Add the dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns to the pan with a little oil. Stir-fry over low heat until fragrant and the oil turns red (about 30 seconds). Add the minced ginger, garlic, and scallion whites. Stir-fry until fragrant. ⚠️ Tip: Use low heat for the chilies and peppercorns. I’ve tried high heat, and the chilies turned black, making the dish bitter. If using thin spring onions, reserve the green parts to add at the very end. - Combine and Stir-fry
Turn to high heat, add the chicken back to the pan, and stir-fry quickly. Stir the sauce well again (to prevent the cornstarch from settling), pour it into the pan in a circle, and stir-fry quickly for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken. ⚠️ Tip: Always stir the sauce before pouring it in, or it will form lumps. Pouring it in a circle helps distribute the starch evenly. (If you reserved the green parts of thin spring onions, toss them in now.) - Season and Serve
Sprinkle with white pepper and add salt to taste. Turn off the heat, add the fried peanuts, and toss quickly. Serve hot. ⚠️ Tip: Add the peanuts at the very end to keep them crispy. I’ve tried adding them early, and they turned soggy.
💡 Tips:
Marinate the chicken with egg white and cornstarch to keep it tender. The 1:1 ratio of vinegar to sugar is the key to that classic “lychee” flavor. Use low heat for the chilies and peppercorns so they don’t burn. Mix the cornstarch with water to make a slurry before adding it to the sauce. Always stir the sauce well before pouring it into the wok. Add peanuts at the very end to keep them crispy. If using thin spring onions, add the green parts at the very end to retain their color and crunch.
If you enjoy this sweet and spicy Kung Pao flavor, you should also try my previously posted Kung Pao Shrimp Balls (Kung Pao Shrimp Balls) for another protein with that classic taste. Want to explore more? Check out my full Home-style Dishes (Home-style Dishes) category!
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