General Tso’s Chicken
- 40m Prep Time
- 20m Cook Time
- 1h 0mReady In
Crispy chicken thighs in a thick, spicy, sticky-sweet sauce made with strawberry jam. A popular American-Chinese dish that balances textures and flavors.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 green onions finely chopped
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 clove garlic finely minced
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken thighs
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 2 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp strawberry jam
- 1 tbsp sugar
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 14 of 16 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 162 mg
- Iron: 3.72 mg
- Magnesium: 66.9 mg
- Phosphorus: 428 mg
- Potassium: 754 mg
- Zinc: 3.25 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken thighs
- 2 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp strawberry jam
- 1 tbsp sugar
Prepare
- 1 green onions, finely chopped
- 2 clove garlic, finely minced
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
In a large bowl, combine ¼ cup soy sauce, finely chopped green onions, 1 tablespoon sugar, and finely minced garlic. Stir to mix. Set aside.
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Step 2.
Cut 1½ pounds boneless chicken thighs into pieces about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Add the chicken to the soy sauce marinade and stir to coat. Cover or transfer to a ziplock bag and marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
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Step 3.
Line a plate with several layers of paper towels. Set aside.
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Step 4.
Place about 1½ inches of vegetable oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Heat the oil until it registers 350°F on an instant-read thermometer.
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Step 5.
While the oil heats, dredge the marinated chicken pieces in about 2 cups cornstarch, coating evenly. Fry the chicken in batches, stirring carefully to ensure even frying, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer the fried chicken to the prepared paper towel–lined plate. Set aside.
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Step 6.
To make the sauce, in a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of water with 3 tablespoons cornstarch to make a slurry. Set aside.
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Step 7.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Add ¼ cup soy sauce, 3 tablespoons white vinegar, 2 tablespoons strawberry jam, 1 tablespoon sugar, and the remaining ¼ cup water. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the jam and sugar.
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Step 8.
Gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce. You may not need all of the slurry. Let the sauce simmer for about 1 minute, or until it darkens and starts to glisten. Remove the pan from the heat.
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Step 9.
Add the fried chicken pieces to the sauce and toss to combine. Serve immediately with rice.