General Tsos Chicken Delight (Printable)

Crispy chicken coated in sweet, tangy, and mildly spicy sauce with aromatic garlic and ginger notes.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.3 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
04 - 1 tsp sesame oil
05 - ¼ tsp white pepper
06 - 1 cup cornstarch
07 - ½ cup all-purpose flour
08 - Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

→ Sauce

09 - ½ cup chicken broth
10 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
11 - 2 tbsp rice vinegar
12 - 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
13 - 3 tbsp sugar
14 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
15 - 1 tbsp water (for slurry)
16 - 2 tsp sesame oil
17 - 1 tbsp Chinese Shaoxing wine (optional)

→ Stir-fry & Garnish

18 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
19 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
20 - 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
21 - 6 to 8 dried red chilies or 1 to 2 tsp chili flakes, to taste
22 - 2 spring onions, sliced
23 - Steamed white rice, for serving
24 - Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Whisk eggs with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and white pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken pieces and toss to coat evenly.
02 - Combine cornstarch and all-purpose flour in a shallow dish. Coat each chicken piece thoroughly, shaking off excess.
03 - Heat vegetable oil to 350°F in a deep skillet or wok. Fry chicken in batches for 4 to 5 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
04 - In a bowl, whisk together chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sugar, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, and Shaoxing wine if using. Stir cornstarch slurry into the mixture.
05 - Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a clean wok or skillet over medium heat. Add dried chilies, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
06 - Pour sauce mixture into the wok and stir continuously until it thickens and becomes glossy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
07 - Add fried chicken pieces to the thickened sauce and toss thoroughly to coat evenly.
08 - Plate chicken immediately over steamed rice. Garnish with sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The contrast between crispy chicken and silky, complex sauce is genuinely addictive—once you taste it, you'll keep going back for more.
  • It comes together faster than delivery, and tastes infinitely better because it's actually yours.
  • Medium difficulty means you'll learn real skills (deep-frying, sauce-making) without feeling overwhelmed.
02 -
  • The oil temperature is non-negotiable—too cool and the chicken absorbs oil and becomes greasy; too hot and it browns before cooking through. Use a thermometer if you have one.
  • Don't skip the cornstarch slurry step; it's what transforms a loose sauce into something that clings and glazes.
  • Batch frying matters more than you'd think—overcrowding the pan drops the oil temperature and ruins the crisp.
03 -
  • Prepare everything before you start frying—mise en place is your friend when oil is hot and things move fast.
  • If you don't have a wok, a large skillet works fine; the key is enough surface area so pieces fry rather than steam.
Go Back