Cook chicken: Heat oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Beat eggs in a large bowl until smooth. Mix in 1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch until no lumps remain. Stir in chicken pieces until evenly coated.
Drop battered chicken pieces into hot oil, one by one. Cook until chicken is golden brown and begins to float, about 3 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
Make sauce: Combine sugar, vinegars, sherry, soy sauce, and garlic in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved and sauce has thickened to the consistency of light pancake syrup, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and keep sauce warm.
Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir chiles and ginger in hot oil until ginger begins to brown, about 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove chiles and ginger to warm sauce; stir until combined.
Cook and stir-fry chicken in the same wok until very crispy and dark golden brown. Serve with sauce.
Editor's Notes:
The nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of the batter ingredients. The actual amount of the batter consumed will vary.
We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount will vary depending on cooking time and temperature, ingredient density, and the specific type of oil used.
FAQs
General Tso's chicken (also known as General Tao's or Tsao's chicken) is an iconic Chinese-American takeout of deep-fried chicken coated in a thick sweet sauce. You can also make it spicy for those who like a little kick.
Is General Tso really spicy? ›
General Tso's chicken is usually a little tangier and spicy. Is General Tso's Chicken spicy? Yes, General Tso's Chicken is normally mild to medium spicy. However, you can adjust the heat level to your preference by using more or less red pepper flakes.
Is General Tso's chicken healthy? ›
Worst: General Tso's Chicken
Named after a Chinese war hero, this fat-laden dish won't help you win any weight loss battles. The breaded, fried chicken is smothered in a sugary sauce. One order clocks in at around 1,500 calories and 88 grams of fat, and it delivers more sodium than you should get in a day.
What is General Tso's batter made of? ›
This General Tso's chicken uses cornstarch batter for a crisp, golden brown coating. Frying the chicken twice makes it extra crispy. A spicy, sweet soy sauce mixture with ginger and garlic adds incredible flavor.
Which is hotter General Tso or kung pao? ›
What's the difference between General Tso and Kung Pao Chicken? General Tso's is sweeter with a milder spice, featuring deep-fried battered chicken. Kung Pao is spicier with stir-fried chicken, vegetables, and peanuts.
Which is hotter General Tso or orange chicken? ›
General Tso's chicken is typically spicier and has a more complex flavor profile, with a sauce that includes soy sauce, vinegar, and chili peppers. Orange chicken, on the other hand, has a sweeter and tangier sauce made with orange juice and zest.
Do Chinese people like General Tso Chicken? ›
You might be surprised to learn that General Tso's chicken, a staple on Chinese-American menus, is almost entirely foreign to people who live in the country from which it supposedly originated. While the dish isn't exactly authentic Chinese food, its namesake was a very real (and very powerful) general.
What is better, Szechuan chicken or General Tso's? ›
General Tso's chicken is about the most dangerous Chinese dish on the menu—dark meat battered and deep-fried, then cooked with vegetables in a sweet, spicy sauce. Szechuan chicken, made with leaner, white meat and sautéed with vegetables, is a far better choice.
What is the healthiest Chinese food to order? ›
13 Healthiest Chinese Food Takeout Options
- Steamed dumplings. Dumplings offered at a Chinese restaurant are pockets of dough filled with seasoned meat and vegetables, usually pork and cabbage. ...
- Hot and sour soup or egg drop soup. ...
- Moo goo gai pan. ...
- Beef and broccoli. ...
- Chop suey. ...
- Chicken and broccoli. ...
- Baked salmon. ...
- Happy family.
For a healthier version of a popular Chinese takeout dish, try this General Tso's chicken recipe found on the Plated Cravings blog. “This homemade version removes the breading and skips the deep frying, both of which make it a healthier option for people with type 2 diabetes,” Poulson says.
Some lean protein choices include chicken, lean ground pork and fish. These proteins are often used in Chinese main dishes such as Kung Pao Chicken with Bell Peppers. Plant-based proteins, such as tofu, are also found in Chinese dishes. Tofu may be used as a meat alternative, providing protein from soybeans.
What is the difference between General Tso and General Tao? ›
General Tao was a real person, but he was not a chef. Zuo Zongtang, also known as General Tso in the United States, was a well-known military man from Hunan Province in China.
Why is it called General Tso's? ›
So how on Earth did this strange, foreign concoction come to be recognized abroad as the culinary classic of Hunan Province? General Tso's chicken is named for Tso Tsung-t'ang (now usually transliterated as Zuo Zongtang), a formidable nineteenth-century general who is said to have enjoyed eating it.
Is General Tso's white or dark meat? ›
General Tso's sauce pouches. INGREDIENTS: Dark Meat Chicken, Water, Cornstarch, Whole Grain Flour, Whole Eggs, Soybean Oil, Salt, White Pepper, Garlic, Ginger, Green Onion.
What does General Tao taste like? ›
General Tso's Chicken is that perfect combination of sweet, savoury, spicy and tangy with crispy Chinese chicken bites. It's a Chinese takeout favourite that just pushes all the right buttons!
Is General Tao chicken like orange chicken? ›
General Tso's chicken is typically spicier and has a more complex flavor profile, with a sauce that includes soy sauce, vinegar, and chili peppers. Orange chicken, on the other hand, has a sweeter and tangier sauce made with orange juice and zest.
What is the difference between General Tso and General Gau chicken? ›
General Gau's chicken, often called General Tso's chicken, is chicken that's been battered and fried, then coated in a fragrant, orange-y ginger sauce that's spicy, tangy, sweet, and hot all at the same time. It's also one of those things that no two Chinese places seem to make exactly the same.
Is General Tao chicken authentic? ›
You might be surprised to learn that General Tso's chicken, a staple on Chinese-American menus, is almost entirely foreign to people who live in the country from which it supposedly originated. While the dish isn't exactly authentic Chinese food, its namesake was a very real (and very powerful) general.
