General Tso's Chicken
785kcal47.6g protein46.2g fat44.4g carbs~$2.37/ serving*Estimates computed from the ingredient list; cost uses average US supermarket prices. Not a substitute for packaging measurements or your receipt.
Contains egg, soy · usually contains gluten
Restrictions
Containsegg · soyIt is in an ingredient you cannot leave out.
Usually containsgluten (soy sauce → Tamari)The usual version has it. One without it exists — it is the one named here.
Diets
No porkNo alcohol
Worked out from the ingredient list. It knows nothing about brands, shared equipment or cross contamination, and it is not a certification — if you have an allergy, you still have to read the label.
Ingredients
Servings:
| 2 lb |  chicken (thighs, 1-inch pieces) |
| 4 tbsp |  soy sauce (divided) |
| 2 unit |  eggs (beaten) |
| ¾ cup |  cornstarch (divided) |
| 4 cup | vegetable oil (for frying) |
| 8 unit |  dried red chilies (whole) |
| 3 clove |  garlic (minced) |
| 1 tbsp |  ginger (minced) |
| 2 tbsp |  hoisin sauce |
| 3 tbsp |  vinegar (rice or white) |
| ¼ cup |  sugar |
| ½ cup |  chicken stock |
| 2 cup |  broccoli (florets, steamed) |
| 2 unit |  scallions (sliced) |
Optional
Not counted above. The dish works without them.
| 1 cup |  rice (steamed) |
Steps
- Marinate15 minhalf the soy, while everything else stageschicken in 2 tbsp soy while the sauce assembles — a short seasoning soak, not a velvet; the coating comes next and does the texture work
- Mix3 minsauce staged: everything in one bowlremaining soy + hoisin + vinegar + sugar + stock + 1 tbsp cornstarch stirred smooth — the glaze equation: hoisin for dark depth, vinegar against the sugar, cornstarch to make it cling; staged now because the finish moves fast
- Season5 minegg, then cornstarch, craggymarinated chicken through egg then the remaining cornstarch, pressed into a rough shell — same armor as the catalog's orange chicken, built for the same war: staying crisp under hot glaze
- Fry14 min350°F, twice — the second fry is the secretpieces fried 3 minutes to pale gold, rested 5 while the next batch goes, then ALL of it refried 90 seconds to deep bronze — the double fry drives moisture out of the crust's walls; single-fried crust is crisp for a minute, double-fried survives the sauce to the bottom of the plate
- Saute1 minmedium-high, chilies firstdried chilies in a spoonful of the frying oil until they darken and smoke faintly, garlic + ginger for thirty seconds behind them — the toasted chilies are the dish's signature aroma; they season the oil and warn the eye, and eating them whole is for the brave
- Simmer2 minsauce in, to a shining glaze+ the sauce mixture until it thickens and turns glossy — the hoisin makes this glaze darker and rounder than orange chicken's; pull at spoon-coating
- Toss2 minoff heat, chicken and broccoli throughfried chicken + steamed broccoli folded through the glaze, scallions over — the broccoli is the honest half of the plate and the best sauce delivery vehicle on it; serve now, the crust's countdown is running