General Tso's Chicken
Crisp chicken in a sticky, sweet and spicy sauce with a little heat from dried chillies.
Made with All purpose stir fry sauce. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time35 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £3.29 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Toss the chicken in the cornflour with a pinch of salt.
- 2
Heat 3 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over a medium high heat. Fry the chicken in two batches for 6 to 7 minutes until crisp and cooked through.
6 min 40 s - 3
Drain on kitchen paper.
- 4
Wipe the pan, add the remaining oil, chillies and garlic and fry for 30 seconds.
0 min 30 s - 5
Add 100 ml of your ready made all purpose stir fry sauce (see the base recipe), the vinegar and 2 tbsp water. Bubble for 1 to 2 minutes.
1 min 30 s - 6
Toss the chicken in the sauce, scatter with spring onions and serve with rice.
Tips
- Toss in the sauce at the very last moment to keep the coating crisp.
- Use fewer chillies for a milder sauce.
- Thigh meat stays juicier than breast.
Storing and freezing
Best fresh. Keep up to 2 days in the fridge and reheat in a hot oven. The coating will soften.
Questions
Who is General Tso?
The dish is named after a Qing dynasty general, but it was created in the 1950s and is a Chinese American dish.
Can I bake it?
Yes. Bake coated chicken on an oiled tray at 220C (200C fan) for 20 minutes.
Is it gluten free?
Yes. It uses cornflour and the gluten free stir fry sauce.
More made with all purpose stir fry sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.