General Tsos Chicken Crispy (Print version)

Crispy fried chicken coated in sweet, tangy, mildly spicy sauce with aromatic Chinese flavors.

# Required ingredients:

→ 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 - 6-8 dried red chilies or 1–2 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 together eggs, soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper. Add chicken pieces and coat thoroughly.
02 - Combine cornstarch and all-purpose flour in a shallow bowl. Dredge each chicken piece in the mixture, shaking off excess.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a wok or deep skillet to 350°F. Fry chicken pieces in batches for 4–5 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels or wire rack.
04 - Mix chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and Shaoxing wine if using. Stir cornstarch with water to form slurry, then whisk into sauce.
05 - Heat vegetable oil over medium heat in a clean wok or skillet. Add dried chilies, garlic, and ginger; stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
06 - Pour sauce mixture into wok. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and becomes glossy, about 2–3 minutes.
07 - Add fried chicken to sauce, tossing to evenly coat all pieces.
08 - Plate chicken over steamed white rice. Garnish with sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The chicken stays crispy even after tossing in sauce, which feels like a small miracle but it's all about technique.
  • You can control the heat exactly to your liking, from barely a whisper of spice to genuinely fiery.
  • It comes together faster than delivery, and tastes infinitely better than what shows up in a container.
02 -
  • Don't skip the oil temperature check; too cold and your chicken absorbs oil like a sponge, too hot and it burns before cooking through.
  • Add the fried chicken to the sauce at the very last moment—sitting in sauce for more than a minute or two will make it soggy, which defeats the whole purpose.
  • If your sauce seems too thin after cooking, don't panic; let it simmer another 30 seconds or whisk in a tiny bit more cornstarch slurry.
03 -
  • Drain your fried chicken on a wire rack set over a sheet pan instead of paper towels—the air circulation keeps the bottom crispy instead of steaming it.
  • Make your sauce ahead and rewarm it when you're ready; the chicken should be served immediately after frying, but the sauce actually benefits from sitting a few hours so flavors meld.
Return