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    Home > Recipes > Main Dishes

    Healthy General Tso’s Chicken

    ↓ Jump to Recipe · By: Julia Foerster · Posted: 03/12/18 · Updated: 03/13/18 · This post may contain affiliate links

    Healthy General Tso's Chicken

    General Tso’s Chicken is one of the most popular Chinese Food takeout dishes that is sweet, slightly spicy, and so easy to make at home! This healthier version made without breading has fewer calories but tastes as delicious as the fried original. Ready in less than 30 minutes and only 207 kcal per serving!

    A grey bowl with rice and general tso\'s chicken, garnished with chives, with chopsticks.

    General Tso’s Chicken is a Chinese-American restaurant staple that is super easy to make at home. It is sometimes also called ‎General Tao Chicken or General Tse’s chicken. My family loves this lighter, not fried version of the popular, usually high-calorie dish that doesn’t make you feel guilty when you come back for seconds. And I promise you will come back for seconds!

    Some recipes for homemade General Tso’s Chicken are really complicated, with different breading steps and the need to deep fry twice. This recipe is as delicious but takes only half the time to make and is lighter than your normal take-out because the chicken is only lightly coated in cornstarch and stir-fried instead of deep-fried.

    Not only is this easy General Tso’s chicken recipe so delicious, it just so happens to come from my friend Char’s new cookbook: The Healthy Wok Chinese Cookbook! I was lucky enough to be one of her recipe testers so I got my hands on a copy before it came out and I have to say her book is my most used cookbook at the moment. You have to try this healthier homemade version of your Chinese take-out favorite!

    A Wok with general tso\'s chicken with a wooden spatula.

    Tips and Tricks on how to make General Tso’s Chicken

    • You might ask yourself do I really need a wok to cook Chinese food? A wok has many advantages over a normal frying pan. It requires less oil and distributes the heat more evenly, for example. If you’re just starting your Chinese cooking journey you can use a normal pan but if you want to get serious about Chinese cooking I really recommend buying a wok. The best choice is a carbon steel wok.
    • If you’re watching your salt intake use low-sodium soy sauces. Most soy sauces contain wheat, so if you are on a gluten-free diet, use tamari soy sauce instead.
    • Don’t skip the Hoisin Sauce! It’s sweet and salty in taste and sometimes referred to as Chinese barbecue sauce. Hoisin sauce is a key ingredient in this and many other Chinese recipes. This is what gives General Tso’s Chicken its authentic flavor!
    • Don’t be tempted to swap out the rice vinegar! White rice vinegar is less acidic and milder in flavor than white wine vinegar. It is also a little bit sweet because of the glutinous rice.
    • Peanut oil is my first choice for stir-frying because it has a high smoke point (450°F).
    • How many calories in general tso chicken? One serving (5.7 oz) of General Tso’s Chicken at Panda Express has 330 kcal, my healthier version only has 207 kcal for a generous portion.

    A grey bowl with rice and general tso\'s chicken, garnished with chives, with chopsticks, on a black suface. There\'s a black bowl of sesame seeds in the background and some sesame seeds and chives next to it.

    Looking for more easy dinner recipes?

    • Instant Pot Chili Recipe
    • Creamy Lemon Risotto
    • 15-minute Spaghetti alla Carbonara
    • Easy Vegetarian Spinach Lasagna
    • Honey Garlic Shrimp and Broccoli

    Tools and Ingredients used for this easy General Tso’s chicken recipe

    Wok: A carbon steel wok is your best choice for cooking Stir-Fries!
    Soy Sauce: This is my go-to soy sauce! I always have a big bottle in my fridge.
    Hoisin Sauce: This sauce gives General Tso’s Chicken it’s authentic flavor.
    Rice Vinegar: Don’t even think about skimping here! Rice vinegar is sweet and delicate, while white vinegar is sour and harsh.


    WANT TO TRY THIS GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN RECIPE?

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    A grey bowl with rice and general tso's chicken, garnished with chives, with chopsticks.
    Servings: 4

    Healthy General Tso's Chicken

    General Tso's Chicken is one of the most popular Chinese Food takeout dishes that is sweet, slightly spicy, and so easy to make at home! This healthier version made without breading has fewer calories but tastes as delicious as the fried original. Ready in less than 30 minutes and only 207 kcal per serving!
    Prep Time: 25 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Chinese
    Calories: 207kcal
    Author: Julia Foerster
    5 from 13 votes
    Print PIN RECIPE Rate

    Ingredients

    Cups - Metric

    For the marinade

    • 2 tsp cornstarch
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
    • 2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin, bite-size pieces

    For the sauce

    • 1/4 cup tomato ketchup
    • 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
    • 4 tsp hoisin sauce
    • 4 tsp brown sugar
    • 4 tsp soy sauce

    For the stir-fry

    • 2 Tbsp peanut oil
    • 1 dried red chile, (optional)
    • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
    • 1 scallion, chopped
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch, salt, and white pepper. Sprinkle over the sliced chicken, tossing to coat, and let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, make the sauce by combining the ketchup, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, and soy sauce, and mix it well. Set the sauce aside.
    • In a wok over medium-high heat, heat the peanut oil.
    • Add the chicken and stir-fry in batches until fully cooked and slightly brown.
    • Add the chile and pour in the sauce. Stir to coat the chicken in the sauce.
    • Turn off the heat and transfer the dish to a serving plate. Garnish with the sesame seeds and chopped scallion.

    Notes

    Reprinted with permission from "The Healthy Wok Chinese Cookbook"

    Nutrition Information

    Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 718mg | Potassium: 184mg | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 155IU | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.7mg
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    Close-up of grey bowl with rice and general tso\'s chicken, garnished with chives, with chopsticks.

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    A grey bowl with rice and general tso\'s chicken, garnished with chives, with chopsticks on a dark surface with chives and sesame seeds.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. raul lopez lll says

      January 26, 2023 at 2:25 pm

      5 stars
      THIS RECIPE IS SOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOD

      Reply
    2. Avery says

      September 10, 2020 at 4:18 pm

      5 stars
      How many servings does this make?? I loved it though!

      Reply
      • Julia Foerster says

        September 14, 2020 at 10:49 am

        This makes 4 servings. You can find the number of servings in the recipe card below the image.

        Reply
    3. D J says

      January 26, 2020 at 5:16 pm

      5 stars
      I made this to celebrate the Chinese New Year (2020). It was delicious. DH liked it too. I didn’t have the nerve to try the dried red chile, so I just added a very conservative amount of Sriracha (1/2 tsp.) to the sauce.

      Reply
    4. Dennis says

      September 21, 2019 at 8:21 pm

      5 stars
      This was amazing! Thanks for sharing it is a new favorite dish. 

      Reply
    5. Kristin says

      April 30, 2019 at 8:43 pm

      5 stars
      I NEVER leave comments on internet recipes, but this was seriously THE BOMB. It had all the flavors of General Tso’s but it didn’t leave me feeling heavy and regretful afterwards. The cornstarch coating created a textured, crunchy coating so it still tricked me into thinking it was breaded and fried. I served the chicken over white rice and sprinkled with sesame seeds and scallions, with broccoli on the side. To die for. I will definitely be making this again.

      Reply
    6. Emily says

      April 14, 2018 at 9:30 pm

      5 stars
      Really yummy, quick and easy weekend recipe! It was hot as all get out here today, and I wanted something light and fun for my family (my husband and grandmother.) This fit the bill and was a huge hit! I did not have white pepper so I used regular old black pepper. I’m the only spice lover in the group so instead of the red Chile, I added Sriracha sauce to my portion. Thanks for this deliciously healthy dinner!😁

      PS: As stated… Get a Wok! They rock! Asian dishes are transformed using this tool.

      Reply
    7. Rudy says

      March 13, 2018 at 4:43 am

      5 stars
      Turned out great was a big hit with my sons

      Reply
    8. Sandy says

      March 13, 2018 at 4:42 am

      5 stars
      This is a great recipe, everyone at home love it and it was super easy to follow.

      Reply
    9. Dawn says

      May 23, 2017 at 5:17 am

      Yum looks absolutely delicious!

      Reply
    10. Elizabeth Brooks says

      May 23, 2017 at 5:13 am

      I need help cooking, take out Chinese gets old

      Reply
    11. Amber Bourland says

      May 23, 2017 at 5:06 am

      Cashew chicken is what I order most, but when I want to splurge a bit, it’s shrimp egg foo yung!

      Reply
    12. Kelli Bryson says

      May 23, 2017 at 5:05 am

      5 stars
      I love sesame chicken

      Reply
    13. Kayla Klontz says

      May 23, 2017 at 5:00 am

      My favorite Chinese take out dish is orange chicken.

      Reply
    14. Karly says

      May 18, 2017 at 11:06 pm

      Holy. yes. LOVE that I can satisfy my chinese food cravings without dialing up the takeout place. Can’t wait to try this!

      Reply
    15. Nancy Loring says

      May 18, 2017 at 2:37 am

      5 stars
      I always stat off with wonton soup and then crab rangoon.

      Reply
    16. Julia @ Happy Foods Tube says

      May 17, 2017 at 6:34 pm

      I like Asian dishes but don’t make them at home much as I don’t usually have all those sauces on hand but now I do! So definitely trying it!

      Reply

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    Julia Foerster from Plated Cravings

    Hi, I'm Julia! Born in Germany, I call Canada now my home and love to share my favorite dishes with you! Here you'll find hundreds of recipes, all made from scratch with lots of tips and detailed step-by-step instructions. ➝ Visit my about page and ➝ subscribe to never miss a new recipe!

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