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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?

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.


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5 from 14 votes

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
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

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

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

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
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
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.

About Julia Foerster

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.

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19 Comments

  1. Hello I just wanted to know how many cups of sauce it makes, so if you make it without chicken, where it’s just sauce? And super good recipe!!!

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.