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My lightened up version of General Tso’s chicken is made with tender chicken breast sautéed in a sweet and spicy stir-fry sauce, and it’s less than half the calories of takeout!
Healthy General Tso’s Chicken Recipe
General Tso’s chicken is a sweet, deep-fried chicken dish that is served in North American Chinese restaurants. Like this Orange Chicken, Pepper Steak, and my other Asian-inspired takeout makeover recipes, this lightened up version is wok sautéed instead of deep fried, and made without all the added sugar used in most restaurants. But it’s so delicious, you’re not going to miss it!
What Makes This General Tso’s Chicken Better Than Takeout
This recipe has it all: flavorful, easy to make, and lighter than takeout too! Here’s why I love it.
- So much healthier. Takeout General Tso’s chicken is usually made with deep fried chicken thighs and lots of sugar. Just one plate can easily set you back over 1000 calories! Swapping dark meat for white, sautéing instead of deep frying, and cutting out the extra sugar works out great.
- Faster (and cheaper) than delivery. This recipe is done in 30 minutes! By the time you order from a restaurant and get it at your doorstep, it’s going to take a lot more time and cost a lot more money too.
- Incredibly flavorful. Without that greasy, deep-fried taste you get from takeout, the rest of the ingredients in this recipe really have the chance to shine.
What You’ll Need
If you cook Asian food often, you’ll probably have a lot of these ingredients on hand. Scroll down to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Chicken – I use boneless, skinless chicken breast and cut it into pieces.
- Reduced-sodium soy sauce – Tamari or coconut aminos are also an option.
- Cornstarch – This creates a crust on the chicken and also thickens the sauce.
- Egg white – To coat the chicken.
- Fresh ginger and garlic – These two ingredients are essential in stir fry recipes!
- Scallions – You’ll use both the whites and the greens at different points in the recipe.
- Reduced-sodium chicken broth – I like using homemade chicken broth if I have some in the freezer.
- Sriracha sauce – You can use more or less depending on how spicy you want the General Tso’s sauce.
- Hoisin – Hoisin sauce is quite sweet, so I don’t use any additional sweetener. If you do want more sweetness, you can add a tablespoon of honey or sugar.
- Toasted sesame oil – This gives the chicken a subtle nutty flavor.
- Sesame seeds – For garnish.
How to Make General Tso’s Chicken
Stir fries go fast, so be sure to prep all the ingredients before you start any cooking. See the recipe card below for printable instructions.
- Coat the chicken. Toss the chicken with the soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, and the egg white.
- Make the sauce. Whisk together a teaspoon of sesame oil with the ginger, garlic, and scallion whites in a saucepan over medium heat. After a minute, whisk in the broth, remaining soy sauce, sriracha, and hoisin, followed by the cornstarch. Once the sauce thickens, reduce the heat to low to keep it warm.
- Cook the chicken. Add 1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil to a large skillet or wok set over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, cook half the chicken; transfer to a plate and then repeat with the remaining oil and chicken.
- Put it all together. Return the chicken to the pan with the sauce. Add the scallion greens and sesame seeds. Stir to coat, then serve.
Tips and Variations
These tips will help you make sure your General Tso’s chicken turns out perfect.
- Cut the chicken into even pieces. If you’ve got a mix of big pieces and smaller ones, they won’t all finish cooking at the same time.
- Make it extra spicy. You can add 6 whole dried red chilies while stir frying the chicken to make this recipe spicier.
- Add some citrus flavor. Sprinkle in a little orange zest to brighten up the flavor—you can add it to the sauce or add it with the sesame seeds and scallion greens.
Serving Suggestions
I serve this over cauliflower rice or cauliflower fried rice, but brown rice or jasmine rice would also work, or try cooked quinoa to work a little extra protein into your dinner. A simple vegetable side like steamed broccoli would also be delicious.
Proper Storage
- Refrigerator: Transfer leftover General Tso’s chicken to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: You can freeze this recipe in a zip-top freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
- To reheat: Warm leftovers in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave.
More Chicken Recipes
Chicken recipes are a staple for weeknight meals! You’ll love these easy dinner ideas too:
General Tso’s Chicken
My lightened up General Tso’s chicken recipe has the tastiest sweet and spicy stir-fry sauce and it’s less than half the calories of takeout!
Yield: 4 Servings
Serving Size: 3 /4 cup
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
- ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce, divided*
- ¼ cup cornstarch, divided
- 1 large egg white
- 1 (1-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 medium scallions, whites and greens separated
- 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce, plus more for serving
- 3 tablespoons hoisin*
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons cornstarch and egg white. Toss to combine and set aside while you chop the vegetables.
- Mince the garlic and ginger and chop the scallions. Separate the scallion whites from the greens and set aside greens for garnish.
- Heat a small sauce pot over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, ginger, garlic and scallion whites. Sauté for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, sriracha, and hoisin and whisk to combine. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch and whisk sauce until starting to thicken, about 2 minutes. Once thickened, turn heat to low and keep warm while you make the chicken.
- Heat a large wok or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. In two batches to prevent sticking, add 1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil then half of the chicken pieces. Cook chicken for 3-4 minutes, or until browned on the edges. Flip chicken and cook an additional 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside on a plate and add the remaining oil and chicken as directed.
- Return the chicken back to the skillet or wok, add the sauce to the skillet and toss to coat. Sprinkle with scallion greens and sesame seeds. Serve immediately with extra sriracha, if desired.
Last Step:
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Notes
*Check labels for gluten-free.
Nutrition
Serving: 3 /4 cup, Calories: 252 kcal, Carbohydrates: 16 g, Protein: 27 g, Fat: 8 g, Saturated Fat: 1.5 g, Cholesterol: 73 mg, Sodium: 1038 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 5 g
