General Tso’s Chicken: The Best Homemade Takeout-Style Recipe
General Tso’s Chicken is an iconic American-Chinese restaurant favorite — crispy fried chicken coated in a sticky, sweet, and slightly tangy sauce. It’s similar to sesame or orange chicken, but with its own deep flavor and mild spice. This homemade version tastes even better than takeout and comes together quickly using pantry staples!
Ingredients
For the Chicken
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4 boneless chicken breasts, cubed
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1 cup all-purpose flour (or cornstarch for extra crispiness)
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1 teaspoon paprika
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2 teaspoons garlic salt
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Oil for frying (about ¾ cup)
For the Sauce
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1 ¼ cups sugar
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1 cup water
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1 cup white distilled vinegar
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1 teaspoon salt
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6 tablespoons soy sauce
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1 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional for heat)
Instructions
1️⃣ Bread & Fry the Chicken
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In a bowl, mix flour, paprika, and garlic salt.
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Coat cubed chicken evenly in the breading mixture.
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Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
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Fry chicken in batches until golden and cooked through.
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Remove and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels.
2️⃣ Make the Sauce
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In a saucepan, whisk together sugar, water, vinegar, salt, soy sauce,
and red chili flakes if using. -
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
3️⃣ Combine
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Add fried chicken into the sauce and simmer uncovered for 12 minutes
or until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken beautifully.
4️⃣ Serve
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Spoon chicken over steamed white rice and enjoy hot!
Notes
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Extra Tender Chicken:
Mix 1 tsp baking soda + 2 tsp vinegar with chicken and let sit 10 minutes before coating. -
Baked Version:
Place fried chicken into a baking dish, pour sauce over, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45 minutes. -
Slow Cooker Method:
Transfer chicken and sauce to a crockpot —
Low: 6–8 hours | High: 4 hours. -
Add Veggies:
Steam broccoli while the sauce simmers for an easy side dish. -
Customize Heat:
More red pepper flakes = more kick!