General Tso chicken is a Chinese takeout dish known for its crispy fried chicken with a sticky sweet and savory sauce. Soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, hoisin, garlic, Asian chili sauce, ginger, and sugar combine to create the flavorful glossy sauce.
Cut chicken into cubes and season with garlic salt and black pepper.
Dredge chicken cubes in flour and place on wire rack.
In a medium saucepan combine soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, hoisin, garlic, Asian chili sauce, ginger, and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken cubes in hot oil for a few minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove chicken from skillet and drain any excess oil. Add chicken back to skillet with the sauce from the saucepan.
Make a slurry from the cornstarch and water and add to the skillet. Cook over low heat for 5-6 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.Stir sauce to ensure that it doesn’t stick. Using a rubber spatula is good for this task.
Notes
If you would like to add stir-fry veggies such as broccoli florets, bell peppers, mushrooms, snap peas, or carrots, add them to the skillet after you've sauteed the chicken and cook until tender.
To add a little extra spice you can throw in a pinch or two of red pepper flakes or Szechuan chili flakes.
Serve General Tso chicken over a bed of rice with an optional garnish of sesame seeds and sliced green onions.