I love making Chinese food at home. It’s so much cheaper and healthier than take-out, and sometimes, it’s even faster to make it right in your own kitchen. Now I’ve made Lighter General Tso’s Chicken before but I wanted to make a legit version this time around. This version has much more of a creamy, thick sauce, which I definitely prefer over the lightened up version. I mean there’s a reason why it’s lighter, right?

So the next time you’re craving Chinese and pick up the phone to order take-out, remember this – this dish takes less than 30 minutes to make and probably tastes 10x better than your local Chinese restaurant. Yes, it’s that good.

General Tso’s Chicken (adapted from Taste and Tell):

Yields 2 servings

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 6 green onions, chopped, plus more for serving
  • 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
  • Crushed red-pepper flakes, optional
  • Sesame seeds, optional
  • Cooked rice, for serving

In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce and 1/2 cup water; set aside.

Place the cornstarch in a small bowl. Add the chicken and gently press to coat. (You want to apply a very thin dusting to both sides.) Let sit for about 10 minutes to allow the cornstarch to stick.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until golden, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Wipe the skillet clean using a paper towel. Add the sesame oil, green onions and ginger. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.

Add the prepared sauce mixture.

Bring to a boil, whisking constantly; reduce heat to a simmer until the sauce thickens a bit, about 2 minutes.

Add the chicken, along with any juices, and stir to coat, about 1 minute.

Serve immediately, garnished with green onions, hot pepper flakes, and sesame seeds.

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