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    Home » What We're Eating » Baked General Tso Chicken Recipe

    Baked General Tso Chicken Recipe

    Published: Dec 7, 2021 by Blair Lonergan

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    It's baked, not fried! This healthy General Tso Chicken recipe is a lighter version of the Chinese restaurant classic. With just one dish and about 10 minutes of prep, the easy dinner is even better than take-out! Serve the sweet, sticky chicken with rice and broccoli for a family-friendly meal with very little effort.

    Close overhead shot of healthy general tso chicken recipe served in a bowl with rice and broccoli

    How to Make Baked General Tso Chicken Recipe | 1-Minute Video

    What is General Tso Chicken?

    A General Tso Chicken recipe consists of deep fried chicken in a sweet, slightly spicy, sticky, and delicious sauce. It's incredibly popular at Chinese-American restaurants, and is named after General Tso Tsung-t'ang, a Qing dynasty statesman and military leader. The dish is an example of Americanized Chinese cuisine, and there is no recorded connection to the actual general nor is the dish known in Hunan province, Tso's home.

    Baked healthy General Tso Chicken with a bowl of rice on a dinner table

    Healthy General Tso Chicken

    This recipe is baked instead of fried, so it's so much healthier and easier than its fried restaurant counterparts. There's no extra hassle with breading the chicken, no hot oil splattering on your stovetop, and no babysitting batch after batch of chicken in the pan. Instead, this "dump-and-bake" General Tso Chicken recipe comes together with simple, easy-to-find ingredients in one casserole dish. The oven does the work, so you get the best flavor with very little effort!

    Whether you call it General Tso Chicken or something else entirely, the bottom line is that this Asian-inspired meal is about to be devoured by every single member of your household...and that's what I call a success!

    Sprinkling cornstarch over diced chicken breast

    General Tso Chicken Sauce

    A traditional General Tso Chicken sauce is sweet, slightly spicy, and thick enough to coat each piece of chicken. It's made of hoisin sauce, cornstarch to thicken, brown sugar, sesame oil, and sometimes soy sauce or rice wine vinegar. We add red pepper flakes for some heat and ginger and garlic for extra flavor, too!

    Whisk together sauce in a white bowl

    Ingredients

    This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you'll need for a homemade General Tso Chicken recipe. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

    • Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breast, but boneless, skinless chicken thighs will also work well.
    • Cornstarch: helps the sauce thicken and adhere to the chicken.
    • Chicken broth or chicken stock: to thin the sauce.
    • Brown sugar: gives the sauce a deliciously sticky, caramelized flavor.
    • Hoisin sauce: this is like a Chinese version of barbecue sauce, with a thick texture and a sweet-and-salty taste.
    • Sesame oil: gives the dish that classic Asian flavor, so don't substitute with other types of oil. You can find this in the International or Asian foods aisle at almost any grocery store.
    • Garlic and ginger: for even more flavor!
    • Red pepper flakes: gives the sauce a spicy kick. You can omit this ingredient for a mild dish, or add extra red pepper flakes if you like it hot.
    • Peanuts: add crunch and salty contrast to the sweet sauce.

    Process shot showing how to make general tso chicken

    How to Make General Tso Chicken

    Did I mention that my General Tso Chicken is baked, not fried? That means that you won't feel weighed-down after your meal, you won't have to stand at the stove with a hot skillet of oil to tediously deep fry individual pieces of meat, and you won't have to spend your precious money on overpriced Chinese takeout. WIN-WIN-WIN! This is lighter, healthier, and dare-I-say BETTER than the original!

    1. Place the diced chicken in a baking dish.
    2. Sprinkle with cornstarch and toss to coat chicken.
    3. Whisk together the chicken broth, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, salt, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
    4. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and give everything a good stir.
    5. Bake, uncovered, in a 425°F oven for 20 minutes. Stir, then return to the oven until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is nice and thick.
    6. Garnish with sliced green onions or toasted sesame seeds just before serving.

    General Tso's chicken in a baking dish on a wooden table.

    What to Serve with General Tso Chicken

    Serve the sweet, sticky, spicy chicken over rice (or over cauliflower rice for an even lighter dish), with plenty of extra sauce spooned over top. We love it with steamed broccoli tossed into the mix as well. Additional good options include pasta, ramen noodles, sesame peanut noodles, ramen noodle coleslaw, sesame ginger snap pea salad, or baked store-bought egg rolls. Don't forget fortune cookies for dessert, too!

    Side square shot of the best general tso chicken recipe in a bowl with chopsticks

    Storage

    This General Tso's Chicken recipe will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also freeze the leftover chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Another bonus to the baked (not fried) chicken? It's doesn't get soggy in the fridge!

    Reheat the chicken in a skillet on the stovetop over low heat, just until warmed through. You can also microwave individual servings for 1-2 minutes.

    Overhead shot of the best general tso chicken recipe served on a dinner table with broccoli and rice

    Recipe Variations

    • Add a dash of soy sauce for a salty, umami component in the sauce.
    • Include some rice vinegar in the sauce for a little bit of acidic flavor.
    • If you prefer dark meat, substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the chicken breast.
    • The peanuts are optional, since not every General Tso's chicken recipe includes this ingredient. We love the added salty crunch that they give the dish!
    • Cooking Just for Two? Cut the ingredients in half and bake the chicken in a smaller dish. The cooking instructions remain the same.

    Side shot of a bowl of homemade General Tso Chicken with rice

    Tips for the Best General Tso Chicken Recipe

    • Don't skip the hoisin sauce, which is important for the recipe's flavor and texture.
    • The sesame oil is also a key ingredient, which cannot be replaced by other oils. Sesame oil has a unique rich, toasted flavor that gives many Asian dishes their authentic taste.
    • If available, use fresh ginger instead of dried, ground ginger. If using fresh ginger, you'll need about 1 teaspoon of the grated root.
    • Garnish each serving with scallions, toasted sesame seeds, or extra peanuts for even more flavor and texture.

    Fork in a bowl of healthy general tso chicken with rice

    More Easy Chinese Takeout Recipes to Try

    • Dump-and-Bake Kung Pao Chicken
    • Mongolian Beef with Broccoli
    • One-Skillet "Egg Roll in a Bowl"
    • Moo Shu Pork
    • Shrimp Fried Rice
    • Dump-and-Bake Sweet and Sour Chicken
    • Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
    • Asparagus and Beef Stir Fry
    • Dump-and-Bake Chinese Pepper Steak
    Close overhead shot of healthy general tso chicken recipe served in a bowl with rice and broccoli
    Print Pin
    5 from 9 votes

    Baked General Tso Chicken Recipe

    It's baked, not fried! This healthy General Tso Chicken recipe is a lighter version of the Chinese restaurant classic. Just one dish and about 10 minutes of prep!
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine Asian
    Keyword Chinese Chicken, General Tso Chicken
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Total Time 40 minutes
    Servings 4 - 6 servings
    Calories 291kcal
    Author Blair Lonergan

    Ingredients

    • 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
    • ½ cup chicken broth
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • ¼ cup hoisin sauce
    • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
    • ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
    • 3 teaspoons finely minced fresh garlic
    • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger (or sub with 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger)
    • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (add more for a spicier dish or omit for a mild dish)
    • ¼ cup dry roasted, salted peanuts
    • Optional garnish: sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, extra peanuts

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a medium baking dish with cooking spray (I have used a deep 9-inch by 6-inch dish, a deep 8-inch square dish, and an 11-inch by 7-inch dish, and all work well).
    • Place chicken in the prepared dish. Sprinkle with cornstarch and toss to coat.
    • In a separate bowl, whisk together chicken broth, brown sugar, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, salt, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Pour sauce over chicken and stir to combine.
    • Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir, return to the oven for 5-10 more minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and sauce has thickened.
    • Remove from oven, stir in peanuts. Season with additional salt and red pepper flakes, to taste. Garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, or extra peanuts just before serving.

    Video

    Notes

    • Don't skip the hoisin sauce, which is important for the recipe's flavor and texture.
    • The sesame oil is also a key ingredient, which cannot be replaced by other oils. Sesame oil has a unique rich, toasted flavor that gives many Asian dishes their authentic taste.
    • If available, use fresh ginger instead of dried, ground ginger. If using fresh ginger, you'll need about 1 teaspoon of the grated root.
    • Garnish each serving with scallions, toasted sesame seeds, or extra peanuts for even more flavor and texture.
    • Add a dash of soy sauce for a salty, umami component in the sauce.
    • Include some rice vinegar in the sauce for a little bit of acidic flavor.
    • If you prefer dark meat, use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breast.
    • The peanuts are optional, since not every General Tso's chicken recipe includes this ingredient. We love the added salty crunch that they give the dish!
    • Cooking Just for Two? Cut the ingredients in half and bake the chicken in a smaller dish. The cooking instructions remain the same.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1/6 of the recipe | Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 30.1g | Protein: 36.3g | Fat: 5.3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 88.3mg | Sodium: 314.4mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: 20.9g

    This recipe was originally published in January, 2018. The photos were updated in December, 2021.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Karly

      January 19, 2018 at 7:05 pm

      Wow. SO into this recipe. Easy, delicious and whole-family-pleasing. Definitely need to try!

      Reply
      • Blair

        January 20, 2018 at 6:10 am

        Thank you, Karly! I hope that you give it a try! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Donna Howard

      January 20, 2018 at 7:23 am

      Was going to make broccoli and cheese soup today but then saw this!! Ah, soup not happening!! Maybe another day. Thanks so much Blair another awesome recipe to add to my 5 yum list!!

      Reply
      • Blair

        January 20, 2018 at 9:11 am

        That's great, Donna! I hope you love it! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Chrissi

      January 20, 2018 at 8:13 pm

      Oh, can't wait to try this! Looks delicious..thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Blair

        January 21, 2018 at 5:28 am

        Thanks, Chrissi! Enjoy! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Debra

      January 21, 2018 at 7:33 pm

      I just made this for dinner and my family LOVED it! My son had to get used to the fact that it wasn’t fried but he had two helpings and my husband gave it a 10 out of 10.

      Keep sending the great recipes!

      Reply
      • Blair

        January 21, 2018 at 8:04 pm

        Hi, Debra! I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂

        Reply
        • Sam

          January 04, 2020 at 7:21 pm

          You say you can use chicken thighs. How does this change cooking time?

          Reply
          • Blair

            January 05, 2020 at 5:10 am

            Hi, Sam! Since you're cutting the thighs into bite-size pieces, it shouldn't change the cooking time at all. 🙂

            Reply
          • Pedro

            November 22, 2020 at 7:33 pm

            5 stars
            Thanks so much. Cooked it for my girl and the night went smoothly. Let’s just say I didn’t sleep much that night

            Reply
    5. Allison

      January 21, 2018 at 8:07 pm

      It is in the oven right now. It already smells wonderful! Will serve with coconut rice. I hope there will be leftovers for lunches!

      Reply
      • Blair

        January 22, 2018 at 5:40 am

        Perfect! Love the idea of pairing it with coconut rice. So good!

        Reply
    6. Lillie

      January 22, 2018 at 3:15 pm

      Do you have anything similar for sweet and sour chicken? Most recipes I see have you frying the chicken before the oven, but I really do not like to fry anything.

      Reply
      • Blair

        January 22, 2018 at 4:31 pm

        Hi, Lillie! No, I don't have a sweet and sour chicken recipe like this one, but I am definitely adding it to my list. Stay tuned, and thanks for that inspiration!

        Reply
    7. Mary

      January 24, 2018 at 8:28 pm

      Hi Blair. I made the General Tso chicken tonight for dinner & it is amazing. I served it over quinoa & oh so good. Definitely a keeper. I enjoy your weekly update on what your family has been doing, always uplifting & makes me smile while reading. Your boys are adorable. Thanks again for the great recipe, I've made many of your recipes & they are all so good.

      Reply
      • Blair

        January 25, 2018 at 8:22 am

        Yay! Thanks for letting me know, Mary! I bet the quinoa was a tasty companion! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Kristine

      January 27, 2018 at 12:24 am

      Hi Blair, I made this for dinner last week, it was so easy just steam some broccoli and rice for sides and dinner was ready. Everyone liked it, even my picky teenagers. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Blair

        January 27, 2018 at 6:01 am

        Excellent! I'm so glad that your family liked it, Kristine! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Mim

      February 09, 2018 at 4:44 pm

      Made this tonight and it was both easy and delicious. I didn't have rice but did have rice noodles! I have just discovered your site! Can't wait to see what else is here!

      Reply
      • Blair

        February 09, 2018 at 8:31 pm

        That's wonderful, Mim! I hope that you find plenty of other tasty ideas on the blog! 🙂 So glad that you found the site!

        Reply
    10. Robert

      February 10, 2018 at 2:09 pm

      Hi Blair,
      General Tso's Chicken is one of our favorites. We gave my brother-in-law a slow cooker months ago. Now he wants to learn how to use it. So I'm giving him my recipe for for beef stew. But I also want to bring him dinner. Can the recipe be made in the slow cooker? We love that it's a healthier version of a recipe recipe we love. Ee'll be seeing him on Sunday. I've been enjoying your site & blog immensely.
      Robert Fried

      Reply
      • Blair

        February 10, 2018 at 4:21 pm

        Hi, Robert! Yes, I think that this recipe would work well in the slow cooker! 🙂 Thanks for your kind note!

        Reply
    11. June

      March 31, 2018 at 6:47 pm

      Vegetarian here. I make it with tofu. No knocking it, now, till you've tried it.

      Reply
      • Blair

        March 31, 2018 at 7:06 pm

        That's a great idea, June! I bet the tofu soaks up that delicious sauce and tastes great. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

        Reply
    12. Mandy

      May 02, 2018 at 7:59 pm

      That was delicious! Way better than any of our local Chinese take outs. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Blair

        May 03, 2018 at 2:03 pm

        That's great, Mandy! So glad that you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    13. Norma

      May 08, 2018 at 6:24 pm

      Made this last night and it was easy and delicious! I didn't have any chicken breasts so used bone in skinless thighs instead, a little bit less sugar and chose Asian chili garlic sauce (which we love!) instead of red pepper flakes. So easy to put the sauce together and "dump" it over the chicken, then get the rest of dinner ready while it's baking. Wonderful flavor! Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Blair

        May 08, 2018 at 8:29 pm

        Hi, Norma! I'm so glad that you enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂 I bet that Asian chili garlic sauce was perfect in the dish!

        Reply
    14. Kathy

      September 12, 2018 at 11:09 am

      5 stars
      This is delicious! I liked that I could cut the recipe in half for 2 people. I followed the recipe exactly except I didn’t add the peanuts. My husband said this recipe is a keeper! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Blair

        September 12, 2018 at 3:05 pm

        Thank you, Kathy! I'm so glad that your husband approves, too. 🙂

        Reply
    15. Melody Gannaway

      February 07, 2019 at 6:49 pm

      We are making this for dinner! Recipe says it is for 4, but nutrition says a serving is 1/6 of the recipe. I am confused.

      Reply
      • Blair

        February 07, 2019 at 6:56 pm

        Hey, Melody! The recipe should say that it serves 4-6. The -6 part got cut off when we updated my site to use new recipe cards, and I haven't had a chance to go back and update this particular post yet. 🙂 The nutrition information is for 1/6 of the recipe. Hope that helps clarify, and enjoy the meal!

        Reply
    16. Debbie

      February 06, 2020 at 8:45 am

      5 stars
      I Made this for supper and it was definitely a HIT!! My family LOVED it. It was also easy to put together. I served it over cauliflower rice.

      Reply
      • Blair

        February 06, 2020 at 10:30 am

        Thanks, Debbie!

        Reply
    17. Nana====

      July 11, 2020 at 8:00 pm

      I want to make this and I will do it as instructed but also wondering if it could be done in a slow cooker.

      Reply
      • Blair

        July 11, 2020 at 8:01 pm

        Hi! Yes, I think it would probably work well in the slow cooker. I'd try it on LOW for 3-4 hours. 🙂

        Reply
    18. Catharine

      September 09, 2020 at 10:12 am

      5 stars
      YUM ! The house smelled amazing right from the prep of this recipe !
      I added the peanuts & fresh chili paste after the 1st stir. I served it with sticky white rice & Chinese broccolini
      There wasn’t as much sauce in the end as your pic shows - will add more liquid next time
      I would have to say the recipe really only serves 4
      Definitely a keeper 🙂

      Reply
      • Blair

        September 09, 2020 at 2:11 pm

        Thanks, Catharine! I'm so glad that it was a hit!

        Reply
    19. Julia J

      September 16, 2020 at 3:12 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe! Just tried it today. I made a few amendments and put a bit less brown sugar, as well as adding some sriracha and soy sauce. Turned out really well and easy to throw together and serve with some rice.

      Reply
      • Blair

        September 16, 2020 at 4:16 pm

        That sounds perfect, Julia! Thank you!

        Reply
    20. Dee

      December 06, 2020 at 8:28 am

      5 stars
      so delcious. I cut down a bit on on the brown sugar and also added slivered green and red bell pepper (one large of each) to the baking time and then steamed broccoli to add at the end. I also used fresh grated ginger since we love ginger.

      Reply
      • Blair

        December 06, 2020 at 12:48 pm

        Sounds perfect, Dee! Thank you!

        Reply
        • Kristen

          April 08, 2021 at 8:19 pm

          Hi, is it okay to add bell pepper to the mixture to cook at the same time with the chicken or should I do it separately/combine at the end before serving? Thank you!

          Reply
          • Blair

            April 09, 2021 at 5:28 am

            Yes, that should work well! 🙂

            Reply
            • Kristen

              April 09, 2021 at 7:32 pm

              Thank you! Excited to try this recipe, wanted to get some extra veggies in 🙂

    21. Kristen

      April 11, 2021 at 3:23 am

      Thank you! Excited to try this recipe, wanted to get some extra veggies in 🙂

      Reply
      • Blair

        April 11, 2021 at 6:07 am

        I hope you enjoy, Kristen! 🙂

        Reply
    22. Grace

      May 06, 2021 at 6:17 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent recipe and the only thing I would do differently is reduce the pepper flakes other than that this was easy and tasty!

      Reply
      • Blair

        May 06, 2021 at 7:51 pm

        Thanks, Grace!

        Reply
    23. Karen Hinkle

      October 08, 2021 at 4:12 pm

      5 stars
      Love love love this recipe! So delicious! And easy!

      Reply
      • Blair Lonergan

        October 08, 2021 at 7:50 pm

        Thank you, Karen! 🙂

        Reply
    24. Jennifer H

      April 07, 2022 at 9:24 am

      5 stars
      Made this last night, and it was a bit with both my husband and I. The flavor was so good, and the easy prep was awesome. I am somewhat disabled; so lengthy meal prep is not something I am able to do. Tonight we’re making your chicken with potatoes on a sheet pan. Thank you so much for your dump and go dinners. There are several I want to try.

      Reply
      • Blair Lonergan

        April 07, 2022 at 1:52 pm

        Awesome, Jennifer. I'm so glad to hear that the recipe was a hit. Thanks for taking the time to leave me a note!

        Reply

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