Air Fryer General Tso's Chicken is such a great way to make one of the best foods right at home. This easy recipe is a popular Chinese food, and for a good reason! Add this to your list of top air fryer recipes because this is about to be one of your favorite weeknight meals.
Why I Love This
I love this succulent chicken recipe paired with the general Tso sauce. It's like having my own little crispy chicken bites with an addictive and delicious crunch.
I think that the homemade version tastes better than anything that you'll find elsewhere. It's time to put your own spin on this Chinese takeout classic and make this cheater version right at home.
This is a healthier take for a crispy coating with a quicker cook time. What more could you want?
If you love chicken for dinner, try air fryer orange chicken, air fryer stuffed chicken, air fryer Dorito chicken, or these air fryer frozen chicken pot stickers. Or for all things chicken, check out this article where we share our favorite top 50 air fryer chicken recipes.
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Ingredients
- Boneless Chicken-skinless chicken breast or thighs
- Cornstarch
- Salt
- Black pepper
- General Tso’s Sauce-store bought, like Hormel's House of Tsang Sauce, or homemade- (recipe below)
Garnish: Chopped green onions, sesame seeds (optional)
How to make Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken
Step 1
In a medium shallow bowl, toss chicken pieces with cornstarch, salt and pepper, on both sides.
Step 2
Place into the air fryer basket, that is lightly sprayed with nonstick spray.
Step 3
Air fry at 380 degrees F for 8-10 minutes, tossing chicken halfway through cooking time. Chicken should be crispy and have an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Step 4
Add sauce to chicken and toss in an air fryer basket. Return basket to air fryer and air fryer at 380 degrees F for 1-2 minutes. Use a digital meat thermometer to ensure the chicken has reached 165 degrees F/74 degrees C.
Step 5
Serve with rice or broccoli.
Tips
- I make this recipe in my Cosori 5.8 qt. air fryer or 6.8 quart air fryer. Depending on your air fryer, size and wattages, cooking time may need to be adjusted 1-2 minutes.
- Use a silicone liner for easy cleanup.
- Use a digital meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165°F/74°C.
For Homemade General Tso’s Sauce:
- Rice wine or vinegar
- Hoisin or teriyaki sauce
- Red pepper flakes
- Fresh garlic, minced
- Fresh ginger, grated
- Granulated sugar
- Cornstarch
How to make General Tso’s Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, add rice wine or vinegar, hoisin or teriyaki sauce, pepper flakes, garlic and ginger. Stir until fragrant.
- Add in sugar, then stir together until sugar dissolves and sauce begins to lightly boil.
- Remove from heat and add cornstarch.
- Continue whisking until the sauce thickens.
How to Serve
This air fryer general Tso chicken is easy to serve! Just plate and add some sweet sauce or tangy sauce, your choice. You can pair it with white rice or eat it just like it is.
Storage and Reheating
If you have leftovers of one of the most popular Chinese dishes, this means that you'll get to enjoy that crispy coating texture once again! Let the chicken cool down after air frying, and then add it to an airtight container. Keep it in the fridge until you eat next for 3-4 days.
Reheat leftovers at 350°F for 2-3 minutes, or until heated completely through.
FAQs
If you want to make this dish sweeter, add a tad bit of brown sugar. You can also use it in place of the white sugar, but it is going to change up the flavor and make it quite a bit sweeter.
Make sure that you have cooked chicken all the way done without overcooking it. The air fryer does a great job, but you can also verify the internal temperature using a meat thermometer. The chicken pieces should show 165 degrees F on the thermometer to be considered done and safe to eat.
I hope you love this General Tso's chicken as much as we do! It's the perfect way to get that take-out fix without leaving home.
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📖 Recipe
Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup General Tso’s Sauce
- Garnish: Chopped green onions, sesame seeds
Homemade General Tso’s Sauce:
- ⅓ cup rice wine or vinegar
- ¼ cup hoisin or teriyaki sauce
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon granuated sugar
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- In a medium shallow bowl, toss chicken pieces with cornstarch, salt and pepper, on both sides.
- Place into the air fryer basket, that is lightly sprayed with nonstick spray.
- Air fry at 380 degrees F for 8-10 minutes, tossing chicken halfway through cooking time. Chicken should be crispy and have an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Add sauce to chicken and toss in an air fryer basket. Return basket to air fryer and air fryer at 380 degrees F for 1-2 minutes. Serve with rice or broccoli.
To make Homemade General Tso’s Sauce:
- In a medium saucepan, add rice wine or vinegar, hoisin or teriyaki sauce, pepper flakes, garlic and ginger. Stir until fragrant.
- Add in sugar, then stir together until sugar dissolves and sauce begins to lightly boil.
- Remove from heat and add cornstarch.
- Continue whisking until the sauce thickens.
Notes
Variations
Use different sauce ingredients - While this air fryer general Tso's chicken recipe is perfect as is, you can always change the sauce and change the flavor. You can add spicy flavor with chili flakes or any other spicy sauce you like. Adding soy sauce is also a great way to add a different flavor.Nutrition
*Nutritional information is a calculated guesstimate. Please note that this can change with different brands and modifications you may make to the recipe. For the most accurate information, use a nutritional calculator with the exact brands and measurements you're using with each recipe.
©AirFryingFoodie 2024
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