Easy General Tsos Chicken + Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken

This Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken recipe is simple and affordable so that you can enjoy tasty takeout-style meals at home.

Suitable for Gluten Free diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.

Eating out can be convenient, but when you discover how easy and affordable it is to make some of your favorite takeout meals at home, you may think twice before heading to your favorite Asian restaurant. 

Not only is it incredibly simple to make General Tsos Chicken at home, but this homemade version is also healthier.

Air frying the chicken means you use less oil. You still get crispy, crunchy chicken but with fewer calories and fat. And air-fried chicken cooks quickly, too, saving you time. 

Like with my Air Fryer Orange Chicken and delicious Kung Pao Chicken, when you make homemade General Tso sauce, you have more control over the amount of sodium, and you can be sure the ingredients are gluten free.

General Tso Sauce is sweet, tangy, and finger-licking good, and you can make it as sweet or as spicy as you like.

Why Make This Recipe

• Affordable – Spending money on takeout can add up, and it’s easy to make General Tso’s chicken at home for a fraction of the cost.  
• Fast – Get dinner on the table in about 20 minutes. That’s faster than takeout. 
• Easy to Double – Easily double this recipe to feed a crowd, or so you have leftovers for that midnight snack attack. 
• Healthier – Less fat, fewer calories, and lower in sodium than restaurant food. 

Ingredient Notes

• Chicken – Use either breasts or chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Corn starch – This gives the chicken a crispy coating and helps to thicken the sauce
• Chicken stock – This dish has a lot of sodium, so look for low sodium stock. You can also use vegetable stock. 
• Brown sugar – Adds just a touch of sweetness.
• Gluten free soy sauce – Not all soy sauce is gluten free so look for one labeled as such or look for Tamari sauce which is usually gluten free.
• Rice wine vinegar – Slightly sweeter and less acidic than white vinegar, but you can use white vinegar as a substitute. 
• Tomato sauce – You can substitute ketchup if you don’t have tomato sauce. 
• Gluten free hoisin sauce – Sweet, salty, and just a little spicy. 
• Sesame oil – This toasty oil gives food a traditional Asian flavor. 
• Minced garlic – Fresh garlic has the most flavor, but you can use jarred garlic. 
• Minced ginger – Look for fresh ginger or purchase minced ginger in a tube.

How To Make Air Fryer General Tsos Chicken

Get full ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

1. Mix chicken and corn starch in a bowl until pieces are coated and cook in a 400F/ 200C air fryer for 9-10 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165F / 74C. Shake halfway through cooking. 
2. While the chicken cooks, prepare the sauce by combining chicken stock, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, tomato sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger and cornstarch slurry in a saucepan or wok. Simmer over low to medium heat for about 4-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
3. Add the cooked chicken to the sauce and toss until well coated.

How To Make Make General Tsos Chicken On The Stove Top

1. Mix chicken and corn starch in a bowl until pieces are coated.
2. Heat about 2 cm of oil in a skillet or saucepan and cook chicken for 3-4 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove from skillet and drain on a plate that has been lined with absorbent kitchen paper.
3. While the chicken cooks, prepare the sauce by combining chicken stock, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, tomato sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger and cornstarch slurry in a saucepan or wok. Simmer over low to medium heat for about 4-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
4. Add cooked chicken into the sauce and toss until coated.

Tips For Success

• Spray the basket of your air fryer with a bit of oil before adding the chicken. 
• For the juiciest chicken, use chicken thighs. 
• If cooking a lot of chicken, cook in batches. 
• Shake the chicken halfway through so it cooks evenly. 
• Make sure the chicken is cooked thoroughly. Chicken should be cooked to 165F / 74C. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. 
• Air fryer temperatures will vary depending on the type and model, so use the cooking time as a guide only and adjust as needed.

Variations

• Less Sweet – If you prefer a less sweet sauce, use half the brown sugar or leave it out entirely. You can also use honey instead of brown sugar.
• Make it Spicy – Add a few dried chilis or some red pepper flakes to the sauce to give it a little heat. 
• Add Citrus – A bit of orange zest added to the sauce adds a bright flavor. 

Budget-Friendly Tips 

• Buy In Bulk– Buy chicken in bulk or when on sale and store in the freezer for later use. 
• Add Veggies – Stir Fry broccoli, onions, peppers or your favorite veggies to bulk out this meal and stretch it even further. 
• Serve with Rice – Serve with white rice or fried rice for a complete meal. 

Make Ahead And Storage

Prep Ahead – If serving with rice, prepare the rice up to 24 hours in advance and reheat before serving. 

Store – Cover leftovers and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

Freeze – Follow the handy tips below for how to freeze these;

• Freeze the cooled chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
• Freeze the sauce in a separate container for best results. 

Reheat – Reheat chicken in the air fryer and toss with reheated sauce before serving. 

FAQs

More Recipes You May Like

• Air Fryer Orange Chicken.
• Kung Pao Chicken.
• Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken.
• Easy Air Fryer Garlic Butter Shrimp.

Serving Suggestions

• Instant Pot Coconut Rice.
• Ramen Noodles Stir Fry.

Weight Watchers Points

There are 3 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

Did you make this recipe? Then I would love to hear how it turned out. Please leave a comment and star rating below. And I really appreciate you sharing this recipe with your family and friends. Enjoy every mouthful 😊🍲 – Bintu

Get The General Tsos Chicken Air Fryer Recipe:

Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken

Crispy air fried chicken is tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce for a delicious takeout style meal at home.

5 from 5 votes

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Asian, Chinese

Diet: Gluten Free

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 208kcal

Author: Bintu Hardy | Budget Delicious

Ingredients

For The Chicken

• 1 pound (453g) boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

For the General Tso Sauce

• ½ cup (118ml) low sodium chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon gluten free hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with water to make a slurry

Instructions

To Make in Air Fryer:

• Preheat air fryer to 400F / 200C.
• Mix bite-sized chicken and corn starch in a bowl until the pieces are coated.
• Place chicken into the air fryer basket and cook for 9-10 minutes or until cooked through, making sure to shake halfway through cooking. Set aside once done.
• While the chicken cooks, prepare your sauce by combining chicken stock, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, tomato sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic and ginger, and cornstarch slurry in a saucepan or wok and let simmer over low to medium heat for about 4-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
• Switch off the heat and add cooked chicken into the sauce and mix until coated.
• Remove and serve with rice and steamed or sautéed veggies.

To Make on Stove Top:

• Mix chicken and corn starch in a bowl until pieces are coated.
• Heat about 2 cm of oil in a skillet or saucepan and cook chicken for 3-4 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove from skillet and drain on a plate that has been lined with absorbent kitchen paper.
• While the chicken cooks, prepare the sauce by combining chicken stock, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, tomato sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger and cornstarch slurry in a saucepan or wok. Simmer over low to medium heat for about 4-5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
• Add cooked chicken into the sauce and toss until well coated.

Notes

• Spray the basket of your air fryer with a bit of oil before adding the chicken. 
• For the juiciest chicken, use chicken thighs. 
• If cooking a lot of chicken, cook in batches. 
• Shake the chicken halfway through cooking to get an even, crisp coating. 
• Make sure the chicken is cooked thoroughly. Chicken should be cooked to 165F / 74C. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. 
• Air fryer temperatures will vary depending on the type and model, so use the cooking time as a guide only and adjust as needed.
• There are 3 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.
• Store – cover leftovers and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 750mg | Potassium: 509mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 67IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg