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top down view of a bowl containing rice ands general tsos chicken

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
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 208kcal

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