Healthy General Tso Chicken: A Lighter Take on Your Favorite Chinese Takeout

Craving the vibrant, sweet, and savory flavors of General Tso Chicken but want to avoid the deep-fried indulgence? Look no further! This Healthy General Tso Chicken recipe delivers all the iconic taste and delightful textures you love, without a deep fryer in sight. We’ve perfected a method that keeps the chicken wonderfully crisp on the outside and tender within, enveloped in a rich, deeply flavorful sauce that’s both satisfying and surprisingly light. Best of all, it comes together quickly, making it a perfect solution for busy weeknights when you want a homemade meal that rivals your favorite takeout.

Why This Healthier General Tso Chicken Recipe is a Must-Try

Forget sacrificing flavor for health. Our General Tso Chicken recipe proves you can have the best of both worlds. Here’s why this dish will become a staple in your kitchen:

• Effortlessly Easy & Super Quick: With a mere 15-minute cook time and minimal prep, this recipe is designed for maximum flavor with minimum fuss. It’s ideal for those evenings when time is tight but you still crave a homemade, satisfying meal. No complex techniques or long cooking processes are required, just simple stir-frying for a delicious outcome.
• A Healthier Alternative to Takeout: Traditional General Tso’s is notoriously high in calories and fat due to deep-fried chicken. Our version cleverly uses stir-fried chicken, coated in a light layer of cornstarch, achieving a fantastic crispy exterior without the heavy oil. This significantly reduces the fat content, making it a dish you can enjoy guilt-free.
• Explosively Flavorful and Customizable Sauce: The heart of any great General Tso dish is its sauce, and ours is truly exceptional. It’s a perfect balance of savory soy, tangy vinegar, sweet honey, and spicy garlic chili sauce, creating a complex flavor profile that tantalizes the taste buds. Plus, you have complete control over the spice level – dial it up for a fiery kick or keep it mild for a more subtle warmth.
• Incredibly Versatile for Any Palate: While chicken is the classic choice, this recipe is wonderfully adaptable. Feel free to substitute the chicken with thinly sliced pork, tender beef, or even extra-firm tofu for a vegetarian option. You can also experiment with adding other vegetables like bell peppers, snap peas, or carrots to boost its nutritional value and appeal.
• Restaurant-Quality Taste, Homemade Freshness: Achieve the authentic, restaurant-quality taste of General Tso’s Chicken right in your own kitchen. The freshness of homemade ingredients and the absence of excessive oils or preservatives mean you’re getting a dish that’s not just healthier, but also tastes brighter and more vibrant than typical takeout.

Mastering Your Healthy General Tso Chicken: Step-by-Step Guide

Creating this delicious, healthier General Tso Chicken is straightforward. Follow these detailed steps for a perfect meal every time:

1. Prepare the Signature General Tso Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar (or white vinegar for a similar tang), honey, and garlic chili sauce (adjust to your preferred spice level). Add the chicken broth and just one teaspoon of cornstarch to help the sauce begin to thicken later. Whisk until smooth and set this mixture aside. This allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
2. Perfect Your Broccoli: In a wok or a large sauté pan, add about 1/2 cup of water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Add your broccoli florets to the pan, cover it, and let it steam for just about 2 minutes. You want the broccoli to turn a vibrant green and be crunchy-tender, not mushy. Promptly remove the broccoli from the pan, drain any excess water, and rinse it under cool water to halt the cooking process. Set the perfectly blanched broccoli aside. Empty any remaining water from your wok or pan and ensure it’s thoroughly dry before returning it to the stove for the next step.
3. Prepare the Chicken for Stir-Frying: Take your boneless chicken meat, cut into uniform 1-inch pieces, and place them in a medium bowl. Add the remaining two teaspoons of cornstarch, a pinch of salt, and a generous grind of black pepper. Toss the chicken thoroughly to ensure each piece is evenly coated. This cornstarch coating is crucial; it’s what gives the chicken a delightful crispy crust when stir-fried, mimicking the texture of deep-frying without all the oil.
4. Achieve Crispy Chicken Through Batch Cooking: Heat your wok or large pan over high heat until it’s very hot – a slight wisp of smoke is a good sign. Add about 1.5 tablespoons of your preferred cooking oil and swirl to coat the surface. To achieve that beautiful golden-brown crust and prevent the chicken from steaming instead of frying, you must cook it in a single layer, giving each piece ample space. Add half of the coated chicken to the pan in an even layer. Let it cook undisturbed for 1-2 minutes until the bottom is nicely browned. Flip the chicken pieces and cook until the other side is also golden. The chicken should be about halfway cooked through. Remove these half-cooked pieces to a clean plate and set aside. As you remove the first batch, continually add the remaining raw chicken to the pan, cooking it in the same manner. This ensures every piece gets that desirable crispy texture.
5. Sauté Aromatics to Build Flavor: Once all the chicken has been cooked and set aside, reduce the heat to medium. Allow the pan to cool slightly for a moment or two. This prevents the aromatics from burning instantly when added. There should still be some residual cooking oil in the pan from the chicken. Add the chopped green onions, finely minced garlic, and grated ginger to the pan. Stir-fry these aromatics for about 30 seconds, or until they become wonderfully fragrant. Pay close attention to your heat, ensuring these delicate ingredients don’t scorch.
6. Combine and Thicken the Sauce: Pour the previously prepared General Tso’s sauce mixture into the pan with the aromatics. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly. As it heats, the cornstarch will activate, causing the sauce to thicken beautifully. Return all the cooked chicken and the steamed broccoli to the pan. Toss everything gently to ensure the chicken and broccoli are thoroughly coated in the luscious, thick sauce. Continue to cook for just 1 minute more, allowing the chicken to finish cooking through completely and absorb the flavors.
7. Serve Immediately: Once the sauce has thickened and coated everything perfectly, sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds for added flavor and visual appeal. Serve your Healthy General Tso Chicken immediately, ideally over a bed of fluffy white or brown rice for a complete and satisfying meal.

Dark Meat vs. White Meat: The Best Choice for Healthy General Tso Chicken

When it comes to choosing your chicken for stir-fries and saucy dishes like General Tso’s, many people automatically reach for boneless, skinless chicken breast (white meat) in the pursuit of a healthier option. However, the nutritional differences between dark meat (like boneless, skinless chicken thighs) and white meat are often less significant than commonly believed, and dark meat can actually offer some distinct advantages in terms of flavor and texture, especially for this recipe.

According to an insightful article from Josh Ozersky on Time Magazine, the perceived gap in healthiness between white and dark meat might be overstated. Let’s look at some figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture:

• 100 grams of white meat: Contains approximately 0.56 grams of saturated fat and 114 calories.
• 100 grams of dark meat: Contains approximately 1 gram of saturated fat and 119 calories.

While dark meat has slightly more saturated fat and calories, the difference is marginal – a mere 0.46 grams of saturated fat and 5 calories. For such a negligible difference, many home cooks, myself included, find the benefits of dark meat far outweigh the slight caloric increase.

Beyond the numbers, dark meat excels in a few key areas:

• Flavor and Moisture: Dark meat is inherently more flavorful and moister than white meat. It contains more intramuscular fat, which renders during cooking, keeping the chicken tender and preventing it from drying out, even under high heat stir-frying. This is particularly advantageous for dishes like General Tso’s Chicken, where you want succulent pieces of chicken coated in a rich sauce.
• Satiety: An article from Men’s Health highlights that “The extra fat in dark turkey or chicken meat raises your levels of cholecystokinin (CCK), a hormone that makes you feel fuller, longer.” This means you might feel more satisfied after eating a dish made with dark meat, potentially helping with portion control.
• Nutrient Density: Dark meat is also a powerhouse of essential nutrients. Live Science points out that a nutrient called taurine, abundant in poultry dark meat, significantly lowered the risk of coronary heart disease in women with high cholesterol, and may also protect against diabetes and high blood pressure. Furthermore, Slate magazine adds that “Dark chicken meat is also nutrient-rich, containing higher levels of iron, zinc, riboflavin, thiamine, and vitamins B6 and B12 than white meat.”

Given these advantages, don’t hesitate to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs (dark meat) in this Healthy General Tso Chicken recipe. You’ll be rewarded with a more flavorful, juicy, and satisfying dish that still aligns with your healthy eating goals.

Top Tips for an Unforgettable Healthy General Tso Chicken

Elevate your homemade General Tso Chicken with these expert tips and tricks, ensuring a perfect dish every time:

• Protein Power – Beyond Chicken: While chicken is traditional, this recipe is incredibly flexible. Feel free to substitute boneless, skinless chicken with thinly sliced pork loin or tender beef sirloin. For a delicious vegetarian option, use extra-firm tofu (pressed and cubed) and vegetable broth in place of chicken broth. The tofu will crisp up beautifully and absorb the sauce just as well!
• The Art of Batch Cooking Chicken: To achieve that irresistible crispy coating on your chicken pieces, it’s crucial to stir-fry them in two separate batches. Overcrowding the pan lowers the temperature, causing the chicken to steam rather than fry, resulting in a soggy texture. Cooking in batches ensures each piece has enough space to make direct contact with the hot wok or pan, developing a perfect golden crust.
• Vegetarian Version Done Right: If opting for tofu, ensure it’s extra-firm and pressed to remove excess water. Cut it into uniform cubes and toss with cornstarch, salt, and pepper, just like the chicken. Stir-fry it until golden and crispy before proceeding with the rest of the recipe. Remember to use vegetable broth for the sauce to keep it completely plant-based.
• Serving Suggestions for a Complete Meal: This Healthy General Tso Chicken is fantastic served immediately over a bed of freshly steamed white rice, brown rice for added fiber, or even quinoa. For a lower-carb option, consider serving it with cauliflower rice or alongside a simple stir-fried vegetable medley. Don’t forget a sprinkle of extra sesame seeds and chopped green onions for garnish!
• Customize Your Spice Level: The garlic chili sauce is your key to controlling the heat. Start with 1 teaspoon for a mild warmth and add up to 2 teaspoons (or more!) for a bolder, spicier kick. Always taste the sauce before adding it to the pan and adjust to your preference.
• High Heat is Your Friend: Stir-frying relies on high heat for quick cooking and crisp textures. Make sure your wok or pan is smoking hot before adding oil and ingredients. This ensures a quick sear on the chicken and vibrant, crisp-tender vegetables.
• Prep Ahead for Quick Dinners: To make this recipe even faster on a busy weeknight, you can prep some ingredients in advance. Whisk together the sauce ingredients and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also cut your chicken and broccoli ahead of time. This will shave precious minutes off your cooking time!

I love hearing from you! If you have made this Healthy General Tso Chicken, be sure to leave me a star rating and a comment below! Your feedback helps others discover and enjoy this delicious recipe too.

Healthy General Tso Chicken Recipe Video

Healthy General Tso Chicken

Jayden Hair

This Healthy General Tso Chicken doesn’t deep fry the chicken but still gives you a delicious dish, with great textures and awesome flavor, plus it’s so quick and easy to make!

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Asian

Servings 4 servings

Calories 350 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar or white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 to 2 teaspoons garlic chili sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 3 teaspoons cornstarch divided
• 1 large head broccoli cut into small florets
• 1 pound boneless chicken meat cut into 1-inch pieces
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1-1/2 tablespoon of cooking oil
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic finely minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger finely minced (or grated on rasp grater)
• 4 stalks green onion chopped
• 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds

Instructions

 

• In a bowl, make the General Tso sauce: Whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, garlic chili sauce, chicken broth, just 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch. Set aside.
• In a wok or large sauté pan over high heat, add 1/2 cup water and bring to a boil. Add broccoli to the pan and cover. Steam for 2 minutes or until broccoli has turned bright green and is crunchy-tender (just shy of cooked through.) Remove broccoli from pan, drain and rinse with cool water to stop cooking. Set broccoli aside. Empty water from wok or pan and dry well. Return wok or pan to stove.
• In a medium bowl, add chicken, remaining 2 teaspoons of cornstarch, salt and pepper and stir to coat chicken evenly.
• Heat the wok over high heat. When very hot, add cooking oil and swirl to coat. To get a nice crust on the chicken, you’ll cook them in a single layer, giving them plenty of space to brown. Add half the chicken to pan in a single layer. Let cook undisturbed for 1-2 minutes, until the bottom of chicken is browned, flip chicken, cook until other side is browned. The chicken should be halfway cooked through – remove the half-cooked chicken pieces to a plate to set aside. As you take chicken pieces out, continually add in more of the raw chicken to the pan to cook.
• When all the chicken have cooked, turn heat to medium. Let the pan cool a bit before adding the rest of the ingredients (so they don’t burn). The pan should still have some cooking oil left from the chicken. To the pan, add the green onions, garlic and ginger . Stir fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Control your heat so that the ingredients don’t burn.
• Pour in the General Tso’s sauce to pan and bring mixture to a simmer. Return the chicken and broccoli to the pan, toss and cook for 1 minute. The sauce should thicken and the chicken should be cooked through completely. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Notes

You can substitute chicken for thinly sliced pork or beef.
Stir fry the chicken in two batches, to make sure all the chicken touches the wok/pan
For a vegetarian version, use extra firm tofu cut into cubes and vegetable broth.
Serve with white or brown rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 27gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 804mgPotassium: 770mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1225IUVitamin C: 142mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 3mg

Keyword asian chicken, chicken stir fry, general tso chicken

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