General Tso’s Chicken with Classic Fried Rice Recipe

I am pleasantly surprised — these two recipes are winners! If you or your family love General Tso’s Chicken, make this right away. My family honestly thought it was takeout; they couldn’t get enough.

I hesitated to try these for a while because many homemade Chinese recipes don’t capture the takeout flavor. I was worried the General Tso Chicken and fried rice wouldn’t measure up, but as I cooked and tasted I was pleasantly surprised — everything came together and tasted great.

Everyone likes their Chinese food a little differently. If you think the dish needs more seasoning, feel free to adjust to taste. The sauce in this recipe is lighter than typical takeout; if you prefer more sauce, double the sauce ingredients.

General Tso Chicken and Fried Rice

April Boller Wright

Ingredients

Ingredients for the General Tso
1 lb chicken breast
2 eggs, whisked
2 cups flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
Asian seasoning, to taste (I used Simply Asia Szechwan)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp water
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
1 tsp cayenne pepper
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup light soy sauce (if using regular soy sauce, use 1/8 cup soy sauce + 1/8 cup chicken broth)
1 tbsp crushed red pepper (or to taste)
Ingredients for the Fried Rice
4 green onions, sliced thin
3 tbsp soy sauce, or more to taste
2 tsp fish sauce (optional)
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
Asian seasoning, to taste (I used Simply Asia Szechwan)
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 tbsp butter, divided
2 medium carrots, diced
3 eggs, whisked
1/2 cup peas (optional)
1 small white onion, diced
4 cups cooked, chilled rice

Instructions

General Tso Instructions
Preheat the oven to 250°F to keep the cooked chicken warm.
Season chicken with salt, pepper, and Asian seasoning.
Dredge the chicken in whisked egg, then in flour. Fry in oil over medium heat (in a wok or skillet) until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
Sprinkle cayenne over the fried chicken and place it in the warm oven.
In a saucepan, combine sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic, crushed red pepper, and ginger. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is smooth.
Slowly add the cornstarch mixture while stirring constantly until the sauce thickens to your liking.
Remove the chicken from the oven, pour the sauce into the wok or skillet, and toss to coat. Stir in sliced green onions and additional red pepper flakes if desired. Serve hot.
Fried Rice Instructions
Heat 1 tbsp butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and scramble until just set. Remove eggs and set aside.
Add the remaining 1 tbsp butter to the pan. Add peas (if using), minced garlic, diced carrots, diced onion, salt, and pepper.
Sauté for 5–7 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and onions are soft.
Increase the heat, add 2 tbsp butter and stir until melted. Add the scrambled eggs, green onions, soy sauce, Asian seasoning, and sesame oil. Stir to combine and heat through.
Remove from heat and serve the fried rice alongside the General Tso Chicken.