General Tso’s chicken

Savoury and sweet slow cooked succulent chicken with a mixture of textures

200 mins Cook 2.6k Views
Homemade Chinese General Tsos Chicken

While there’s debate about the exact origins, it’s been associated with Zuo Zongtang, a military leader from Hunan province during the Qing Dynasty. The classic version of this dish has a distinctive tangy sauce with intense spices and savoury flavours native to Hunanese cuisine.

AuthorHungry PandaCategoryDifficultyIntermediate

Yields4 Servings
Prep Time30 minsCook Time2 hrs 50 minsTotal Time3 hrs 20 mins

FOR THE RICE
 3 rice measuring cups long grain white rice
FOR THE CHICKEN
 900 g ( 4 ) chicken breast, trimmed and cut into bite size chunks
 1 tbsp olive oil
 4 tbsp cornstarch
 ½ tsp white pepper
 1 tsp garlic powder
 1 tsp salt
FOR THE SAUCE
 4 tbsp hoisin sauce
 4 tbsp soy sauce
 4 tbsp rice vinegar
 2 tbsp sugar
 1 tbsp garlic, minced
 2 tbsp water
 1 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed

HOW TO MAKE
1

Add the rice to the rice cooker inner bowl and fill with water to the 3 cup level line for WHITE RICE.
Select the WHITE RICE or LONG GRAIN function and press START. When cooked set aside on KEEP
WARM for when the chicken is ready.

2

Mix the corn starch, salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, and pepper to the chicken in a zip loc bag and shake.

3

Add the coated chicken pieces to a pan with the oil heated and saute the outside until brown. (Instead of using a pan you can use the rice cooker bowl heated to perform the sauting).

4

Add half of the sauce ingredients to the browned chicken in a bowl and mix to combine.

5

Add the sauce with chicken to the rice cooker inner bowl and set to SLOW COOK for 3 hours.

6

Just before serving add the rest of the sauce to the chicken stir gently and leave on KEEP WARM with the lid closed for 5 or 10 minutes.

7

Serve on the cooked rice. Garnish with chopped spring onions and a sprinkling sesame seeds
(optional)

Ingredients

FOR THE RICE
 3 rice measuring cups long grain white rice
FOR THE CHICKEN
 900 g ( 4 ) chicken breast, trimmed and cut into bite size chunks
 1 tbsp olive oil
 4 tbsp cornstarch
 ½ tsp white pepper
 1 tsp garlic powder
 1 tsp salt
FOR THE SAUCE
 4 tbsp hoisin sauce
 4 tbsp soy sauce
 4 tbsp rice vinegar
 2 tbsp sugar
 1 tbsp garlic, minced
 2 tbsp water
 1 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed

Directions

HOW TO MAKE
1

Add the rice to the rice cooker inner bowl and fill with water to the 3 cup level line for WHITE RICE.
Select the WHITE RICE or LONG GRAIN function and press START. When cooked set aside on KEEP
WARM for when the chicken is ready.

2

Mix the corn starch, salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, and pepper to the chicken in a zip loc bag and shake.

3

Add the coated chicken pieces to a pan with the oil heated and saute the outside until brown. (Instead of using a pan you can use the rice cooker bowl heated to perform the sauting).

4

Add half of the sauce ingredients to the browned chicken in a bowl and mix to combine.

5

Add the sauce with chicken to the rice cooker inner bowl and set to SLOW COOK for 3 hours.

6

Just before serving add the rest of the sauce to the chicken stir gently and leave on KEEP WARM with the lid closed for 5 or 10 minutes.

7

Serve on the cooked rice. Garnish with chopped spring onions and a sprinkling sesame seeds
(optional)

Notes

General tso’s chicken
IngredientsDirections

Slow cook with broccoli if you feel the dish needs some vegetables. Try and aim to get a slightly crispy char on the chicken before beginning the slow cook process. This adds texture and flavour (best done in a pan).