Basic Tso’s Hen – Spend With Pennies

August 10, 2025

1

Basic Tso’s (pronounced “so”) Hen is well made utilizing rooster broth, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and a touch of crimson pepper flakes for a resturant high quality at dwelling.

What’s Basic Tso’s Hen?

Made well-known for the candy and savory sauce that adheres to tender chunks of fried rooster, it’s named after a Chinese language common however was truly created by a Taiwanese chef within the ‘50s and later made to swimsuit North American style buds.

Taste: Candy, savory, and just a bit spicy with a wealthy, sticky sauce that adheres to crispy rooster.
Really helpful Instruments: Massive non-stick skillet, mixing bowls, tongs, and a whisk.
Finances Tip: Use boneless rooster thighs as an alternative of breasts. They’re typically cheaper and keep further juicy.
Time-Saving Tip: Use pre-minced garlic and ginger or a squeeze of garlic/ginger paste to skip chopping.
Serving Suggestion: Serve over baked or fried rice. It’s “Tso” good!

chicken , broth , ginger , green onions , sugar , soy sauce , vinegar , garlic , hoisin sauce , red pepper flakes , oil with labels to make General Tso's Chicken

On a regular basis Components

Hen: You need to use rooster thighs, breasts, or cutlets, no matter you’ve gotten readily available! Floor rooster or turkey works too.
Sauce: Pantry fundamentals, rooster broth, Asian sauces & spices give this dish its signature taste.
Seasonings: Recent garlic and ginger work greatest, however store-bought paste or dried powders will work in a pinch. Make the sauce further spicy by including a splash of sriracha, gochujang, or chile paste.
Variations: Complete child mushrooms, water chestnuts, chopped child bok choy, child corn, and diced bell peppers could be added to the opposite components to present this dish extra aptitude.

General Tso's Chicken in the pan with sauce being poured over top

The right way to Make Basic Tso’s Hen

Prep Hen: Minimize rooster into bite-size chunks and toss with seasonings, overwhelmed eggs, and cornstarch.
Fry: Stir-fry the rooster in oil and put aside.
Mix: Whisk sauce components collectively in the identical pan and cook dinner till thickened, then stir within the cooked rooster and warmth via.

Garnish with inexperienced onion and sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.

Hen is less complicated to chop into bite-sized chunks when it’s barely frozen.
You’ll want to preheat the oil earlier than frying the rooster so it received’t absorb the oil and can fry up crispy and brown with out sticking.
Use extra (or much less) cornstarch slurry to regulate the thickness of the sauce to your liking.

General Tso's Chicken and sauce in frying pan

Leftovers?

Retailer Basic Tso’s rooster in a lined container (separate from rice) within the fridge for as much as 4 days. Take pleasure in it chilly as a refreshing lunch or reheat parts within the microwave with somewhat broth added to skinny out the sauce (it thickens because it ages).

Freeze rooster with sauce in a zippered bag for as much as 3 months and thaw within the fridge earlier than reheating.

Straightforward Home made Take-Out

Did your loved ones love this recipe for Basic Tso’s Hen? Go away a score and remark under!

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

4.99 from 51 votes↑ Click on stars to price now!
Or to go away a remark, click on right here!

Basic Tso’s Hen

Take pleasure in this Chinese language take-out favourite at hand-crafted with juicy rooster bites in a mouthwatering spicy, savory, candy sauce.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Prepare dinner Time 20 minutes

Whole Time 40 minutes

Minimize rooster breasts into 1″ cubes. Season with salt & pepper and toss with egg. Take away rooster from egg and toss with ½ cup cornstarch.
Warmth 2 tablespoons oil in a pan over medium-high warmth. Add half of the rooster and cook dinner till crisp and cooked via, about 5-6 minutes. Repeat with remaining rooster, including extra oil if wanted. Take away from the pan and put aside.
For the sauce, in a small bowl, mix rooster broth, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, crimson pepper flakes, and sesame oil.
Warmth 1 tablespoon oil in a small pan over medium warmth. Add the whites of the inexperienced onion, garlic, and ginger and cook dinner till aromatic, about 1 minute. Stir in sauce components and simmer 2-3 minutes or till thickened.
Mix remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water. Slowly drizzle cornstarch into the sauce whereas whisking till it’s barely thickened.* Toss sauce with cooked rooster and garnish with remaining inexperienced onion.

Leftovers could be saved in an hermetic container or zippered bag within the fridge for as much as 4 days, or within the freezer for as much as 3 months.
Use as a lot cornstarch slurry as wanted to achieve desired thickness.

Vitamin info offered is an estimate and can range primarily based on cooking strategies and types of components used.

Course Hen, Entree, Major Course

Delicacies American, Asian, Chinese language

© SpendWithPennies.com. Content material and images are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is each inspired and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photograph use coverage right here.