This General Tso’s Chicken is one of our favorite Chinese restaurant take out menu items with a Semi Homemade Twist. Popcorn chicken, General Tso’s sauce, and frozen broccoli come together for a quick and easy dinner idea!
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RECIPE IS BELOW IN PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BUT BLOG POST IS FULL OF “HOW TO MAKE IT”, TIPS, INFORMATION AND FAQ
We don’t order Chinese takeout a lot but when we do order it, we normally stick to a few of our favorites like, Sesame Chicken or General Tso’s Chicken! Thomas always eats his General Tso’s Chicken with white rice but prefer fried rice with mine. However, when I make General Tso’s Chicken at home, I like to use Jasmine rice until I have leftover fried rice from another meal.
Why a semi homemade version of this classic Chinese American restaurant dish?
Well, I know there are TONS of recipes across the internet and in books on how to make your own General Tso Chicken from scratch. There are recipes for how to make the nuggets from scratch and recipes on how to make the sauce from scratch. Those are all great but there were not many, if any, recipes for a semi homemade version.
What Is General Tso’s Chicken?
General Tso’s Chicken is a Chinese American dish that is served in Chinese restaurants around North America. It was invited in the 1960s or 1970s, depending on which information you are reading, by a Chinese Chef who was working in New York and decided to make a dish with a bit more sweetness for the American palate and named it to honor a general from his home of Hunan province of China.
Who invented it and which restaurant sold it first is also also up for debate.
It is a Chicken dish that is smothered in General Tso’s sauce and most of the time it is cooked with steamed broccoli and served with rice. I make recipes for this blog based on what mom and my best friends would make haha. They know how to cook and can follow a recipe but they don’t really make a lot of things from scratch, like sauces or homemade nuggets.
This type of recipe is quick and easy. Perfect for someone who doesn’t want to make every dish component from scratch but still wants to cook!
The flavors of Chinese takeout made super easy at home!
Why You Should Make General Tso’s Chicken…
- Easy 30 minute dinner for busy nights
- Freezer and Pantry staples used in this recipe
- taste great
QUICK GLANCE AT INGREDIENTS for General Tso’s Chicken:
- popcorn chicken
- frozen broccoli florets
- General Tso’s Sauce
- hot water
- sesame seeds or chopped scallions optional for topping
- Cooked white rice optional for serving
(AMOUNTS IN RECIPE CARD BELOW)
Semi Homemade General Tso’s Chicken Recipe
How to make General Tso’s Chicken:
- Preheat the oven
Preheat oven to 400F.
We like to use Tyson® Any’tizers – Popcorn Chicken for this recipe
- Cook the chicken
Lay popcorn chicken on tray and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or the time according to package.
You want these to be hot and golden brown. - Steam Broccoli
Steam frozen broccoli according to package directions. Set aside.
- Add to skillet
Add broccoli to skillet. Trim stems if you don’t like stems on the broccoli.
- Mix chicken and broccoli
Add chicken to the pan and stir.
- Add Sauce and Water
Add in General Tso’s sauce and water.
-
We like this House of Tsang General Tso Sauce
- Mix Well
Stir well until everything is combined with the sauce mixture.
- Heat until HOT
Heat over medium heat until hot.
- Serve over rice
Serve over rice. We love Instant white rice or Jasmine rice. Sesame seeds optional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use any kind of chicken for this recipe?
I use popcorn chicken because it is the same size and as close to the same outside texture of the Chinese restaurant take out General Tso’s Chicken. You could also use chicken nuggets or fried chicken tenders and cut them up into bite size pieces.
Why do you add water?
I add the water to make the crispy chicken softer just like the restaurant version!
What kind of General Tso’s Sauce do you use?
We like House of Tsang General Tso Sauce but you can use any kind that you like.
Do you serve it with rice?
When I make this at home, I serve it with Instant white rice or Jasmine rice.
Could I use leftover popcorn chicken?
Yep! This would be a great recipe for leftover popcorn chicken or leftover chicken nuggets.
I want the sauce to be EXTRA saucy, what should I do?
You can always toss in an extra bottle of sauce!
Do I have to use sesame seeds?
You don’t! I really just love them for the look haha. Normally sesame seeds are used on Sesame Chicken
Could I cook the nuggets by frying them in the air fryer?
You sure could! 350F for 10 minutes should work but check your frozen nugget’s bag for directions.
I need more heat in the sauce!
A lot of people love heat in their sauce, so you could always add in a few dashes of red pepper flakes, peppers or chilis.
Can this General Tso’s Chicken be stored and reheated?
Yes! Store this General Tso’s Chicken in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. When you go to reheat it, you may find that the sauce is not a saucy as you might like. You can always add a bit of water, extra sauce or chicken broth to the leftovers before reheating them.
Substitutes
Substitutes For Popcorn Chicken:
- Chicken Nuggets
- Chicken Tenders cut into pieces
- Homemade Chicken Nuggets
- Leftover Chicken Nuggets
- Chicken Nuggets from Fast Food Places (perfect for leftovers nuggets)
Substitutes For White Rice
- Jasmine Rice
- Sushi Rice
- Fried Rice
- Cauliflower Rice (perfect to cut down on the calories and carbohydrates)
- Quinoa
- Wild Rice
More easy chicken dinner recipes:
- Broccoli Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
- Skillet Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli
- Biscuit Topped Chicken Pot Pie
- Beef and Broccoli
General Tso’s Chicken
General Tso's Chicken
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
This General Tso's Chicken is one of our favorite Chinese restaurant take out menu items with a Semi Homemade Twist. Popcorn chicken, General Tso's sauce, and frozen broccoli come together for a quick and easy dinner idea!
Ingredients
- 24 ounce bag frozen popcorn chicken
- 24 ounce frozen broccoli florets
- 12.6 ounce bottle General Tso's Sauce
- 1/2 cup hot water
- sesame seeds optional
- Cooked white rice optional for serving
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F.
Lay popcorn chicken on tray and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or the time according to package.
Steam frozen broccoli according to package directions. Set aside.
In a large skillet, combine the cooked chicken , steamed broccoli, General Tso's sauce and water.
Stir well until everything is combined.
Heat over medium heat until hot.
Serve over rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Notes
I used:
- Tyson® Any'tizers - Popcorn Chicken
- House of Tsang General Tso Sauce, 12.6 Ounce
I like to remove a lot of the broccoli stems from the broccoli after steaming but you can leave them on.
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