General Tso’s Chicken
Today, I’m excited to share one of my favorite chicken recipes. It comes from Epicurious, and I was immediately attracted to it because it was supposedly: 1) easy/quick, 2) better than takeout, and 3) fewer calories (than the original version). Let me tell you, it did not disappoint! But I also discovered one other thing about this chicken recipe: it’s versatile. My kids don’t really like spicy food, so I decided to omit the sauce from their chicken. They loved it and said it tasted like chicken nuggets from their favorite fast food chain (which is why I call this two chicken recipes in one)! You can do the complete recipe and have General Tso’s Chicken, or you can prepare the chicken without the sauce for tasty chicken nuggets. You choose! Here’s the recipe:
EASY GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN*
INGREDIENTS
Chicken & Green Beans
1 pound green beans, trimmed
7 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, patted dry, cut into 1″ chunks
Sauce
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 large garlic clove, finely grated
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Sriracha
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
1 scallion, thinly sliced (for serving)
Cooked brown rice (for serving)
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss green beans with 1 Tbsp. oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, tossing once halfway through, until crisp-tender and blackened in spots, 12–15 minutes.
Whisk cornstarch, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a large bowl. Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over high. Add chicken to cornstarch mixture and toss to coat. Cook half of chicken, turning occasionally until chicken is cooked through and a light brown crust forms, 5–7 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate. Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. oil in skillet over high. Cook remaining chicken 5–7 minutes.
*If you are making chicken nuggets only, skip this section. Mix honey, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, Sriracha, tomato paste, ginger, 3 Tbsp. water, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a medium bowl. Return first batch of chicken to skillet, stir in honey mixture, toss to coat, and cook until sauce is reduced and thickened, about 2 minutes.
Divide chicken and green beans among plates. Top with scallions. Serve with brown rice alongside.
*Recipe slightly adapted from Epicurious
I hope you enjoy these chicken recipes as much as my family has enjoyed them, as they are super quick and versatile. For those reasons, they will be staples in my recipe rotation and I hope they will be for you too!
Mrs. Traylor is a Fitness Instructor, NASM Certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach, AFPA Certified Prenatal and Postnatal Fitness Specialist, wife, and momma who provides actionable advice for positive lifestyle changes with fitness, nutrition, and wellness. Read about Wendy’s inspiring entrepreneurial journey, and subscribe to Wendy’s newsletter here!
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