Low Fat Baked General Tso's Chicken - in our Top 10 recipes! (2024)

General Tso’s Chicken is a favourite Chinese take out dish that you can make even better at home & with less fat than the deep fried version. One of our TOP TEN recipes ever.

Low Fat Baked General Tso's Chicken - in our Top 10 recipes! (1)

General Tso Chicken

A favourite Chinese take out dish that you can make even better at home and with less fat than the deep fried version. This recipe has received many great reviews from readers who have tried it.

Low Fat Baked General Tso's Chicken - in our Top 10 recipes! (2)

Original 2009 photo.

The real secret to this General Tso’s Chicken sauce is getting the caramel base correct, once you master that the rest is a breeze. I have had many readers tell me over the years that this recipe is better than any restaurant version they’ve ever tried.

Low Fat Baked General Tso's Chicken - in our Top 10 recipes! (3)

Remove the skin & trim all of the visible fat from the chicken thighs and they are almost as lean as breast meat and more budget friendly too. I also think they have more flavour than breast meat and easier not to overcook.

Making the sauce for General Tso Chicken

Here’s a short video which shows what the caramel should look like before you add the rest of the ingredients.

You can see why it is so important to do this with care. The caramel is so very hot and the addition of the other ingredients causes a big release of steam. This all calms down rather quickly but take care not to cause a burn.

Originally published March 31, 2009. April 2020 Update to include a new print page and demonstration video.

Low Fat Baked General Tso's Chicken - in our Top 10 recipes! (4)

General Tso Chicken

If you liked this recipe you may also like to try our General Tso Chicken Wings.

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Low Fat Baked General Tso's Chicken - in our Top 10 recipes! (8)

Yield: 6 servings

Low Fat Baked General Tso Chicken

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Low Fat Baked General Tso Chicken - a favorite Chinese take out dish that you can make even better at home and with less fat than the deep fried version. This recipe has received many great reviews from readers who have tried it.

Ingredients

  • 2 -3 pounds boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut in strips
  • 1 egg + 2 tbsp water whisked together to make an egg wash
  • 1 cup flour
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper cayenne pepper
  • 3 tbsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar, white wine vinegar is fine in a pinch
  • ¼ cup water water
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame seed oil
  • 2 tbsp hot chilli paste or sauce, use more or less to taste if you don’t like it very hot
  • ½ tsp salt salt
  • 2 tsp corn starch
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 3 tbsp freshly grated ginger
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup water

Instructions

  1. Combine the 1 cup flour, ½ tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, 3 tbsp ground ginger, 2 tsp salt.
  2. Dip the chicken pieces in the egg wash then dredge them in the flour mixture.
  3. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and lightly drizzle or the tops with a little more olive oil.
  4. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 25-3o minutes. Flip the pieces at half way through the cooking time.
  5. While the chicken is baking, prepare your sauce. Don’t walk away from this sauce; it gets very hot when making the caramel base and can burn easily so pay careful attention while cooking it.
  6. In a small bowl, mix together the 4 tbsp soya sauce, 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar, ¼ cup water, 2 tbsp toasted sesame seed oil, 2 tbsp hot chilli paste or sauce, ½ tsp salt, 2 tsp corn starch, 3 cloves minced garlic and 3 tbsp freshly grated ginger. Set this mixture aside.
  7. In a medium saucepan boil together the 1 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water.
  8. Boil this over medium heat, watching constantly until the caramel starts to turn a light amber color and you can begin to smell the caramel. When it reaches this stage, give the other ingredients in the bowl a quick stir to make sure the corn starch is dissolved then add it all at once to the hot caramel. (Careful: This mixture is very hot!)
  9. Be careful at this stage because this sauce can foam up considerably for a few seconds and it is very hot. Simmer for only few minutes and remove from the heat and allow to cool down slightly.
  10. Toss the sauce with the cooked chicken pieces and serve over plain steamed rice or Chinese noodles.

Notes

-

The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.

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Rock Recipes a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Our product recommendations are almost exclusively for those we currently use or have used in the past.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1 serving

Amount Per ServingCalories 470Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 130mgSodium 572mgCarbohydrates 42gFiber 1gSugar 34gProtein 49g

The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.

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Low Fat Baked General Tso's Chicken - in our Top 10 recipes! (2024)

FAQs

Is General Tso's chicken healthy? ›

Worst: General Tso's Chicken

Named after a Chinese war hero, this fat-laden dish won't help you win any weight loss battles. The breaded, fried chicken is smothered in a sugary sauce. One order clocks in at around 1,500 calories and 88 grams of fat, and it delivers more sodium than you should get in a day.

What is the closest dish to General Tso's chicken? ›

Sweet and sour chicken: The two are super similar. The main difference is that General Tso sauce has more ginger flavor, as well as a little more heat from the hot sauce or chili flakes.

What is the difference between Szechuan chicken and General Tso's? ›

Although the sauces are similar, General Tso's does not call for Szechuan peppercorns either though I see no reason why you couldn't add them anyway. Another difference is that General Tso's chicken is marinated in a light batter and deep fried. Szechuan chicken is only dusted with flour and shallow fried.

What is the difference between General Tao and General Tso Chicken? ›

General Tso's chicken (also known as General Tao's or Tsao's chicken) is an iconic Chinese-American takeout of deep-fried chicken coated in a thick sweet sauce. You can also make it spicy for those who like a little kick.

What is the healthiest Chinese food to eat? ›

13 Healthiest Chinese Food Takeout Options
  1. Steamed dumplings. Dumplings offered at a Chinese restaurant are pockets of dough filled with seasoned meat and vegetables, usually pork and cabbage. ...
  2. Hot and sour soup or egg drop soup. ...
  3. Moo goo gai pan. ...
  4. Beef and broccoli. ...
  5. Chop suey. ...
  6. Chicken and broccoli. ...
  7. Baked salmon. ...
  8. Happy family.

What's the healthiest Chinese food to order? ›

Steamed Fish and Vegetables

Takeout menus tend to offer a mild-tasting variety of protein-rich white fish, such as sole, and it's paired with mixed vegetables. The veggies add fiber, a key nutrient for digestion and heart health. If you have the chance to choose or add Chinese eggplant as a veggie, go for it.

What Chinese food is similar to General Tso's? ›

Similarities in Sesame Chicken, Orange Chicken and General Tso. Sesame Chicken, General Tso, and Orange Chicken look quite similar and share some common ingredients, which can make it difficult for some to choose between them. Chicken: Each dish uses chunks of boneless chicken meat (usually thigh).

What is another name for General Tso's chicken? ›

Whether it goes by the name General Tso's, General Gau's, or General Gao's (see a spirited Yelp discussion on the matter here), the deep-fried nuggets of boneless chicken tossed in sweet-spicy sauce and served on a bed of broccoli is America's reigning Chinese dish.

Which is healthier, Hunan or Szechuan? ›

Q2: Is Hunan healthier than Szechuan? A: This depends greatly on the dish and cooking methods used. Both cuisines are high in salt, fats, and calories when eating out. Hunan food tends to have more veggies.

Why is General Tso's chicken red? ›

Ketchup - This is the base of General Tso's sauce to give it that beautiful red color and the sweet and tangy flavor.

What does General Tso Chicken stand for? ›

While the dish isn't exactly authentic Chinese food, its namesake was a very real (and very powerful) general. Zuo Zongtang (General Tso) was a respected Chinese statesman and military leader of the late Qing dynasty, which ruled the country from 1644 until 1912.

Which is healthier kung pao or General Tso? ›

General Tso's chicken is battered, deep fried, and tossed with a spicy sauce. Kung Pao chicken, on the other hand, is not deep fried and instead is wok seared and tossed with a marinade. The choice here depends on the restaurant, but in most cases Kung Pao chicken is the winner.

What is PF Chang's version of General Tso's chicken? ›

Have you ever eaten at P.F. Chang's? They have “Chang's Spicy Chicken” on the menu, which is basically their version of general tso's. It has the perfect balance of sweet and spicy, and the sauce is light in color, which indicates it's not overloaded with soy sauce.

What is General Tso's sauce made of? ›

How to Make General Tso's Sauce: The sauce for General Tso's chicken is so simple to make with pantry staple ingredients: rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, water, sugar, and some corn starch to thicken the sauce. Simply add the ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine.

Which is healthier kung pao or general tso? ›

General Tso's chicken is battered, deep fried, and tossed with a spicy sauce. Kung Pao chicken, on the other hand, is not deep fried and instead is wok seared and tossed with a marinade. The choice here depends on the restaurant, but in most cases Kung Pao chicken is the winner.

Does General Tso's chicken have a lot of sugar? ›

Macronutrients and Calories

A 30-piece, 535 gram, restaurant-style order of General Tso's chicken contains 1,578 calories, 69 grams of protein, 87 grams of fat, and 62 grams of sugar with a total carbohydrate count of 128 grams.

Is Orange Chicken or General Tso better? ›

Choosing by taste:

General Tso if you like a bit of spice. Orange chicken if you want something a bit sweeter.

Does General Tso's chicken have a lot of carbs? ›

Chinese Restaurant General Tso's Chicken Without Rice (1 order) contains 128.3g total carbs, 123.5g net carbs, 87.5g fat, 69g protein, and 1578 calories.

References

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