Easy General Tso’s Chicken Stir Fry
This Easy General Tso’s Chicken Stir Fry brings your favorite Chinese takeout comfort straight to your kitchen table with less mess and in no time. We take juicy chicken chunks, toss them in a lightly seasoned crust, and bake them to golden perfection. Then combine them with tender broccoli, earthy mushrooms, and a sweet, tangy General Tso’s sauce. It is fast, hearty, and guaranteed to become a go-to meal for busy weeknights.
Here are a few more chicken recipes to check out: Creamy Chicken Marsala, Juicy Chicken Parmesan, Creamy Cast Iron Tuscan Chicken, Indian Butter Chicken, Sicilian Chicken & Spinach Saute, Creamed Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast, and Roasted Cast Iron Chicken.
What makes this recipe so approachable is using the oven to crisp the chicken while your vegetables simmer on the stove. Tossing the chicken in a light coating of flour, egg, cream, and breadcrumbs gives you a tender, golden exterior without deep-frying.
While the oven does the heavy lifting, we sautƩ fresh white mushrooms and crisp-tender broccoli in rich garlic butter. Bringing everything together in a skillet with sweet-and-spicy General Tso sauce allows every bite to absorb that sticky, savory glaze for a complete dinner that easily outshines the delivery menu.
What you’ll enjoy about this recipe:
Ingredients needed to make Easy General Tso’s Chicken Stir Fry:
- Boneless Chicken Breast: The lean, tender foundation, cut into bite-sized pieces for quick, even cooking.
- Paprika: Coats the chicken with sweet, woodsy spice.
- All-Purpose Flour and Italian Breadcrumbs: Lightly coat the chicken to help the egg wash adhere and create a delicate, savory crust that toasts crisp on the baking sheet (paid link).
- Large Brown Egg: Serves as the primary binder, locking in moisture and helping the coating adhere.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Blends with the egg to add rich fat that keeps the chicken tender in dry oven heat.
- Butter: Foams in the skillet to build a buttery foundation for sautƩing the aromatics and vegetables.
- Minced Garlic: Delivers aromatics straight into the foaming butter.
- Fresh White Mushrooms and Fresh Broccoli: Veggies for the stir-fry. Absorb the savory garlic butter and round out the dish.
- Garlic Powder, Sea Salt, and Black Pepper: Foundational seasonings that bring out the vegetables’ natural flavors.
- General Tso Sauce: The sweet, tangy, and gently spicy glaze that coats the hot chicken and vegetables. I didn’t make my own sauce for this recipe, but I recommend Trader Joe’s General Tsao Stir Fry Sauce, House of Tsang General Tso Sauce, or Iron Chef General Tso’s Sauce Glaze.
Make General Tso Sauce at Home!
If you prefer making your own sauce from scratch for a fresher, customizable kick, follow this quick method: In a small bowl, whisk (paid link) together 1/2 cup chicken stock, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tbsp hoisin sauce, 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 3 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine, 1 tsp freshly minced ginger, 1/2 tsp minced garlic, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or chili garlic sauce), and a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water). Warm the sauce in a pan.
How to make Easy General Tso’s Chicken Stir Fry:
Preheat Oven and Season Chicken: Preheat your oven to 400Ā°F (205Ā°C). Pat chicken dry with paper towels and cut into uniform square chunks. Place the chicken chunks into a bowl, season with the paprika, and lightly dust with all-purpose flour, tossing to coat.
Bread the Chicken: In a shallow bowl, whisk (paid link) together the egg and heavy whipping cream. Add the floured chicken pieces to the egg wash and allow to sit briefly. Add the Italian breadcrumbs to a large zip-top bag. Transfer the chicken into the bag, seal, and shake well until each chicken piece is evenly coated.
Bake the Chicken: Arrange the coated chicken pieces in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet (paid link) (or line it with parchment paper). Bake for 20 minutes, until cooked through and lightly golden.
SautƩ the Vegetables: While the chicken bakes, preheat a large cooking pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the sliced white mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in the broccoli florets, sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Cook for 10 minutes until the broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender, then turn the heat to low.
Sauce, Simmer, and Serve: Once the chicken finishes baking, add the hot chicken chunks to the pan with the vegetables. Pour in the General Tso sauce. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and glazes every piece. Remove from heat and serve hot over steamed jasmine rice or noodles.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Pat Chicken Dry: Always pat chicken breasts completely dry with paper towels before cutting and flouring. Excess surface water creates gummy breading instead of a crisp crust.
- Even Broccoli Sizing: Cut your broccoli into uniform, bite-sized florets so they steam and tenderize evenly without turning soggy while the mushrooms cook.
- Veggie Additions: Toss in sliced red bell peppers, snap peas, or matchstick carrots during the last 5 minutes of sautƩing for extra color and crunch.
- Spice Adjustments: If you prefer extra heat, toss in Ā½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes or a splash of sriracha when adding the minced garlic to the butter.
- Gluten-Free Swap: Use gluten-free tamari-based General Tso sauce, swap all-purpose flour for cornstarch, and use gluten-free panko or crushed rice crackers in place of Italian breadcrumbs.
Storage & Reheating Tips
- Store cooled chicken and vegetable stir-fry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- If using the stovetop, reheat leftovers in a skillet over medium heat with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or chicken broth to loosen the sauce and warm the chicken evenly without drying out.
- If using the microwave, heat individual portions in a microwave-safe bowl covered with a paper towel on high in 60-second bursts, stirring between each interval until piping hot.
Looking for a quick Asian-inspired meal? Then look no further than my Easy General Tso’s Chicken Stir Fry. Enjoy!
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Easy General Tso Chicken Stir Fry
Make Easy General Tso Chicken Stir Fry! Baked crispy chicken, broccoli, and mushrooms tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce for a quick dinner.
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 1 lb organic boneless chicken breast (cut into square chunks)
- 1/2 tbsp paprika
- 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 large brown egg
- 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 8 oz fresh white mushrooms, sliced
- 16 oz fresh broccoli florets
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 12 oz General Tso sauce
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Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400Ā°F (205Ā°C). Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then cut it into uniform square chunks. Place the chicken chunks in a bowl, season with paprika, and lightly dust with all-purpose flour, tossing to coat.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk (paid link) together the egg and heavy whipping cream. Add the floured chicken pieces to the egg wash and allow to sit briefly. Add the Italian breadcrumbs to a large zip-top bag. Transfer the chicken into the bag, seal, and shake well until each chicken piece is evenly coated.
- Arrange the coated chicken pieces in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet (paid link) (or line it with parchment paper). Bake for 20 minutes, until cooked through and lightly golden.
- While the chicken bakes, preheat a large cooking pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the sliced white mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in the broccoli florets, sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Cook for 10 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender, then turn the heat to low.
- Once the chicken finishes baking, add the hot chicken chunks to the pan with the vegetables. Pour in the General Tso sauce. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and glazes every piece. Remove from heat and serve hot over steamed jasmine rice or noodles.
Notes
Pat Chicken Dry: Always pat chicken breasts completely dry with paper towels before cutting and flouring. Excess surface water creates gummy breading instead of a crisp crust.
Even Broccoli Sizing: Cut your broccoli into uniform, bite-sized florets so they steam and tenderize evenly without turning soggy while the mushrooms cook.
Veggie Additions: Toss in sliced red bell peppers, snap peas, or matchstick carrots during the last 5 minutes of sautƩing for extra color and crunch.
Spice Adjustments: For extra heat, add Ā½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes or a splash of sriracha when you add the minced garlic to the butter.
Gluten-Free Swap: Use gluten-free tamari-based General Tso sauce, swap all-purpose flour for cornstarch, and use gluten-free panko or crushed rice crackers in place of Italian breadcrumbs.
Nutrition
- Calories: 440
- Sugar: 12.8g
- Sodium: 1180 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 135 mg
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