Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken
This Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken is easy to make, irresistibly tangy, and perfect for an easy weeknight meal. With a rich Asian flavor, the chicken blends with smooth oil, vinegar, soy, and hoisin sauce to create a golden-brown chicken tossed and coated with perfectly seasoned cornstarch for added crunch.
What is General Tso’s Chicken?
General Tso’s Chicken is traditionally served as an entree in North American Chinese restaurants, and consists of chicken lightly tossed with cornstarch, spices, and other Asian-inspired flavorings. Then the chicken is typically sauteéd, giving it a beautiful golden brown color and a crispy texture.
How Do I Store This Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken Recipe?
You can keep the leftover General Tso’s Chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Of course, that’s IF you happen to have any left over!
Can I Freeze General Tso’s Chicken?
As for freezing General Tso’s Chicken, I suggest wrapping the leftovers tightly to remove as much air as possible. Keep frozen for up to 4 months. Then, allow the chicken to thaw in the fridge before reheating.
When you are ready to prepare, spread chicken pieces out on a baking tray and cover it with aluminum foil. Heat your chicken for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees, removing the foil for the last 5 minutes of heating to crisp the batter. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
What meat substitute can I use for General Tso’s Chicken?
For a healthier and lighter version of the classic General Tso’s Chicken, you can make it with tofu or cauliflower instead of chicken. However, the textures will be different because it’s being made in a slow cooker.
Tips for Making General Tso’s Chicken
- Serve General Tso’s Chicken over a bed of steamed rice with a side of broccoli or your favorite steamed vegetable medley.
- If you don’t have fresh ginger on hand, use ½ tsp of ginger spice at a time into the oil and vinegar mixture, and whisk until you reach your desired taste.
- Garnish General Tso’s Chicken with green onions and sesame seeds.
Recommended
Air Fryer Kung Pao Chicken
Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken
Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
Notes
I know you’re going to love this General Tso’s Chicken Recipe. But before you get started, here are a few things you should know:
- If you are short on time, you can use a store-bought General Tso’s sauce to cut down on your preparation time even more.
- You don’t want to cook the chicken in step 2 all the way through. The purpose of this step is to add season and color. Plus, the cornstarch coating will slightly thicken the sauce.
- If you don’t have a slow cooker or want to prepare General Tso’s Chicken in a traditional oven, follow steps 1-5. Then, bake the chicken in a glass casserole dish covered in aluminum foil at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
Substitutions
- Soy Sauce – If you are avoiding soy, substitute soy sauce with coconut aminos.
- Hoisin Sauce – You can use teriyaki sauce as a simple 1:1 substitute for hoisin sauce. However, remember that the recipe may taste sweeter with the teriyaki sauce.
- Rice Wine Vinegar – Substitute rice wine vinegar in General Tso’s Chicken with distilled white vinegar.
More Yummy Dinner Recipes You’ll Enjoy
If you like this Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken recipe, you’ll want to try some of our other easy dinner recipes! Try any from the list below:
Instant Pot Chicken Adobo
French Onion Pork Chops
Blackened Mahi Mahi Tacos
Instant Pot Tofu Curry
Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
Slow Cooker General Tso's Chicken
This Slow Cooker General Tso's Chicken is easy to make, irresistibly tangy, and perfect for an easy weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 4-5 chilies
- green onions, sliced, garnishment
- sesame seeds, garnishment
Instructions
1. Add chicken, cornstarch, salt, and pepper to a gallon-sized Ziplock bag. Seal the bag, and toss the chicken to coat with the seasoned cornstarch.
2. Heat oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Sauté the chicken until lightly golden in color on both sides, which is just about 1 minute on each side.
3. Add chicken to the slow cooker.
4. Add hoisin sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil in a medium-sized bowl and whisk until well combined.
5. Pour your sauce onto the chicken and stir to coat the chicken; place chilies into the pot, spaced out.
6. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.
7. Serve with green onions and sesame seeds before serving.
Notes
•If you want a slight sweetness to the sauce, add 1/4 cup of brown sugar to your sauce mixture before serving.
•If you want a hint of citrus, you can add a tablespoon of orange zest.
•If you don’t want your sauce to be as spicy, you can add 1 or 2 chilies to the slow cooker.