Best Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken Recipe

ByFarwin Simaak

Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken recipe is take-out food made at home at its best! Crispy chicken coated in a spicy, tangy and sweet sauce with no deep-frying, it’s a must-try!

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air fryer general Tso's chicken in a bowl with rice

Best Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken Recipe

General Tso’s chicken is a favorite Chinese take-out of mine. But over the years, I stayed away from deep-fried foods, and I kind of missed all the delicious Chinese food. Until the Air fryer. Now I can get crispy chicken without frying in loads of oil.

And this homemade version is even better than take-out. I know what exactly goes into them and I can tweak it to my liking: less sweet but tangier and spicier.

This is no bland chicken recipe. First, chicken pieces are marinated for maximum flavor inside and out. Then they’re coated with egg and cornflour/corn starch and air fried. Next, the spicy, sweet and tangy General Tso sauce is sauteed up and the chicken is tossed in the sauce. Absolutely amazing and lip-smackingly delicious!

Air fryer General Tso’s chicken is a healthy dinner or a main course served with a bowl of Basmati rice! They are great as an appetizer too. My family loves it! This will be your favorite weeknight meal or a great dish to impress your guests with!

If you’re looking for more Air fryer recipes, check out my Air Fryer Recipes collection. We have Air Fryer Chicken Thighs and Air Fryer Chicken Legs in our dinner rotation.

Why we love Air fryer General Tso’s Chicken Recipe:

  • Favorite Asian take-out recipe made at home
  • No deep frying and made with little oil
  • Easy to make
  • Great as a main meal or as an appetizer
  • Utterly delicious
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What Is General Tso’s Chicken?

General Tso’s chicken is a popular Chinese-American dish. It is said to be originated in Hunan province in China and was named after a well-respected military leader: General Tso.

It’s crispy chicken coated with a spicy, sweet, and tangy sauce. It is more spicy than sweet, compared to other Chinese dishes like Sesame Chicken, Honey Chicken, or Orange Chicken. And it’s made with ingredients like spicy red chili peppers, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic and brown sugar.

INGREDIENTS

There are 3 parts to making Air Fryer General Tso’s chicken:

  1. Marinade
  2. Crispy Air fried Chicken
  3. Sauce

For the marinade we need:

  • Chicken – boneless, skinless chicken thighs would be ideal. It’s forgiving when overcooked. Chicken breasts can be used in a pinch.
  • Ginger – minced
  • Garlic – minced
  • Soy sauce
  • Rice vinegar – is mild but if you don’t have rice vinegar, white vinegar can be used.

For crispy Air fried chicken:

  • Marinated chicken – marinated for half an hour
  • Egg
  • Corn starch – for crispy coating

For the sauce:

  • Cooking oil – vegetable oil or any neutral oil. You can garnish with sesame oil later if you like.
  • Ginger
  • Garlic
  • Red chili flakes – Or 2 to 6 sliced red chili peppers can be used.
  • Chicken broth
  • Soy sauce
  • Rice vinegar
  • Ketchup
  • Brown sugar
  • Corn starch
  • Garnishes – sesame seeds and sliced green onions

Step by step process

marinating chicken
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and mix with ginger, garlic, soya sauce and rice vinegar. Let it marinate for 30 minutes.
dipping the chicken in egg and cornflour
Coat the marinated chicken pieces in egg and then in corn starch. Remove excess.
chicken in the air fryer
Preheat Air fryer. Place the coated chicken in the Air fryer basket.

cooked chicken in the air fryer
Air fry chicken for 12 to 16 minutes or until golden and crispy.

making the sauce
To make the sauce, whisk in chicken broth, soya sauce, rice vinegar and ketchup.
sauteing the sauce ingredients
Heat oil in a skillet and saute, ginger, garlic and chili flakes.
cooking the sauce
Add the sauce to the skillet and cook until the sauce thickens.
mix the chicken with sauce
Add the crispy chicken to the sauce and toss to coat.
air fryer general tso's chicken in the skillet
Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

How To Make General Tso’s Chicken In Air Fryer

Even though it consists of several parts and may seem cumbersome, making Air fryer General Tso’s Chicken is actually easy once you get the ingredients ready and follow these steps:

  1. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. To a mixing bowl, add chicken, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar and mix to coat. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat Air fryer for 5 minutes at 400F.
  3. Beat the egg in a small bowl. Add the corn starch to a shallow bowl. Dip the chicken pieces in the egg and then coat them in the corn starch. Shake off excess.
  4. Grease the Air fryer basket using a cooking spray or brush with oil. Place the chicken in a single layer in Air fryer.
  5. Air fry chicken at 400F for 12 to 16 minutes. Until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165F.
  6. For the sauce, whisk chicken broth, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, corn starch, ketchup together in a small bowl.
  7. Heat oil in a skillet in medium high heat. Add the ginger, garlic and chili flakes. Cook until fragrant.
  8. Give the sauce a stir and add it to the skillet and cook until the sauce thickens.
  9. Toss the air fried chicken in the sauce to coat.
  10. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Best Tips

  • Preheat the Air fryer to cook faster and for crispy chicken.
  • Cut chicken in to even sized pieces.
  • Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. Place chicken in a single layer.
  • Cook in batches.
  • When the last batch is done, add the first batch to the Air fryer basket and air fryer for one more minute to keep everything warm.
  • If you want a sweeter sauce, add more brown sugar.
  • For extra sauce, double the sauce recipe.

What Air Fryer to Use

Best Basket Type Air Fryer:  Cosori 5.8 quart

Toaster Oven Style Air Fryer: Power Air Fryer

What To Serve Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken With

I like to serve this chicken with Basmati rice. Learn how to cook the perfect Basmati rice!

You can also serve it with brown rice, or any other grains. If you’re watching your carbs cauliflower rice would be great.

I serve them as an appetizer with toothpicks on the side when guests are over or on a party table.

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air fryer general tso's chicken with rice on a bowl

How To Store and Reheat

If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Reheat them in the microwave until warm.

How To Freeze

To freeze, place the cooked chicken without the sauce in a zip lock bag and freeze for 3 months.

Defrost overnight in the fridge and air fry chicken until crisp. Make a fresh batch of sauce and toss the chicken to coat.

More Air Fryer Recipes You Might Enjoy:

If you like this recipe, I’d love it if you can give me a rating and comment! Share it with your family and friends! ❤️

Recipe

Best Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken

air fryer general tso's chicken with rice
Air Fryer General Tso's Chicken recipe is take-out food made at home at its best! Crispy chicken coated in a spicy, tangy and sweet sauce with no deep-frying, it's a must-try!
4.30 from 84 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinating Time 30 minutes
Total Time 48 minutes
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4

Equipment

Ingredients
 

Marinade

  • 1 pound chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 tsp ginger minced
  • 1 tsp garlic minced
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar

To Air Fry Chicken

  • 1 egg beaten
  • ⅔ cup corn starch

For the Sauce

  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 2 tsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil
  • 1 tsp ginger minced
  • 1 tsp garlic minced
  • 1 tsp red chili flakes

Garnishing

  • sesame seeds
  • sliced green onions

Instructions
 

  • To a mixing bowl, add chicken, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar and mix to coat. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat Air fryer for 5 minutes at 400F.
  • Beat the egg in a small bowl. Add the corn starch to a shallow bowl. Dip the chicken pieces in the egg and then coat them in the corn starth. Shake off excess.
  • Grease the Air fryer basket using a cooking spray or brush with oil.
  • Place the chicken in a single layer in Air fryer. Air fry chicken at 400F for 12 to 16 minutes. Until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165F.
  • While the chicken is cooking you can make the sauce. For the sauce, whisk chicken broth, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, corn starch, ketchup together in a small bowl.
  • Heat oil in a skillet in medium high heat. Add the ginger, garlic and chili flakes. Cook until fragrant.
  • Give the sauce a stir and add it to the skillet and cook until the sauce thickens.
  • Toss the air fried chicken in the sauce to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Serve warm.

Notes

  • Cook in batches.
  • When the last batch is done, add the first batch to the Air fryer basket and air fryer for one more minute to keep everything warm.
  • If you want a sweeter sauce, add more brown sugar.
  • For extra sauce, double the sauce recipe.
  • Store –  in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat them in the microwave until warm.
  • Freeze – freeze the cooked chicken without the sauce in the freezer for 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and crisp up in the Air fryer. Make a fresh batch of sauce and toss to coat.

Nutrition

Calories: 331 kcalTotal Carbs: 17 gProtein: 32 gFat: 13.8 gSaturated Fat: 3.1 gFiber: 0.4 g
Tried this recipe?If you like this recipe, I’d love if you can give me a rating and comment! Share this with your family and friends!

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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I love this recipe! My chicken didn’t come out all that great but it’s probably my fault lol. I’ve remade the sauce multiple times. It is incredibly spicy if I follow directly, I’ve been doubling or tripling all but the 1 tsp of red pepper flakes. I’ve added honey and maple and salt to cut the spice a bit. I like spicy but wow this was surprisingly spicy. I don’t measure the garlic or ginger too closely so I’m sure I use more than it calls for. It’s so dang good though!! I also used water as I didn’t have any broth on hand.

    Reply

    1. Thank you Leslie. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Yes, it is spicy :)🌶️ Reduce the amount of red pepper flakes next time. I buy mine from Costco and they’re not that spicy.

      Reply

  2. 5 stars
    Delicious. I doubled the sauce to have extra to add to rice. Definitely a new favorite!

    Reply

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