General Tso's Chicken

General Tso's chicken is the most popular Chinese-American takeout dish in the country - crispy fried chicken chunks in a complex sauce that balances sweet, spicy, sour, and savory with dried red chilies adding visual drama and subtle heat. The challenge with traditional General Tso's is achieving crispy chicken that stays crispy in the sauce. Sous vide solves this by cooking the chicken to perfect juiciness first, then frying for crunch right before saucing. The pre-cooked interior means the frying step is purely for texture, not doneness. At 150°–155°F for 1–2 h, the chicken breast stays impossibly juicy and tender. After the bath, the pieces are dredged in cornstarch and fried at 375°F for 2–3 min until shattering crispy, then tossed in the sauce. The sauce should be made while the chicken is in the bath. Soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and chili provide the four-flavor balance. The cornstarch slurry thickens it into a glossy, clingy glaze. Dried red chilies (facing heaven or arbol) are fried in oil before building the sauce. They add aroma and subtle heat - they are not meant to be eaten, just admired. This guide covers timing, frying technique, and the sauce ratios that make this dish addictive.

Cooking time depends on thickness, not weight.

Chicken should reach at least 150°F / 66°C for food safety. Cooking at 150°–160°F for 1 h 30 min–2 h ensures complete pasteurization. Hold the bath long enough to achieve full pasteurization (see time table). Finish with a high-heat sear to prevent cross-contamination.

See our food safety guide.