Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken is an easy way to enjoy a takeout-inspired favorite at home! Made with crispy frozen breaded chicken and a homemade sweet, savory, and slightly spicy sauce, this recipe comes together quickly without the hassle of deep frying or making chicken from scratch.
The secret is to air fry the frozen chicken until golden and crispy, then toss it in a flavorful General Tso’s sauce right before serving. It is perfect for busy weeknights when you want something delicious without ordering takeout.
Serve this viral-inspired recipe over rice with your favorite vegetables for a quick dinner the whole family will love.
For other Asian recipes try out these - Beef Broth Bowls, Shrimp Egg Roll in a Bowl, or Blackstone Beef Stir Fry
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Why This Works
Using frozen breaded chicken makes this recipe incredibly convenient. You do not have to cut raw chicken, prepare a breading station, or spend time cleaning up multiple dishes. Simply cook the chicken in your air fryer while you prepare the sauce on the stovetop.
The homemade sauce combines soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger for that classic balance of sweet, salty, tangy, and savory flavors. Red pepper flakes add a little heat, but you can easily adjust them to suit your preferences.
Tossing the sauce with the chicken just before serving helps preserve as much of the crispy coating as possible.
Ingredients Needed (with descriptions)
For the chicken:
- Frozen breaded chicken: Use your favorite frozen breaded chicken chunks, nuggets, or tenders cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Cooking spray: Optional, depending on the chicken you use. A light spray can help encourage extra crispiness.
- Cooked white rice for serving or Blackstone Fried Rice
For the General Tso’s sauce:
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce: Adds the salty, savory base to the sauce.
- ¼ cup chicken broth: Helps balance the sauce and keeps it from becoming overly salty.
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce: Provides a rich, sweet, and savory flavor.
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create the signature sticky sauce.
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar: Gives the sauce a tangy flavor that balances the sweetness.
- 2 cloves garlic, minced: Adds aromatic flavor.
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger: Gives the sauce a warm, slightly peppery taste.
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes: Adds a little heat. Adjust to your preference.
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water: Thickens the sauce so it clings to the chicken.
How to Make Air Fryer General Tso's Chicken
Preheat your air fryer if recommended by the manufacturer. Arrange the frozen breaded chicken in a single layer in the basket. Cook according to the package directions, shaking the basket or turning the pieces halfway through. Make sure the chicken reaches the appropriate temperature specified on the package.
While the chicken cooks, add the soy sauce, chicken broth, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to a small saucepan. Whisk everything together.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the garlic and ginger become fragrant.
Stir together the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl. Slowly whisk the mixture into the simmering sauce. Cook for another one to two minutes, stirring until the sauce thickens.
Try out Beef Egg Roll in a Bowl.
Transfer the crispy chicken to a large bowl. Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss until coated. Serve immediately over rice with your favorite vegetables.
Pro Tips for Air Fryer General Tso's Chicken
- Keep the chicken in a single layer. Cook in batches if necessary to help the breading crisp evenly.
- Wait until serving to add the sauce. This helps prevent the coating from becoming soggy.
- Adjust the sweetness and heat. Add more brown sugar for a sweeter sauce or extra red pepper flakes for more spice.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce. Frozen breaded chicken can already contain plenty of salt.
- Make extra sauce. If you like plenty of sauce over your rice, prepare a little extra and keep it separate until serving.
Storage and Freezing
Store leftover chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three to four days. For the best texture, store the sauce separately from the chicken when possible.
Reheat the chicken in the air fryer at 350°F until heated through and crisped again. Warm the sauce separately in a saucepan or microwave, then toss together before serving.
Freezing is possible, but the breading may lose some of its original crispness after thawing and reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken over steamed white rice, brown rice, or jasmine rice. Add steamed broccoli, snap peas, or stir-fried vegetables to make it a complete meal.
For a takeout-inspired presentation, garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. You can also serve it with fried rice or noodles for an easy weekend dinner.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Use your favorite frozen breaded chicken bites, nuggets, or tenders. Cooking times vary by product, so follow the package directions and check for doneness.
Traditional versions often have some heat. This homemade sauce uses red pepper flakes, which you can reduce or omit for a milder flavor.
Yes. Prepare the sauce in advance and refrigerate it in a sealed container for up to four days. Reheat gently before tossing with freshly cooked chicken.
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Air Fryer General Tso's Chicken
- Prep Time: 2 min
- Cook Time: 12 min
- Total Time: 14 min
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Air Fry
- Diet: Low Calorie
Description
Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken is an easy way to enjoy a takeout-inspired favorite at home! Made with crispy frozen breaded chicken and a homemade sweet, savory, and slightly spicy sauce, this recipe comes together quickly without the hassle of deep frying or making chicken from scratch.
Ingredients
- Prepared white rice
- Frozen breaded chicken
- Cooking spray:
- Prepared white rice
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger:
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes:
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer if recommended by the manufacturer. Arrange the frozen breaded chicken in a single layer in the basket. Cook according to the package directions, shaking the basket or turning the pieces halfway through. Make sure the chicken reaches the appropriate temperature specified on the package.
- While the chicken cooks, add the soy sauce, chicken broth, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to a small saucepan. Whisk everything together.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the garlic and ginger become fragrant.
- Stir together the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl. Slowly whisk the mixture into the simmering sauce. Cook for another one to two minutes, stirring until the sauce thickens.
- Transfer the crispy chicken to a large bowl. Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss until coated. Serve immediately over rice with your favorite vegetables.
Notes
Keep the chicken in a single layer. Cook in batches if necessary to help the breading crisp evenly.
-
Wait until serving to add the sauce. This helps prevent the coating from becoming soggy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 12
- Fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Protein: 25g
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