You know when you go to a packed Chinese restaurant, you order a dish, and it comes in just 10 minutes. Ever wondered how they manage to cook your dish so quickly? Well, I hate to disappoint you, but the chefs in the restaurants won’t make your sauce from scratch just for you! They usually pre-mix their sauces beforehand and just throw everything in the wok the minute they receive your order. This General Tso’s sauce is my go-to sauce that I use for stir frys on days when I’m craving a Chinese takeout but want to make my own quickly at home. It’s the BEST, quickest, and easiest sauce that you can make for your stir frys, chicken, shrimp, tofu, and of course, to make the famous General Tso’s chicken dinner that we grew up eating! This sauce can be used as a marinade for the chicken, and as a sauce for a stir fry (but if you want an all-purpose stir fry sauce, I have the recipe for you). I usually double or triple this recipe to make a large bottle/jar and store it until I need to use it for a weeknight dinner. This is the sauce in my General Tso’s Chicken recipe! Or, if you have an Instant Pot, then definitely try my Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken recipe, it’s SO good! To thicken the sauce, you will need to make a cornstarch slurry. If you can’t do cornstarch, substitute with arrowroot powder. To make the slurry, mix 1 or 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with a little bit of water, then mix it in the sauce as it’s simmering. Whisk with a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon until the sauce is thickened. Sesame oil, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and water. Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
What does General Tso’s Sauce taste like?
General Tso’s sauce is sweet, savory, tangy, and spicy at the same time. Basically, all the amazing flavors in one sauce! To use the sauce, whisk well (if stored in a jar, shake very well) as the cornstarch usually sits at the bottom. And cook in skillet until it thickens, then toss with the prepared chicken. You can also steam some broccoli or any veg of choice to serve it on the side. © Little Sunny Kitchen
