Ground General Tso’s Chicken Recipe
A quick and flavorful Ground General Tso’s Chicken recipe that combines savory ground chicken with crunchy water chestnuts in a tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy sauce. Perfect for a convenient weeknight dinner served over rice or noodles.
- Author: Caleb
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese-American
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 8 ounces canned water chestnuts, diced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
General Tso’s Sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Cook the chicken and water chestnuts: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and diced water chestnuts. Let the chicken cook undisturbed until a good crust forms on one side before breaking it apart with a spatula. Continue breaking apart and cooking the chicken for an additional 2-3 minutes until fully cooked.
- Add aromatics and spices: Once the chicken is cooked, add the minced ginger, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes to the pan. Sauté everything together for about 10 seconds to release the flavors.
- Prepare the General Tso’s sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, water, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth and well combined.
- Combine sauce with chicken: Pour the prepared General Tso’s sauce into the pan with the chicken mixture and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Stir continuously as the sauce thickens, which should take just a few seconds. Once thickened, remove from heat.
Notes
- For extra heat, increase the amount of crushed red pepper flakes or add a splash of chili garlic sauce.
- Serve over steamed white rice, brown rice, or noodles for a complete meal.
- Make sure to cook the ground chicken thoroughly to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for food safety.
- The water chestnuts add a delightful crunch but can be omitted or substituted with diced bell peppers if preferred.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Keywords: General Tso, ground chicken, quick dinner, Chinese chicken recipe, easy stir-fry, weeknight meal