General Tso chicken is crispy chicken in a glossy sweet, tangy and slightly spicy sauce — an American-Chinese takeaway favourite. The air fryer crisps the chicken, then you toss it in the sauce. Here's how.
Key takeaways
Q: How do you make General Tso chicken in an air fryer?
A: Coat chicken in cornflour, air fry at 200°C (400°F) for about 16 minutes, then toss in a sweet-tangy-spicy sauce.
Q: What's in the sauce?
A: Soy, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger and dried chilli, thickened with cornflour.
The method
Coat bite-size chicken in cornflour and air fry until crisp. Simmer soy, rice vinegar, a little sugar, garlic, ginger and dried chilli, thickened with a cornflour slurry, into a glossy sauce. Toss the crisp chicken through at the end so it stays crunchy.
The recipe
Air Fryer General Tso Chicken
Ingredients
- 600g chicken, in chunks
- 3 tbsp cornflour
- Soy, vinegar, sugar, dried chilli
- Garlic, ginger
Method
- Coat chicken in cornflour; air fry at 200°C 16 min.
- Simmer the sauce until glossy.
- Toss the crisp chicken through.
- Finish with spring onion.
Tips
- Cornflour gives the crispy coating.
- Toss at the end so the chicken stays crisp.
- Dried chilli adds the gentle heat.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make General Tso chicken in an air fryer?
Coat chicken in cornflour, air fry at 200°C for about 16 minutes, then toss in a glossy sauce of soy, vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger and dried chilli.
What's the difference from sweet and sour?
General Tso is more savoury and tangy with a gentle chilli heat, where sweet and sour leans sweeter and fruitier with pineapple and peppers.
How do you keep it crispy?
Cook the chicken in a single layer and toss it in the sauce only at the last moment so the coating stays crunchy.