This is a healthier take on one of my favorite chinese dishes and its General Tso Chicken. With tender juicy chicken breast pieces, lathered in a sweet, tangy, savoury and slightly spicy sauce its on the table in under 25 minutes.
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Usually with this dish the chicken is deep fried, and coated in a thick sauce often loaded with sugar.
This low calorie chicken recipe is different because there is no deep frying and much less sugar! I prepare the chicken by tossing it in cornflour to help the sauce evenly stick to the chicken and cook it with a little avocado oil, lightly pan fried fried in a skillet. The cornflour gives the chicken a delicate crispness while keeping the it perfectly tender on the inside.
There is no added sugar in the homemade general tsao sauce, and in place of the traditional sugar, I've used monkfruit sweetener which dissolves seemlessly into the sauce, providing the perfect level of sweetness. You can't even tell this recipe is sugar free.
Recipe Highlights
- No deep frying and no added sugar.
- Crispy, tender chicken coated in a sticky garlic ginger sauce
- Get it on the table in under 25 minutes.
- Perfect for making ahead and low calorie meal prepping.
- Serves 4 with Rice and each serve is under 500 calories!
Ingredients
For more quick and easy asian inspired healthy chicken dishes, check out this Garlic Black Pepper Chicken Stir Fry, this Garlic Chicken Noodles, or this Thai Sweet Chili Chicken.
How To Make
- Prepare Chicken: Toss chicken in ¼ cup cornstarch until coated, then set aside.
- Cook Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan, cook chicken for 4-7 minutes until juices run clear, then set aside.
- Cook Sauce Base: Sauté ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes in 1 tablespoon avocado oil for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add Sauce Ingredients: Stir in chicken stock, soy sauce, rice vinegar, monkfruit, hoisin, and cornstarch slurry until the sauce thickens.
- Combine: Toss chicken in the sauce, garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, and serve with rice.
Top Tip
Focus on managing the heat—cook the chicken on medium heat to ensure it crisps without burning, and stir the sauce continuously on high heat to prevent it from sticking or clumping.
My version of healthy crispy chicken coated in homemade sugar free general tso sauce is very addictive and I honestly love it more than the deep fried version.
Traditionally the calories in general tso chicken are through the roof, but in this healthier version even with rice it comes in under 500 calories!
My Favorite Add Ins
- Broccoli: Add steamed or stir-fried broccoli
- Cashews: Toss in roasted cashews for added crunch and a rich, nutty flavor.
- Pineapple: Mix in pineapple chunks for a sweet and tangy twist to the savoury sauce.
Storage
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Microwave: Reheat in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between to evenly heat.
For meal prepping, divide into four portions, add your favorite rice and vegetables, and store in the fridge for quick and easy weeknight meals. This Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Curry is also another fave for meal prepping because it freezes well.
Healthy General Tso Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 cups Brown rice, cooked
- 750 grams /1 ½ lb Skinless chicken breast or tenderloin, cubed
- ¼ cup Cornstarch (or cornflour)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Monkfruit sweetener that measures like sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or cornflour (for thickening)
For Garnishing
- 2 tablespoons green onions (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: In a bowl add 750 grams /1 ½ lb Skinless chicken breast or tenderloin, cubed and ¼ cup Cornstarch (or cornflour). Toss the chicken until it is fully coated. Set aside.
- Cook Chicken: In a saute pan add 1 tablespoon avocado oil over medium heat. After 2-3 minutes and the oil is hot add the chicken. Cook for 4-7 minutes or until the juices run clear. Once cooked remove the chicken and set aside
- Cook Sauce base: Add 1 tablespoon avocado oil, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, 3 minced garlic cloves, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, cooking on high heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add Rest of Sauce Ingredients: Add ½ cup chicken stock, 5 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons Monkfruit sweetener that measures like sugar, 1 ½ tablespoons hoisin sauce, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed into 2 tablespoons of water to make a cornstarch "slurry". Stir sauce briskly until fully combined and the sauce is thick and glossy. Taste to see if more soy sauce or monkfruit sweetener is needed based on your preference.
- Add Chicken: Add the chicken back into the pan and toss until coated with the sauce. Transfer chicken to serving dish and garnish with 2 tablespoons green onions (chopped) and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. Serve with 2 cups Brown rice, cooked.
Notes
- Chicken Coating: Ensure the chicken is evenly coated in cornstarch for a crispy texture when cooked.
- Sauce Consistency: Stir the sauce continuously to prevent lumps and achieve a smooth, glossy finish.
- Adjust Flavor: Taste the sauce before adding the chicken and adjust sweetness or saltiness with more monkfruit or soy sauce as needed.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat gently to maintain the sauce’s texture and avoid drying out the chicken.
Nutrition
Note: Sugars contained in this recipe are from naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables or other natural sweeteners. Calories have been calculated for your convenience using My Fitness Pal and are based on the ingredients listed in the recipe card.
Kathryn B says
Cooked it for my family and we 5 loved it. Cooked it for a friend's family and they all loved it too. I like that it's easy to make and the ingredients are in my pantry.
Kim says
This is one of my favourite things to make on a Friday night!