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Ground General Tso’s Chicken Recipe

5 from 80 reviews

A quick and flavorful Ground General Tso’s Chicken recipe that combines tender ground chicken and crunchy water chestnuts in a tangy, sweet, and spicy sauce. Perfect for a fast weeknight dinner served over rice or noodles.

Ingredients

Scale

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

Instructions

  1. Cook the Chicken and Water Chestnuts: Heat 1 tablespoon 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 the bottom, then use a spatula to break it apart. Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked.
  2. Add Aromatics: Once the chicken is cooked through, add the minced ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes to the pan. Stir and cook for about 10 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Prepare the General Tso’s Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, water, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth and combined.
  4. Combine Sauce with Chicken: Pour the prepared sauce into the pan with the chicken mixture. Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook for just a few seconds until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken evenly.
  5. Serve: Remove from heat and serve the Ground General Tso’s Chicken immediately, ideally over steamed rice or noodles.

Notes

  • For more heat, increase the crushed red pepper flakes or add a dash of chili garlic sauce.
  • Use fresh water chestnuts if available for a crisper texture.
  • This dish pairs well with steamed broccoli or snap peas for a complete meal.
  • To make it gluten-free, substitute soy sauce with tamari.

Keywords: Ground General Tso's Chicken, quick Chinese recipe, easy weeknight dinner, ground chicken, General Tso’s sauce