Ground General Tso’s Chicken Recipe
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.
- Author: Mary
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 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 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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