This Chinese classic usually cooks on the stovetop. But we made General Tso’s chicken in the oven in a 9×13 pan. Here’s how.
When Rivky Kleiman shared this recipe for General Tso’s Chicken from Simply Gourmet with us, our first reaction was… “Wait! This will work in a 9×13! Let’s try it!” Here goes…
A true Chinese classic that tastes like the real deal. Your family will keep requesting this no-fuss, simple, easy, and delicious dinner.
- 1½ pounds chicken cutlets, cut into strips
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 24 ounces frozen broccoli florets, defrosted
- ½-1 cup honey-glazed cashews
- black and white sesame seeds, for sprinkling, optional
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1½ Tbsp hoisin sauce (see note above)
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼-½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
- Place chicken strips, flour, salt, and pepper into a resealable bag. Seal bag; shake until all chicken strips are well coated. Remove strips from flour. Shake off the excess flour; place chicken strips into prepared baking pan.
- Prepare the General Tso’s sauce: In a small saucepan, whisk together sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in water. Add remaining ingredients; whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Lower heat to a simmer and allow sauce to thicken, until it lightly coats the back of spoon. Remove from heat. Alternatively, place mixture into a microwave-safe bowl or container. Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir well. Repeat this two more times for a total of 3 minutes in the microwave. Mixture will be smooth and thickened.
- Pour half the sauce over the chicken strips. Cover pan with foil; bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven. Place broccoli florets over the chicken strips. Pour remaining sauce over the broccoli. Cover; bake an additional 15-20 minutes.
- Before serving, sprinkle with glazed cashews and sesame seeds, if using.
For another version of General Tso’s, make on the stovetop or in a Crock-Pot, see this post.
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