Gluten Free General Tso's Chicken
General Tso's Chicken is one of those takeout cravings that can feel completely off-limits once you're avoiding gluten — between the soy sauce, the mystery coatings, and the shared fryers, restaurant versions are almost never safe. This homemade version solves all of that with tamari in place of regular soy sauce and cornstarch as the sole coating, giving you that shatteringly crisp crust without a speck of wheat flour in sight. The chicken thighs get a quick marinade before hitting a hot skillet in two batches, so every piece comes out deeply golden and juicy rather than pale and steamed. The sauce is the real star: tamari, rice vinegar, hoisin, tomato paste, fresh ginger, and minced garlic come together into something sticky, glossy, and just spicy enough thanks to a handful of whole dried red chiles bloomed in the pan. It all comes together in one skillet, which means less cleanup and dinner on the table fast. Serves 4, so it's just as good for a weeknight family meal as it is for impressing someone who swears they could never give up their usual order.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the chicken
- 1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
- 3 tbsp tamari
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- ½ cup cornstarch, plus 1 tbsp for the sauce
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ⅓ cup neutral oil (such as avocado or canola oil), for frying
For the sauce
- 3 tbsp tamari
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 4–6 dried red chiles, whole
For serving
- 2 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces with 3 tbsp tamari and 1 tsp sesame oil. Toss to coat, then let the chicken marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- 2
While the chicken marinates, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl: 3 tbsp tamari, rice vinegar, sugar, hoisin sauce, tomato paste, 1 tsp sesame oil, chicken broth, and 1 tbsp cornstarch. Whisk until the cornstarch is fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Set aside.
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