Super Easy Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken. Cooked in a slightly sweet and tangy Chinese-inspired sauce. Way better (and healthier) than takeout! Serve with my Chinese Fried Rice, Lo Mein, or Chicken Chow Mein to make it a meal!
If you are short on time and want to have dinner on the table in under 30 minutes try my Easy 30-minute General Tso’s Chicken, with a side of Garlic Fried Rice!
General Tso’s Chicken is my all-time favorite take-out dish. It’s my go-to whenever I order Chinese takeout. This General Tso Chicken recipe turns out incredibly tender and juicy way better than the takeout version. It is coated in a sweet and tangy sauce. It tastes just like the General Tso’s Chicken you get at a restaurant!
You can also feel better about eating this dish because it is healthier than the takeout version! There is no deep-frying in this recipe just a little oil is used to sauté the chicken. You can also control the sweetness, saltiness and spice level when you make this at home!
To add an extra depth of flavor to this dish I brown the coated chicken in a hot pan. This gives the chicken a nice caramelization on the outside and helps it stay tender and juicy while cooking in the slow cooker. The cornstarch also helps to thicken up the sauce.
If you like this recipe then try out my other Crockpot Chicken Recipe!
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Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts: Cut into bite-size pieces. You can substitute chicken thighs as well.
- Cornstarch: This helps to thicken up the sauce.
- Hoisin Sauce: Can be found in the International Isle in the grocery store. It is thick, sweet, and slightly salty. It makes the perfect addition to the sauce!
- Rice wine vinegar: Can also be found in the International Isle in the grocery store. Resist the urge to substitute with another vinegar. I find that rice wine vinegar works the best in this recipe.
- Light brown sugar: Adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the sauce. Feel free to reduce the amount of sugar if you do not like it as sweet.
- Sesame oil: Also found in the International Isle in the grocery store or at Asian supermarkets. Sesame oil has a wonderful nutty flavor. A little goes a long way!
- For serving: I sprinkle the chicken with black and white sesame seeds and green onions! For a kick add some crushed red pepper flakes or a drizzle of Sriracha or chili garlic sauce!
How to make Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken
- Cube chicken thighs: Into bite size pieces.
- Coat in cornstarch: Add chicken and cornstarch to a large ziplock bag. Toss to coat the chicken with the cornstarch.
- Brown chicken: Heat oil in a large skillet or wok. Saute chicken until golden brown on both sides about 2 minutes on each side. (Note the chicken will not be fully cooked and that is ok)
- Add the ingredients to the slow cooker: Add the chicken to the slow cooker. Combine hoisin sauce, vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil in a medium. Pour the sauce onto the chicken and stir to coat the chicken.
- Cook on low for 2-3 hours. Or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees and is heated through. Depending on how big you cubed your chicken it might take more or less time.
- Serve: With green onions and sesame seeds for serving, if desired.
What to serve with General Tso Chicken
- Authentic Chicken Lo Mein
- Chicken Chow Mein
- The BEST Fried Rice
- Garlic Fried Rice
- Air Fryer Fried Rice
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
- White or brown rice. For a low-carb option try cauliflower rice.
- Steamed vegetables
- Crunchy Asian Broccoli Slaw
- Air Fryer Egg Rolls
- Garlic Green Beans
- Zucchini Noodle Stir Fry
- Japanese Cucumber Salad
storage instructions
- Reheat: Leftovers (chicken and sauce) in a saute pan over medium-high heat until rewarmed. You can also rewarm in the slow cooker as well!
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before reheating as above.
kelley’s tips
- You can use different meat! Try adding chicken thighs, pork, or beef instead, and increase the cooking time to 3-4 hours depending on the cut of meat.
- Vegetarian? No Problem! Cauliflower, broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini, and carrots are all delicious in this recipe! Use what you have on hand. You can dust the vegetables with cornstarch, or make a cornstarch slurry by adding it to water and then pouring it straight into the sauce.
- Enjoy a little heat? Me too! Sprinkle some crushed red pepper flakes in, or as a few dashes of sriracha for a little kick of spice.
frequently asked questions
What is Chinese General Tso Sauce made of?
It’s made of 4 simple ingredients that you may already have in your pantry. General Tso’s Chicken sauce includes hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, light brown sugar, and sesame oil. The meat is coated with cornstarch which thickens the sauce up beautifully.
How long do you cook boneless skinless chicken in the crockpot?
For this Slow Cooker General Tso Chicken recipe, I cooked the chicken along with the sauce for 2-3 hours in the crockpot. It turns out super tender and the chicken is absolutely bursting with flavor.
Is General Tso Chicken the same as Orange Chicken?
Not quite! Orange Chicken Sauce has marmalade, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and crushed red pepper flakes. On the other hand, General Tso Chicken contains hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, light brown sugar, and sesame oil. They are very different flavor profiles! One is orange-tasting, and the other has hoisin sauce which is made from fermented soybeans.
Is General Tso Chicken spicy?
This recipe for Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken is not spicy at all, however, if you like a kick of heat I recommend adding in crushed red pepper flakes or a few dashes of sriracha. A little spice is delicious in this recipe!
Here are more Chinese Takeout Recipes you can make at home!
- 20 Minute Beef and Broccoli
- Easy Kung Pao Shrimp
- Slow Cooker Mongolian Chicken
- Easy Pepper Steak
- 30 Minute Sweet and Sour Chicken
products i used
Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup hoisin sauce
- 4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- green onions for serving, if desired
- sesame seeds for serving, if desired
Instructions
- Add chicken and cornstarch to a large ziplock bag. Toss to coat the chicken with the cornstarch.
- Heat oil in a large skillet or wok. Saute chicken until golden brown on both sides about 2 minutes on each side. (Note the chicken will not be fully cooked and that is ok) Add the chicken to the slow cooker.
- Add hoisin sauce, vinegar, sugar and sesame oil to a medium bowl and whisk until combined. Pour the sauce onto the chicken and stir to coat the chicken.
- Cook on low for 2-3 hours.Serve with green onions and sesame seeds for serving, if desired.
Nutrition Information
Did you make this?
I’d love to hear your feedback! Leave a review and make sure to share your pictures on social media! Don’t forget to follow @thechefsavvy.
Doris Giedt
I am making this today for the second time in a week! We liked it. I am adding red pepper flakes to give it more spice. Thank you very much!?
MarySC
I really hoped this would work but It was not to be. I followed the recipe exactly. The chicken was way overcooked even at the 2 hour mark and was soggy and tough. The sauce was so-so, I would describe it as flat. Some things are just not meant to be slow cooked!! (I have since found a tasty recipe that can be done mostly in advance and uses sautéed instead of deep fried chicken– not as crispy as takeout but much healthier.)
Gayle
I am planning an Asian themed event. I would like to know if the recipe is doubled, should the cooking time change?
Kelley
Hi Gayle,
No the cooking time will not need to change. Thank you & Enjoy!
Kelley
Nicole HIll
This looks delicious! I like the idea of coating the chicken with corn starch and sauteing it for a short while before adding it to the crockpot. I have tried a few crockpot sesame chicken recipes and my chicken has come out very dry and nothing like a usual sesame chicken. I will have to go this a try….my husband loves General Tsos. Thank you for sharing!!
Marquett
I thought this was delicious! I cut my cooking time down, but the sauce was flavorful and it tasted fantastic. Thanks for sharing the recipe for one of my husband’s FAVORITE take out dishes!
kiese7
I saved this recipe s I can try it! Sounds delicious!
Charity Hansen
You mentioned you like it saucy do you double the sauce portion?
Kelley
Hi Charity,
Yes I like to double the sauce and serve extra sauce over white rice.
Thanks!
Kelley
Brandy
Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe. The instructions were very clear and easy to follow. My family loved it!
Kelley
Thank you Brandy! I am so glad you and your family enjoyed it!
Karen
We couldn’t find rice wine vinegar. Just red wine vinegar one rice vinegar. Would one of these work?
Kelley
Hi Karen,
You can find rice wine vinegar in the asian section of the grocery store. I would suggest using this over red wine vinegar.
Thank you!
Kelley
Pam Dailey
Rice wine vinegar and rice vinegar are the same.
amarillo, tx
My husband and I love this recipe. Was really tough cleaning the pot afterward though. Will spray with cooking spray next time and hopefully it will not take as long to clean.
Thank you
jenny
you can use a slow cooker line, reynolds makes them, I get mine at walmart