Once you know how ridiculously easy it is to make this General Tso Chicken Recipe, you’ll never need takeout again! Lovingly known as Sweet and Sour’s sassy cousin, the savory, complex flavor is the kick in the pants your chicken has been looking for! Just 4 ingredients and you’re done!
In college I had a serious thing for General Tso Chicken.
Every Sunday night my besties from my dorm and I would drive up Queen Anne Hill in Seattle and grab some General’s Chicken. It was such a fun memory, and crazy delish!
But I couldn’t just let this become a delicious memory. So after college I decided to figure out how to make this top-notch dinner for myself. Of course, I was also a busy mom, so I needed it to be really easy. That’s how this slow cooker general tso chicken came to be.
Now I just couldn’t keep something so delicious to myself. Something this good needed to be shared. After all… I wanted you to be able to create your own delicious memories, too!
So go ahead and do yourself a favor when you kick up the flavor with this better-than-takeout general tso chicken! Each delightful bite serves up a little heat and a dash of sweet.
Plus, thanks to this easy recipe, you can let your slow cooker do the all work for you… all while gaining rave reviews in the process. Sound good?
I just keep making it over and over again, and the whole family loves it. Just like when I make this tasty Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken, perfectly Simple Beef and Broccoli Recipe, and fabulous Recipe for Sweet and Sour Pork.
Now let’s get this dinner started, shall we?
All you’ll need are 4 ingredients…
Ingredients
It takes just a few simple ingredients to make the BEST general tso chicken slow cooker recipe!
Here’s what you need to get on your next grocery store run…
- Boneless Skinless Chicken – Fresh or thawed, like I used with most of my Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes.
- General Tso Sauce – A sweet and spicy cousin to Sweet and Sour Sauce.
- Dried Thai Chilies – To add the perfect lovely touch of heat.
- Green Onions – For a savory garnish.
- *optional: Sesame Seeds
You’ll also need a 5 – 6 quart Crockpot, like with most of my easy 5 Ingredient Slow Cooker Recipes.
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Pin ItHow to Make General Tso Chicken
It’s actually SO simple to make this spicy general tso chicken crock pot recipe!
Here’s what you’ll do…
1. Cook your chicken and chilies in your crockpot, and then drain and discard the juices.
2. Cut the cooked chicken into cubes, and place back in the crockpot.
3. Pour the sauce over your chicken and continue cooking.
4. Once done, serve it up and enjoy every last delightful bite!
That’s it. Just a few steps and this easy general tso chicken recipe is done. Trust me, Easy Crockpot Recipes don’t get much simpler or tastier than this!
Scroll down for the printable recipe card with detailed, step-by-step instructions.
What to Serve with General Tso Chicken
Easy Asian Recipes like this sweet and spicy general tso chicken recipe go great with a variety of sides. Here are just a few of my favorites…
- Brown Rice
- Cauliflower Rice
- Chow Mein
- Crab Rangoons
- Cream Cheese Rangoons
- Egg Rolls
- Fried Rice
- Ramen Noodles Teriyaki
- Spring Rolls dipped in Springroll Dipping Sauce
- Sweet Vingegar Coleslaw
- White Rice
How To Store
Leftovers of this general tso chicken recipe can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can reheat the next day for another easy weeknight meal, making it one of the Best Meal Prep Ideas.
Reviews
Here’s what your frugal friends are saying about this easy crock pot general tso chicken recipe…
Matthew writes: “Used with chicken thighs and it was excellent”
Tina writes: “To convert from dried chiles to a ground powder, 1 Thai Chile equals approximately ½ teaspoon of Thai Chile Powder.”
More Asian Food Recipes for Dinner
Crockpot
Honey Sesame Chicken
Crockpot
Crockpot Orange Chicken
Crockpot
Honey Garlic Ribs
Crockpot
Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
Crockpot
Sweet Chili Chicken
Crockpot
Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
Did You Enjoy This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Leave a comment & review below!
General Tso Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, fresh or thawed
- 12.6 oz. House of Tsang General Tso Stir Fry Sauce , (or Trader Joe's General Tsao Sauce)
- 8 Thai Chili Peppers, dried
- 2 Green Onions, chopped
- 1 tsp. Sesame Seeds, (optional)
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients.
- Cook chicken and dried Thai Chilies in Crock Pot on HIGH for 3 hours or LOW for 6 hours (covered).
- After 3 hours on HIGH or 6 hours on LOW, drain juices from Crock Pot.
- Remove chicken, cut into cubes, then transfer chicken back to Crock Pot. (retain Thai Chilies in Crock Pot – they add great spice, but I never eat them because they’re crazy hot!)
- Pour General Tso Sauce over chicken, then cook on HIGH for 30 more minutes (covered), or until done.
- Serve over cooked White Rice, Garnish with Green Onions and Sesame Seeds, and ENJOY!
Notes
- How To Store: Leftovers of this general tso chicken recipe can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can reheat the next day for another easy weeknight meal.
- FAQ’s: For answers to Frequently Asked Questions or tips for common substitutions and variations, please refer to the detailed information above this recipe card.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
I love general tso chicken so this is a great idea to make it with a crock pot. Thank you so much for sharing!
You’re very welcome, Christie! The crockpot really does make it so easy! 🙂
Hi, could I double this? And would I have to change the cooking time? Also can I make it without the Thai chiles?
Hi Kia ~ I don’t recommend doubling this. If you want more chicken, it will work best to make 2 batches worth in 2 separate crock pots. Also, you can leave out the Thai chiles if you’d prefer. Enjoy!
This looks delicious! I definitely need to try this recipe. Loving cooking in the crockpot and this recipe sounds nice and easy to make. Plus it would add a new meal to our small but slowly expanding collection of recipes to use regularly.
Thanks, Sarah… I hope you love it! It’s definitely a fun slow cooker dinner to add to the menu rotation… so easy + SO much flavor!
only one question, when you say “cook chicken in crock pot for three hours” do you add any liquid? I wish you would clarify.
Hi TJ ~ no extra liquid is required, as the chicken will end up cooking in its own juices released during the slow cooking process. Hope that helps!
I made the orange chicken by poaching the chicken in a frying pan with fresh ginger, 4 cloves of garlic 1/4 c of soy sauce and a carrot with three breasts. Poached for 5 mins. Shut off stove and breast continued to pach to 15 mins longer. Then finished in the crocpot on high for 30 mins. Super easy and fun nner in under an hour!
That sounds delicious… thanks for sharing!
Where do you find the Thai dry chilies for general tso chicken? I couldn’t find it at Kroger
Hi Kim ~ I purchase them on Amazon.
Hope that helps! 🙂
Hi Heidi,
Thanks for sharing your great recipes. Have you tried dumping and freezing any of these recipes, then popping them into a crock pot to cook at a later date? I have multiple health issues and have more bad days than good. I’m going to try buying bulk, prepping freezer meals, then using as needed. Hopefully, we will not only eat healthier but will save $$$ too.
Sincerely, Kathy
Hi Kathy!
On Crock Pot chicken recipes, I typically prefer to drain the juices then add the sauce near the end, so you end up with a thicker more flavorful sauce.
However, there are some that end up really good with the dumping/freezing method. Here are a few of my favorites that can be cooked that way…
https://thefrugalgirls.com/2015/05/crockpot-freezer-meal-green-chile-chicken.html
https://thefrugalgirls.com/2015/01/crockpot-freezer-meal-recipe-italian-chicken.html
https://thefrugalgirls.com/2015/09/savory-crock-pot-italian-chicken.html
ENJOY!! 🙂