My Forking Life

  • Air Fryer
  • Pressure Cooker
  • Jamaican
  • Browse Recipes
  • Breakfast
  • Entree
  • Side Dishes
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Air Fryer
  • Pressure Cooker
  • Jamaican
  • Browse Recipes
  • Breakfast
  • Entree
  • Side Dishes
  • About
search icon
Homepage link
  • Air Fryer
  • Pressure Cooker
  • Jamaican
  • Browse Recipes
  • Breakfast
  • Entree
  • Side Dishes
  • About
×
Home » Recipe Index » Entree

Healthier General Tso's Chicken Recipe in the Air Fryer

Published: Mar 20, 2018 · Modified: Mar 14, 2022 by Tanya · This post may contain affiliate links · 21 Comments

Spread the Flavor and Share

Jump to Recipe -

This Healthy General Tso's Chicken Recipe is still fried but "fried" in the air fryer and can be made in less than 30 minutes. Top it with the amazing general tso's sauce for an easy and quick weeknight dinner.

General Tso chicken on plate


 

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.


I have a few rules when it comes to General Tso's chicken. It must have crunch, it must have a little spice, and it must be saucy! At least that was my experience the first time I tried this dish.

It was almost 10 years ago when I first had it at a restaurant in Durham, NC during law school. I first tried this dish during a study break with friends and I fell in love.

It was also during this study break that I bit into one of the hot peppers that comes in the dish and I couldn't breathe for a good minute. The peppers are not to be eaten, the peppers are not to be eaten. I wish I knew that before I took a bite.

Despite the incident with the pepper, the dish was delicious. The chicken had the perfect crunch and the sauce was a perfect combination of sweet and salty. The depth of flavor was amazing. It's a dish that I came to love and recreate in my kitchen quite often.

Initially, my general process when creating general Tso's chicken was to batter and fry the chicken pieces until crunchy and then coat them in my sauce.

Although delicious, it became a bit cumbersome for weeknight dinners. My deep fryer broke which was a bummer and the time it took to heat oil on the stovetop just didn't fit into my tight schedule for weeknights.

So one night when my daughter requested this for dinner, a light bulb clicked in my head and I found that my Air Fryer would be the perfect fix. It became a win win because the air fryer cut the time it took to prepare the general tso chicken recipe but it also became my new healthy general tso chicken recipe since I needed no oil to fry it.

I initially purchased my air fryer to deal with a pregnancy craving I had for french fries. Well to be fair, I always crave french fries so I shouldn't blame that on pregnancy. Either way, I use my air fryer for much more than french fries and I am excited to share with you all the recipes I create in this amazing appliance.

General tso chicken in bowl with red pepper

What is an Air Fryer?

So what's an air fryer you may ask? In general, it's an appliance that recreates fried foods without actually frying the food in tons of oil. It also roasts and bakes food but its main claim to fame is the fact that it can give the same texture as fried foods without using a ton of oil.

It's a healthier option for home cooks who desire the delicious crunch that comes with fried foods but not the delicious calories and fat. It also tends to have a quicker cook time than many foods that are typically baked in the oven.

With help of my air fryer, I create this dish in less than 30 minutes. That's right, I use the air fryer to prep my chicken and I create my sauce while that's going.

There are a few tips and tricks to make this recipe a success. For one, you will want to coat your chicken pieces in potato starch. It's a tip I picked up from This Old Gal. It provides the perfect crunch for the chicken pieces without changing the taste profile.

You will also want to make sure that your air fryer basket is properly oiled. I just put a little olive oil on a paper towel and rub it all over the bottom of my basket. That way the chicken pieces won't stick when frying. This is the only oil you will need for frying the chicken pieces in this recipe. How awesome is that?!?

The last tip is to shake the air fryer basket about every 5 minutes when cooking. This will ensure that your chicken pieces are evenly cooked and crisp.

The beauty of this dish is that while your chicken pieces are cooking in the air fryer, you can work on creating your sauce on the stovetop. Dump the chicken pieces into the sauce when they are done cooking for the perfect weeknight dinner.

I like to serve our healthy general tso chicken recipe with a side of white rice I make in my Instant Pot. For veggies, I serve with steamed or air fried broccoli.

I hope you enjoy this healthy General Tso Chicken recipe in the air fryer as much as we do.

Looking for other Healthy Air Fryer Recipes? Try these out...

  • Perfect Air Fryer Steak with Garlic Herb Butter
  • Healthier Cheesesteak Factory Avocado Rolls
  • Crispy Air Fryer Fish
  • Air Fryer Meatloaf
  • Thin Air Fried Pork Chops (Japanese Tonkatsu Style)
This healthy general tso's chicken recipe is made in the air fryer for a healthier take on the dish. Have dinner ready in 30 minutes or less. #weeknightdinner #asiandinner #healthydinner #healthy #airfryerrecipes #airfryer #airfryerchicken #quickdinner #dinnerforbusypeople healthy general tso chicken recipe.
Print Pin SaveSaved!
5 from 7 votes

Healthier General Tso's Chicken Recipe

This healthy General Tso's Chicken Recipe is still fried but "fried" in the air fryer and can be made in less than 30 minutes. Top it with the amazing general tso sauce for an easy and quick weeknight dinner.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes minutes
Total Time 30 minutes minutes
Servings 4
Calories 430kcal
Author Tanya
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 1.5-2 lbs chicken thighs, boneless and skinless cut into bite sized pieces
  • ⅓ cup potato starch
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 6 dried red chillies
  • 3 green onions chopped
  • 2 teaspoon garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger minced
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • 2 Tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 2 teaspoon corn starch
  • ¼ cup water

Instructions

  • Set Air Fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat chicken thighs with potato starch making sure all pieces are fully covered. Use tongs to place chicken pieces in Air Fryer basket. Cook chicken pieces for 20-25 minutes until crispy, shaking basket every 5 minutes. 
  • Meanwhile, prepare sauce by heating vegetable oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add green onions, dried chilies, garlic, and ginger and stir fry for about 1 minute, until chillies brighten in color and onions have softened. 
  • Add brown sugar, chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and pinch of salt to the skillet and stir. Bring to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes. 
  • Once chicken in air fryer is finished, add to sauce and stir in. 
  • Create a thickener by whisking 2 teaspoons of corn starch in ¼ cup cold water. Stir into boiling sauce and allow to cook for about 1 minute, until sauce has thickened. 
  • Serve with rice and vegetable and Enjoy 🙂

Notes

Note for Healthy General Tso's Chicken Recipe

Break a few of the chills peppers in half before adding to skillet for a spicier dish.

Suggested Tools for Healthy General Tso's Chicken Recipe

I have this Air Fryer
You will want to coat chicken with Silicone Kitchen Tongs so coating stays on chicken when mixing and transferring to air fryer.
A skillet for making the sauce on the stove top.

Some Ingredients You Will Need

Dried Red Chillies
Potato Starch

Nutrition

Calories: 430kcal
My Southern Air Fryer ECookbookFind all my Top Southern Air Fryer recipes in one place! My Southern Air Fryer ECookbook!
Subscribe to my YouTubeSubscribe to my YouTube Channel for full length recipe videos. Click the bell icon to be notified when I upload a new video.
Tried this recipe? Share on InstagramMention @Myforkinglife or tag #myforkinglife!
Although myforkinglife.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Under no circumstances will myforkinglife.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.
 

Step by Step Photos of Healthy General Tso Chicken Recipe

chicken pieces covered in cornstarch
chicken pieces in air fryer basket
peppers and onions cooking in non stick skillet
sauce being made in non stick skillet
finished fried chicken pieces in air fryer basket
chicken pieces in sauce
finished chicken and sauce in skillet

Want more Chinese recipes? Try my Zucchini Mushroom Chicken Recipe.

Pin Healthy General Tso's Chicken Recipe for Later

an image of the finished dish with text that says air fryer general tso's chicken

More Entree

  • broiled chicken breast on broiler sheet
    Juicy Broiled Chicken Breast Recipe (How to Broil Chicken in the Oven)
  • air fryer fish on white plate with tatar sauce and lemons
    Crispy Air Fryer Fish Recipe
  • country style ribs on plate with mashed potatoes and green beans
    Country Style Ribs Recipe (Tender with BBQ Sauce)
  • overhead view of crab fried rice in wok with spoon in it
    Easy Crab Fried Rice Recipe

Spread the Flavor and Share

Comments

    5 from 7 votes (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Perrin Jane says

    October 28, 2022 at 10:42 am

    I now have a new smart oven. One of the ovens can be used as an air fryer. Can I follow the recipe as is for an oven air fryer? For example: the temperature, a pan sheet instead of a basket, etc. thank you!

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      November 01, 2022 at 10:21 pm

      Hi Perrin, yes, that should work fine. From what I know the smart ovens work just like stovetop air fryer. The only adjustment needed may be the length of the air frying time.

      Reply
  2. Janie Harris says

    March 05, 2021 at 3:29 pm

    Can potato flakes be used instead of potato starch?

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      March 05, 2021 at 5:43 pm

      Hi Janie, I've never used potato flakes so I'm not sure how it would turn out. A more similar sub would be corn starch.

      Reply
    • Elaine Culver says

      February 08, 2022 at 12:28 am

      @Janie Harris,
      I found this on a Google Search:

      Can I make potato flour from potato flakes?
      The best substitute for potato flour is going to be potato flakes, which is essentially potato flour that hasn't been ground as fine. You can either dissolve it into batter for baking, or use a blender or food process to grind it into a fine powder. Potato flakes can be substituted for potato flour using a 1:1 ratio.Jun 14, 2021

      Reply
    • Elaine Culver says

      February 08, 2022 at 12:38 am

      @Janie Harris,
      Also:

      Are potato starch and potato flakes the same thing?
      Potato flakes, potato starch, and mashed potato flakes are all synonyms for the same thing. Often, you will see them used as a thickening agent in soups, gravies, or sauces.

      Reply
  3. Twigss says

    February 09, 2021 at 10:14 pm

    Loved this recipe came out perfect. I sautéed stir fried some sliced carrots,onion,celery, broccoli and red bell pepper and layered veggies and chicken added some grated orange peel to veggies and all I can say is WOW. The potato starch is a must!

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      February 10, 2021 at 7:45 pm

      Thanks Twigss! That sounds delicious!

      Reply
  4. Todd Wesner says

    August 13, 2020 at 6:42 pm

    My kids loved it! Definitely a hit with the family.I prefer a bite to mine and not so sweet. Next time i'll use less browm sugar. This is a keeper. Ty much!!

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      August 14, 2020 at 8:19 am

      You're so welcome Todd. Glad you liked it. My kids love this recipe too.

      Reply
  5. Lois B. Hansen says

    July 01, 2020 at 6:42 pm

    I'd like to make this with chicken breast. 20-25 minutes to cook bite size pieces sounds like too long.

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      July 02, 2020 at 8:29 am

      Hi Lois, you're correct, 20-25 minutes would be too long for breast. If using breast, reduce the time to about 10-12 minutes but note that the chicken pieces may not be as crispy. The sauce sets it off though so it'll still be delicious.

      Reply
  6. Alfred Gorlick says

    August 23, 2019 at 12:17 pm

    Can corn starch be used in lieu of potato starch?

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      August 24, 2019 at 8:24 pm

      Yes, it sure can.

      Reply
  7. Claire says

    August 17, 2019 at 9:11 pm

    Fabulous recipe!! I love having the flavor and crunch without all the grease.

    Reply
  8. Fern says

    February 20, 2019 at 5:16 pm

    Amazing recipe. We love the sweet/heat. Perfect! I didn't think about serving b
    Veggies until I was done, so I just served it over basmati brown rice with a side of homemade applesauce. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  9. Christina says

    December 30, 2018 at 8:07 pm

    Made this tonight and it came out amazing. I didn’t need to add the extra cornstarch thickener at the end, was plenty thick from simmering. Love the sauce so much, plan on making the sauce again and subbing 1/4 cup brown sugar for orange juice + zest and glazing shrimp in it. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      December 31, 2018 at 7:23 am

      You're so welcome. So glad you liked it. I like you're adding of adding oranje juice and using shrimp. I'll be trying that soon, I always have shrimp on hand.

      Reply
  10. PAMELA REUBEN-EUBANKS says

    September 18, 2018 at 12:00 am

    wow! this looks absolutely amazing and your stories are so funny and engaging. A airfryer is definately on my must have list this year

    Reply
  11. Dre says

    April 03, 2018 at 2:30 pm

    I've been thinking of getting an air fryer for a while now. This recipe alone makes me want to take the plunge. I would love to be able to make it at the house without deep frying the chicken. About to pin your recipe now for future reference. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      April 06, 2018 at 1:51 pm

      Thank you Dre! We loveee our air fryer. It's worth it and i love finding new things that I can make in it.

      Reply

Welcome!

Welcome to My Forking Life! Hi, I'm Tanya, attorney, busy wife and mom, and lover of quick, easy, and delicious meals.

More about me

Popular Recipes

  • Jamaican Oxtails Recipe

  • air fried chicken in air fryer basket
    Air Fryer Fried Chicken

  • brown stew chicken in pan
    Brown Stew Chicken

  • Pressure Cooker Shrimp Paella

Holiday Favorites

  • sweet potato pie on a plate
    Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

  • spoon lifting gravy out of gravy dish
    Easy Recipe for Gravy without Drippings

  • creamy baked macaroni and cheese, the best baked macaroni and cheese, creamy mac and cheese
    Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

  • Stirring the giblet gravy with a spoon.
    Grandma's Giblet Gravy Recipe

as seen on...various online websites text listed

Footer

↑ back to top
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • About Tanya

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 My Forking Life

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.