Vegan General Tso’s Chicken Recipe (gluten-free) (2024)

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General Tso’s chicken is a spicy, aromatic, sweet and sour dish with roots in Hunan, China, Taiwan and New York City. Now we branch off again with Vegan General Tso’s ‘Chicken’! In this recipe, I use the BEST vegan fried chicken, oven-fried, as the vegan chicken alternative. It’s amazingly juicy, crispy, crunchy, and perfect for rolling in this sweet and sour sauce while still retaining its texture. This recipe is easily made gluten-free by choosing gluten-free tamari instead of regular soy sauce and using gluten-free dry sherry instead of Shao Hsing wine. Pin this recipe.

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Video tutorial for Vegan General Tso’s Chicken Recipe (gluten-free)


Like many staple Chinese American (and Canadian) dishes, General Tso’s Chicken is a dish that enjoys wide recognition in North America but very little in China. Here’s an interesting read about the history of General Tso’s Chicken.

Vegan General Tso’s Chicken Recipe (gluten-free) (1)

I like oven-frying the “vegan chicken” in this recipe because it’s less trouble than setting up to deep-fry and the clean-up is quicker too. Plus, while the vegan chicken is in the oven, you can start cooking your jasmine rice and prepare all the stir-fry ingredients.

You can certainly use a store-bought vegan chicken alternative and use the same dredging and baking process to achieve that delicious crispy, crunchy crust. Or, simply use breaded vegan chicken tenders to speed things along. Either way, you’ll love this simple recipe for General Tso’s chicken made vegan.

Vegan General Tso’s Chicken Recipe (gluten-free) (2)

Printable recipe for Vegan General Tso’s Chicken (gluten-free)

Yield: 4 servings

Vegan General Tso's Chicken Recipe (gluten-free)

Vegan General Tso’s Chicken Recipe (gluten-free) (3)

General Tso's chicken is a spicy, aromatic, sweet and sour dish with roots in Hunan, China, Taiwan and New York City. Now we branch off again with Vegan General Tso's 'Chicken'! In this recipe, I usethe BEST vegan fried chicken, oven-fried, as the vegan chicken alternative. It's amazingly juicy, crispy, crunchy, and perfect for rolling in sweet and sour sauce while still retaining its texture.

However,the BEST vegan fried chicken recipetakes a couple days of prep to freeze and thaw the main ingredient, medium firm tofu. To speed up this recipe, you can use store-bought vegan chicken alternatives. Follow the dredging and baking instructions for vegan chicken alternatives that do not have breading already. For vegan chicken tenders with breading, you can simply heat them up according to package instructions and toss them into the stir-fry at the end.

After you have your vegan chicken prepared, the stir-fry takes 15 minutes or less.

This recipe is easily made gluten-free by choosing gluten-free tamari instead of regular soy sauce and dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine.

Ingredients

For vegan fried chicken

  • 9oz Vegan Crispy "Chicken" Tenders OR 1 batch BEST Vegan Fried "Chicken" (recipe linked in Instructions)

Stir-fry Sauce Mix

  • 1/2 cup vegan chicken-style broth or vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari)
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing Wine (or gluten-free dry sherry)
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar (or your choice of sweetener)
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Other Stir-fry Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons cooking oil, such as canola or peanut oil
  • 2 teaspoons grated ginger
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
  • 4 dried (or semi-dried) chilies, chopped roughly
  • 2 scallions, white and light green parts finely chopped, dark green parts roughly chopped
  • 3 cups mixed vegetables like onions, peppers and broccoli (optional)

Instructions

Prep

  1. Prepare 9oz Vegan "Chicken" Tenders according to package instructions OR make my Best Vegan Fried Chicken using the oven-fried method(recommended).
  2. While the vegan fried chicken is baking, start cooking your jasmine rice and prepare the Stir-fry Sauce Mix by combining all the ingredients and stirring well until the cornstarch is dissolved. Measure out all the stir-fry ingredients and have them handy as the stir-fry process goes quickly. If including vegetables, chop them into even, bite-sized pieces.

Stir-fry

  1. When the vegan fried chicken is ready, let it cool while you heat up a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add two teaspoons of cooking oil.
  2. When the oil is simmering oil, add the ginger, garlic, chilies, and the white and light green scallion. Stir-fry about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
  3. If using, add the vegetables and turn the heat up to medium-high and stir-fry another 30 seconds to a minute; until the vegetables turn bright.
  4. Give the Stir-fry sauce a quick stir to make sure the cornstarch isn't stuck at the bottom, then pour it into the wok or skillet. The sauce will start to bubble and thicken quickly. When it does, add the vegan chicken. Turn off the heat and fold to coat the ingredients completely in the sauce.
  5. Add the dark green parts of the scallion and add sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately over jasmine rice. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Shaoxing wine is a rice wine but normally contains wheat as well. Dry sherry is a good alternative that is normally gluten-free.
  2. If cooking nut-free, be sure not to use peanut oil.
  3. I used semi-fried hot chilies in the video. They are more spicy hot than dried chilies. If you want a milder dish, use dried chilies and remove the seeds before cooking.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1/4 of recipe

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 526Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 1464mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 5gSugar: 12gProtein: 33g

Nutritional Information automatically calculated by a plugin and may not be correct.

Did you make this recipe?

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Vegan General Tso’s Chicken Recipe (gluten-free) (4)

asian chinese easy easy recipe recipe recipe with video

Showing 7 comments

  • Lauren

    Reply

    Hi this general tso recipe looks delicious and I’m definietly gonna try and make it but I have to know what song is that playing in the background of your video? I love it and I can’t figure it out..

  • Danielle

    Reply

    Where’s your cookbook?

    • Mary

      Reply

      In my head…
      Sign up for the newsletter if you want to know when that changes 😉

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About Me

I’m Mary Lin, vegan recipe developer, YouTuber, and cat person. Chinese Canadian, born & raised in Vancouver, BC (currently in Calgary, Alberta) on a mission to veganize all my favourite comfort foods from Canadian, Cantonese and other Asian cuisines! And make them easy without sacrificing flavour. What should I veganize next?

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Vegan General Tso’s Chicken Recipe (gluten-free) (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan General Tso's made of? ›

General Tso sauce is made with soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, red chili flakes, and sugar. The sweet and savory flavors balance nicely when coated over the protein of your choice. I used tofu but you can swap it for cauliflower, tempeh, or chickpeas!

View Details
Is hoisin sauce gluten free? ›

It depends. Traditional hoisin sauce recipes are gluten-free, but today most commercially available hoisin sauces are made with wheat, either to thicken the sauce or in added soy sauce. If you have celiac disease, only eat hoisin sauce labeled gluten-free.

See Details
Is TSO sauce gluten free? ›

Ying's hits the flavor of General Tso Sauce on the head: zesty, tangy, spicy... lots of bold flavor with personality. On top of that, it's all Natural and Gluten Free!

See Details
Does General Tso's have dairy? ›

Ingredients. CONTAINS: EGG, MILK, SESAME, SOY, WHEAT.

Read On
Is hoisin sauce vegan? ›

As per Wikipedia, Hoisin (海鮮) is actually the Chinese word for “seafood”, however, the sauce does not contain any seafood ingredients, so it's naturally vegan. Why is it called “hoisin” then? Because the sauce was often used as an accompaniment to seafood dishes.

Keep Reading
What is General Tso's sauce made of? ›

The sauce for General Tso's chicken is so simple to make with pantry staple ingredients: rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, water, sugar, and some corn starch to thicken the sauce. Simply add the ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine.

View Details
Why can't celiacs eat soy sauce? ›

Regular soy sauce is not gluten-free. Wheat is a primary ingredient in soy sauce, which surprises many people who are new to gluten-free diet. There are several gluten-free soy sauce options available that use rice instead of wheat.

Tell Me More
What sauce from the Chinese is gluten-free? ›

It's important to check the label or ask the restaurant staff to ensure that the sauces are gluten-free. Gluten-free Chinese sauces include tamari (a type of soy sauce made without wheat), rice vinegar, fish sauce, and oyster sauce made without gluten-containing ingredients.

Discover More
What sauces to avoid when gluten-free? ›

Condiments such as soy sauce, barbecue sauce, mustard, and gravy are often made with gluten containing ingredients, such as wheat, wheat starch or malt flavoring. Be sure to double check ingredients on condiments and sauces or look for gluten free varieties.

Find Out More
What Chinese food is typically gluten-free? ›

  • Chinese Dining: Gluten-Free.
  • Steamed Chicken/Shrimp or Seafood: Chicken, shrimp, or seafood usually steamed with.
  • Egg Drop Soup: Beaten eggs in boiled chicken broth with condiments (pepper, scallions)
  • Fried Rice: White rice, egg, scallions, carrots, and usually meat, pork, or tofu.
More items...

Keep Reading

Does Yum Yum sauce gluten-free? ›

The Terry Ho's Yum Yum Sauce provides the flavor you want for various meals. It's ideal for putting on shrimp or steak. This Terry Ho sauce comes in a pack of 6, allowing you to have enough on hand in your pantry. It's also free of gluten and doesn't contain any trans fat.

View Details
Why isn t teriyaki sauce gluten-free? ›

Is Teriyaki Sauce Gluten-Free? Traditionally, teriyaki sauce is made with soy sauce, which is not gluten-free because it contains wheat. To replace soy sauce in this recipe, we used its cousin: tamari. Tamari and soy sauce are both made from fermented soybeans, but tamari doesn't usually contain wheat.

Find Out More
What are the allergens in General Tso's chicken? ›

Allergens Egg products, soy, wheat, and citrus. Preparation Chicken: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a single layer of chicken on a baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes until crisp and golden brown and to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Find Out More
What Chinese food is similar to General Tso? ›

Sesame chicken: These two dishes are very similar. The main difference is the oil used in the sauce. Sesame chicken calls for sesame oil, which adds a salty and nutty taste, making it a little less sweet than General Tso.

Learn More
What does General Tso Chicken contain? ›

General Tso's (pronounced tsow) chicken is a Chinese-American dish that features deep-fried chicken tossed in an irresistibly sticky glaze made with garlic, sugar, soy sauce, and chiles. The dish is named after 19th-century military leader Tso Tsung-t'ang.

Get More Info Here
Is Chinese mock chicken vegan? ›

In Chinese cuisine, fried gluten is used to make imitation meat dishes for people who are intolerant to meat products, or people who prefer vegetarian dishes over meat. Here you find Wu Chung brand's 290g canned mock chicken which is a good vegan alternative for chicken dishes.

Learn More
Is General Tso's tofu healthy? ›

It's spicy-sweet, healthier than the classic Chinese takeout dish, and one of my favorite tofu recipes. This General Tso's Tofu is a healthier and lighter version of the classic General Tso's Chicken. Besides, it's made with tofu instead of chicken and the tofu is not deep-fried, just sautéed in a little bit of oil.

Get More Info Here
What is tofu made of? ›

Tofu, or bean curd, is a popular food derived from soya. It is made by curdling fresh soya milk, pressing it into a solid block and then cooling it, in much the same way that traditional dairy cheese is made by curdling and solidifying milk.

Learn More
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