General Tso's Chicken

General Tso's Chicken is a popular Chinese-American dish featuring deep-fried, bite-sized pieces of chicken coated in a sweet, spicy, and savory sauce. It typically includes ingredients like chicken, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, and dried red chilies. The dish is widely believed to have been popularized in the United States by Chinese immigrants, particularly from Hunan province, though its current form is largely an American invention.

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🍽️ Nutrition at a glance

General Tso's Chicken is generally high in calories, fat, and carbohydrates due to the deep-frying process and the sugary sauce. A typical restaurant serving can contain around 800-1,200 calories, with significant protein from the chicken but also substantial amounts of sodium and added sugars.

Nutrition breakdown

Calories	490 kcal
Protein	25 g
Carbs	40 g
Fat	24 g
Fiber	2 g
Sugar	12 g
Sodium	1200 mg
Potassium	350 mg
Vitamin A	150 IU
Vitamin C	4 mg
Calcium	40 mg
Iron	2.5 mg
Vitamin B6	0.3 mg
Vitamin B12	0.5 mcg
Phosphorus	200 mg

Per 1 cup (240 g) · estimated, varies by recipe

💡 What's interesting

Culturally, the dish is a fascinating example of culinary adaptation, having evolved from a traditional Hunanese recipe into a staple of Chinese-American cuisine. Nutritionally, it highlights how cooking methods (like deep-frying) and sauce ingredients can transform a simple protein into a much more energy-dense meal.