Paleo General Tso’s Chicken
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This paleo General Tso’s Chicken is an easy one-pan meal that tastes just like the real thing! It’s paleo and AIP-friendly.
What is General Tso’s Chicken?
General Tso’s Chicken is a delicious classic Chinese takeout dish! It is made with chicken that is deep-fried and served with a perfectly sweet and savory sauce. General Tso’s Chicken is traditionally made with soy sauce, sugar, and a cornstarch-based breading. I practically lived on General Tso’s Chicken for dinner every night when I was in college!
After transitioning to a nourishing and healing diet, I always missed my Chinese takeout. I was determined to create a version of General Tso’s Chicken that I would love, and here it is! This version is made without soy, gluten, cornstarch or refined sugar, and is so easy to make!
The Ingredients for Paleo General Tso’s Chicken
- Chicken Breast: I haven’t tried using chicken thighs in this recipe.
- Arrowroot Starch: This is used to coat the chicken and make it crispy, as well as thicken the sauce.
- Coconut Aminos & Compliant Ketchup: use this ketchup for paleo or an AIP ketchup like this)
- Blackstrap Molasses & Coconut sugar
- Garlic Powder, Onion Powder & Ginger Powder
- Salt & Black pepper: omit black pepper for AIP.
- Avocado Oil
- Green Onion: To garnish!
How to make Paleo General Tso’s Chicken
- Make Sauce: Using a small bowl, stir the coconut aminos, blackstrap molasses, ketchup, coconut sugar, garlic, onion, and ginger powder together. Set aside.
- Cook Chicken: In a larger bowl, mix the salt, pepper, and arrowroot starch. Add the chicken to the bowl to thoroughly coat in the arrowroot starch mixture. Set aside. Using a large pan, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken to the pan. Cook on each side for about 3-4 minutes, rotating with tongs, until the internal temperature reaches 165 F.
- Combine & Serve: Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour the sauce mixture into the pan, stirring to coat the chicken and to allow the sauce to thicken for 2-3 minutes. Serve topped with green onion.
Can you use tapioca starch instead of arrowroot starch?
I think arrowroot works a bit better for recipes like this, but you can try tapioca starch as well.
Can you use maple syrup instead of blackstrap molasses?
The blackstrap molasses has a much different flavor and texture than maple syrup or honey. I highly recommend sticking with it for this recipe!
You’ll also love…
- General Tso’s Chicken Wings
- Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry
- Easy Teriyaki Steak Bites
- Paleo Mongolian Chicken
Paleo General Tso's Chicken
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp compliant ketchup, use this for paleo or an AIP ketchup like this
- 1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
- 1 tsp coconut sugar
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp ginger powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper, omit for AIP
- 2 tbsp arrowroot starch
- 1 lb chicken breast, cubed
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tbsp green onion, sliced
Instructions
- Using a small bowl, stir the coconut aminos, blackstrap molasses, ketchup, coconut sugar, garlic, onion, and ginger powder together. Set aside.
- In a larger bowl, mix the salt, pepper, and arrowroot starch. Add the chicken to the bowl to thoroughly coat in the arrowroot starch mixture. Set aside.
- Using a large pan, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken to the pan. Cook on each side for about 3-4 minutes, rotating with tongs, until the internal temperature reaches 165 F.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour the sauce mixture into the pan, stirring to coat the chicken and to allow the sauce to thicken for 2-3 minutes.
- Serve topped with green onion.
Notes
YOU ARE A MIRACLE TO ALL THOSE ON THE AIP DIET. I literally just go through your site when meal planning now. I don’t even bother going anywhere else anymore!
THIS recipe was SOOOOOOOO good. My husband and 2 year old also loved it! It’s going on the favorites list! Thank you for giving me the opportunity for me to have Chinese food again. THANK YOU
This chicken is soooo delicious! My family LOVES it, and they are not even AIP/paleo. It’s a repeat in our household. We followed the recipe to the tee. Highly recommend.
Michelle’s recipes have become staples for me and my husband as I’ve navigated AIP for the past 6 months or so. This one is one of our hand’s down FAVORITES!!! Super flavorful, easy to make, and a nice healthy take on an indulgent take out classic. It was even a hit with my non-AIP in-laws!! I love so many of these recipes but I would really recommend this one!
Omg so happy to hear that you enjoyed this so much and that the recipes have been so helpful for you! Thank you!!
Made this recipe and it came out amazing! Really helped curb the Chinese food craving I was having. I subbed Date syrup for the molasses as it’s what I had on hand, and I think it still came out great!
Yay! Thank you so much, Tita!
Good stuff!
Delicious! The molasses was an awesome touch.
Who needs take out?! This was super easy to make as well! Yummy!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit! It was so easy to make too!
so glad you enjoyed it!!