Enjoy our finger licking Crispy Baked General Tso's Chicken Wings Recipe – savory, tangy and sweet with just the right amount of heat. Perfect for game day or a Chinese American feast, these wings boast a delectable 5-spiced tangy gluten-free sauce that's downright irresistible. Get ready for a saucy adventure that's taking over the appetizer stage!
What sets these wings apart? They're baked instead of fried, completely gluten-free, and there's no flour coating – a flavorful treat without compromise. The secret to ultra-crispy skin? The high oven temperatures to render down the fat. Don’t believe us? Check out the reviews in our super easy baked wings recipe.
Grab extra napkins because once you experience the magic of this sauce, you'll want to slather it on everything. Try our General Tso’s sauce on grilled shrimp or as a dipping sauce for spring rolls. Versatility meets deliciousness.
Ready to elevate your wing game? Let's dive into the recipe!
Baked Wings Ingredients
Chicken Wings – Use the drumette and flat or wingette portion like we did with out honey hot wings. If using full wings, cut into segments, and set aside the tips for another use (great in ABC Soup). Use fresh or completely defrosted and dry wings. Safely defrost frozen wings in the refrigerator for optimal results.
Oil – to prevent sticking and enhance the browning and crispy texture.
Chinese 5 Spice Powder – gives this General Tso’s chicken recipe and our grilled pork loin recipe it’s unique flavor profile without the use of hoisin sauce. The ingredients of 5 spiced powder are ground Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, and fennel seeds. Naturally gluten free, but if you are celiac, you must be certain you purchase a certified gluten free option or make your own blend.
General Tso’s Sauce Ingredients
Soy Sauce – To keep the sauce gluten free, you can use coconut aminos, tamari or gluten free soy sauce. If there are no gluten issues, use regular soy sauce.
Honey – or use a sugar alternative of choice for a sweet, sticky, hot honey flavor.
Rice vinegar – provides a tangy flavor. Substitute with apple cider vinegar or Chinese black vinegar.
Garlic Chili Sauce – or Sriracha sauce for a kick of heat. In the absence of both, add crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.
Chicken broth – we used a gluten free, low sodium broth.
Sesame oil – for a delicious nutty flavor.
Chinese 5 Spiced Powder – add to the unique flavor profile.
Garlic and ginger – fresh are best, but dried ground spices can also be used.
Cornstarch – Clabber Girl brand is gluten free, or exchange with potato starch.
Mastering Extra Crispy General Tso’s Wings
Bake the Chicken Wings
- Dry wings meticulously for ultimate crispiness.
- Toss with flavorful seasonings.
- Bake at 450°F (232°C) for a total of 45–50 minutes until crispy.
Make the Asian Sauce
- Sauté ginger and garlic in oil until aromatic.
- Combine chili garlic sauce, chicken broth, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil and cornstarch slurry.
- Stir until the sauce reaches a delightful thickness.
Getting the Wings Ready to Serve
- Toss the baked chicken wings generously into the flavorful sauce.
- Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds for the perfect finishing touch.
Recipe Tips
- Dry your wings thoroughly. If wings are frozen, thaw them out in the refrigerator overnight first.
- Line your baking sheet with aluminum foil and grease your baking sheet for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- Make sure your oven rack is in the middle shelf!
- Don’t fear the Heat! The oven temperature is indeed 450°F (232°C)! The higher temperature renders off the fat, ensuring crispy wings.
- Go light or heavy on General Tso’s sauce. The decision is yours.
- Serve appetizer wings on a parchment paper lined dish for easy cleanup!
What to Serve with Wings
Appetizer:
- Enjoy with a cold brew of your choice.
- Have plenty of napkins ready for a delightful, hands-on experience.
- Ideal for tailgating parties or cocktail gatherings, pair these wings with other appetizers like air fryer jalapeno poppers or fresh-cut veggies with red pepper hummus.
Main Dish:
- Add a side of fried rice for a satisfying meal.
- Warm up with a starter of wonton soup.
Variations
Vegan Twist:
Explore General Tso’s sauce with grilled or air-fried tofu or pan-fried tempeh for a delightful vegan option.
Carb-Friendly Adjustment:
Opting for a carb-friendly version? Substitute honey with a sugar alternative and reduce the amount of cornstarch slurry to achieve desired thickness.
How to Store & Reheat
Storing Leftovers:
- Let the wings cool to room temperature.
- Place them in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Alternatively, freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating Options:
- Bake at 350°F (176°C) for about 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
- Air fry at 350°F for 2 to 3 minutes until warm.
- While the quickest, microwaving for 30 seconds to a minute may compromise the crispy factor.
Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Yes, Healthy World Cuisine’s recipe for Baked General Tso’s Chicken Wings is gluten-free. We use gluten-free alternatives for soy sauce, omit flour, and replace hoisin sauce with 5-spice powder. Ensure gluten-free cornstarch or substitute with a potato starch slurry for thickening.
General Tso, real name Zuo Zongtang, was a Chinese military leader during the Qing dynasty. The dish's origin is credited to Chinese chef Peng Chang-Kuei in the 1950s who worked as buffet cater to the Chinese nationalists.
Initially inspired by Hunanese flavors of sour, hot, and savory, it evolved to suit American tastes, adding a touch of sweetness. Unlike Americanized versions, authentic Chinese cuisine does not feature sweetened recipes like this one unless in an American Chinese restaurant.
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Asian Fusion Recipes
Game Day Grub
Baked General Tso's Chicken Wings
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and oiled for easy cleanup.
Ingredients
Baked Chicken Wings
- 3 pounds chicken wings Use the drumette and flat or wingette portion. If using full wings, cut into segments, and set aside the tips. Dried well!
- 1 tablespoon oil plus extra to grease the baking sheet
- 2 teaspoons Chinese 5 spice powder
- salt and white pepper to taste
Gluten Free General Tso's Sauce
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3 cloves garlic fresh peeled and minced
- 1 knob ginger fresh- peeled and grated
- 1 tablespoon Asian Chili Garlic Sauce or Sriracha Sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth gluten free and low sodium
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce coconut aminos or tamari for gluten free
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or Chinese black vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
or sweetener of choice - 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder
- 2.5 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water to make a cornstarch slurry
Garnish (optional)
- 2 green onions
chopped for garnish - optional - toasted white sesame seeds
Instructions
Bake the Chicken Wings
- Pre-heat oven to 450°F (232°C). Make sure the baking rack is in the middle position in the oven.
- If using full wings, cut into segments, and set aside the tips for another use. Dry your wings thoroughly (This step is SUPER important to ensure extra crispy wings). If wings are frozen, thaw them out in the refrigerator overnight first.
- Place chicken wings in a large bowl and add oil, Chinese 5 spiced powder and salt and white pepper to taste and toss well. Place seasoned chicken wings skin side up on a lined and greased baking sheet - leaving space in between and in a single layer.
- Bake wings uncovered with the skin side up for 20 to 25 minutes and then turn over and continue baking for another 20 to 25 minutes for a total of 45–50 minutes until crispy and the internal temperature is 165° F (74° C).
Make the Gluten Free General Tso's Sauce
- Sauté ginger and garlic in oil until aromatic.
- Over medium heat, heat the chili garlic sauce, chicken broth, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil in with the ginger and garlic and stir well. Make a cornstarch slurry by adding water to the cornstarch and stir well. Bring the sauce up to a light boil and drizzle in the cornstarch slurry while stirring to thicken.
Getting the Wings Ready to Serve
- Toss the baked chicken wings generously into the General Tso's sauce.
- Garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds for the perfect finishing touch. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Dry your wings thoroughly. If wings are frozen, thaw them out in the refrigerator overnight first.
- Line your baking sheet with aluminum foil and grease your baking sheet for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- Make sure your oven rack is in the middle shelf!
- Don’t fear the Heat! The oven temperature is indeed 450°F (232°C)! The higher temperature renders off the fat, ensuring crispy wings.
- Go light or heavy on General Tso’s sauce. The decision is yours.
- Serve appetizer wings on a parchment paper lined dish for easy cleanup!
- Let the wings cool to room temperature.
- Place them in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Alternatively, freeze for up to 2 months.
- Bake at 350°F (176°C) for about 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
- Air fry at 350°F for 2 to 3 minutes until warm.
- While the quickest, microwaving for 30 seconds to a minute may compromise the crispy factor.
Norma Chang says
So funny, I was laughing as I read the post. My son is an adult and still eats like a teenager when he comes home. Your chicken sure looks yummy, cannot blame the guys for not leaving you any, that's their way of paying you a complimentt.
Healthy World Cuisine says
I am glad I could bring a little humor to your day. Thanks for the heads up on the older adults coming back home and their appetites. I think it must be something about coming back home that does that to our kids. I think I need to purchase a second bag on wheels for my grocery hauls. God please grant me strength to get this this stage....
Jasline says
My stomach's really growling as I type this... I think I can have the whole plate to myself, and I'm not sharing! I've not tried deep-frying things before because it's a little intimidating - all the oil and stuff... but I really want to try making it now, looks so yum!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Jasline you can also make this dish without deep frying. Instead just marinate the chicken in soy, egg and cornflour and stirfry and proceed with the rest of the dish as described. I personally enjoy this lower fat and calorie version but I had to do the other deep fried version for the teenagers. Take care, BAM
ChopinandMysaucepan says
Dear BAM,
Lol about the boys' helpings. Says a lot about how delicious your food is but the chef should always remember to set aside a portion - one of the privileges for being closest to the food 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
I am glad I could bring a smile to your face. Take Care, BAM
Mich - Piece of Cake says
This makes my mouth water, what a flavourful dish!
notsoskinnycook says
I am officially hungry now! Yum!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Me too as I did not even get a portion of this dish. My boys are eating me out of house and home. Tonight, I am hoarding my dinner portions in my broken oven.
thecompletecookbook says
The only solution here is to make this magnificent meal again and eat it all yourself! Scrumptious!
🙂 Mandy
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thanks Mandy and great idea! I will just leave the empty dish in the sink and they can do the washing up as well. I like where your head is at... Take care, BAM
Choc Chip Uru says
I just LOVE this gorgeous chicken recipe my friend, I reckon my brother would be saluting me as general 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Healthy World Cuisine says
Thanks General CCU! I bet you could substitute chicken with large cubes of firm tofu. That would be delicious as well. Give it a try. Take care, BAM
Barbara Bamber | justasmidgen says
How fantastic, this is one of my favorite dishes to order when we go out.. and now I can make it myself.. for myself, lol. Seriously, though, who would think they'd lick the plate clean before you left the kitchen.. well, me! Anything that looks this good is bound to be devoured! Next time, you must certainly do some thorough taste-testing before it leaves the kitchen:) xx
Healthy World Cuisine says
Smidge, I need to do some serious taste testing before I leave the kitchen and have decided that I need to triple the recipe. Take Care, BAM
Anonymous says
Please make this tonight for dinner.... with some white rice and Hot N Sour Soup!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Dear Mr. Anonymous,
If I make this, will you fend off the boys so I can have a portion too?
rabbitcancook says
ooh I love General Tso chicken, will definitely steal your recipe and try it sometime soon.... 🙂 Thanks for sharing. Cheers
Healthy World Cuisine says
Please do as I think you would like it very much. Take care, BAM
rabbitcancook says
Thank you 🙂
sybaritica says
Okay BAM ... you need to explain that because you are closer to the ground, you should be eating a larger portion. When taller people eat large amounts, the excess weight collecing that high up puts them at risk of tipping over. Clearly, by eating a little more, you would only be having their best interests at heart!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Your brilliant! I am so using this statement to support my cause! Take care, BAM
ChgoJohn says
Oh, BAM. This made me laugh. Yours is a common fate of Mom's everywhere. I sometimes send food (tomatos sauce, pasta, lasagne, ravioli, etc.) to the family Upstairs. The Boys love my Italian cooking. Well, they're now entering their teens and I've had to increase the amount I send or their poor Mom doesn't get anything. Oh, to have that metabolism!
General Tso chicken is a dish I order frequently when I'm ordering from a Chinese restaurant. Knowing how to prepare it is a big bonus and I bet your recipe is far better than anything I can order. I do think, though, I may really cut back on the red chilies, if not skip them altogether. I don't mind a little spice but 15?!?!?! 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
Dearest John, I am so faint from lack of food that I have made a very large typo. I am so sorry that was supposed to have read 1-5 dried chillis. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. 15 chillis is a bit extreme even for my teenagers. 1 for very mild, 2-3 for medium and 5 for spicy or you can leave it out all together. Take Care, BAM
Profiteroles & Ponytails says
Thanks for the tip Bam -- I think we have a ways to go before the ponytails eat everything before I sit down ...but this could happen with dessert. I can see why this was such a hit though...boy it looks delicious. Too bad you don't live closer, I always have extra portions!
Healthy World Cuisine says
After just looking at your salted carmel brownie, you better hide it or strap it down or you will not be left a crumb. I have heard that girls when they hit their pre-teen growing years can also eat you out of house and home. So now you know the secret...of getting your portion. I wish I did live closer as I would quite like just a wee bit of that salted caramel brownie. Take care, BAM
Kristy says
This is one of Mike and Mr. N's favorites. Miss A enjoy it too, but I'm going to remember to sit down before I serve with this one. 🙂
Healthy World Cuisine says
Kristy it won't belong before your children are in the growing phase and I heard that the girls can also eat you out of house and home as well. So remember my quote as in a few years you will need that and to buy a uhaul to get the groceries home from the store. Take care, BAM
Dawn says
oh my, that would send me over the edge. What did you have for dinner?
Healthy World Cuisine says
I took some of the scraps of leftover rice and make fried rice... a staple in our house when there is nothing to eat. Uggh! Teenagers!