TASTE
Sesame chicken: Sweet, sticky, rich and delicious, you've got to love that sesame chicken taste! The crispy coating of the chicken and the deep frying cooking method gives the chicken a pleasant crunch, while the sesame chicken sauce is sweet, tangy and mild.
General Tso's chicken: Just like sesame chicken, general tso's chicken features deep fried crispy bites. However, unlike sesame chicken, a general tso chicken recipe has heat. How much depends on the preferences of those eating it, but it can often be very spicy as well as sweet.
SPICES
Sesame chicken: In sesame chicken dishes, spices take a back seat. There are a few spices, of course, but they tend to be of the milder variety. So, expect light undertones of garlic and ginger, but for the majority of the flavor to come courtesy of that delectable sweet honey sauce mixture.
General tso's chicken: Spices play a key part in the flavor profile of general tso's chicken. Hot chili pepper flakes or powder, or even fresh chilies, are a key ingredient, as is ginger and garlic.
The heat of general tso's chicken is adaptable, with the amount and strength of chili varying depending on your preferences.
ORIGINS
Sesame chicken: Some say that sesame chicken's origins can be traced back to the southern Chinese region of Guangdong. However, the exact dish as served up in Chinese restaurants in the U.S. isn't part of Chinese cuisine.
Its exact origins are unknown, although it is thought to have been brought to the U.S. in the 1970s by Chinese immigrants. It closely resembles an authentic Sichuan dish called la zi ji. La zi ji contains fried chicken breast pieces with peppercorns, toasted sesame oil, and chili.
General Tso's chicken: There are several different stories about the origins of General Tso chicken.
The dish is named after 19th century Chinese military leader Tso Zongtang, although he had no direct association with the dish – his descendants in China claim they've never even heard of the dish!
Chinese American chef Eileen Yin-Fei Lo claims that the dish takes its name from the Chinese word for meeting hall 'Zongtang', and that the association with General Tso was a mistake.
Other food writers claim that a Taiwanese chef invented the recipe and brought it to New York in the 1970s, specifically Peng's Restaurant, which claims to be the first restaurant in the U.S. to serve General Tso chicken.
Another New York restaurant, Shun Lee Palaces, claims to have been the first restaurant to serve the dish.
