What are the differences between Szechuan chicken and General Tso's chicken? (2024)

FAQs

What are the differences between Szechuan chicken and General Tso's chicken? ›

Although the sauces are similar, General Tso's does not call for Szechuan peppercorns either though I see no reason why you couldn't add them anyway. Another difference is that General Tso's chicken is marinated in a light batter and deep fried. Szechuan chicken is only dusted with flour and shallow fried.

Our experts say… General Tso's chicken is about the most dangerous Chinese dish on the menu—dark meat battered and deep-fried, then cooked with vegetables in a sweet, spicy sauce. Szechuan chicken, made with leaner, white meat and sautéed with vegetables, is a far better choice.

General Tso's Chicken is battered and deep fried whereas Hunan Chicken is lightly dusted in cornstarch and stir fried or lightly pan fried. General Tso's Chicken is sweet and mildly spicy, far less spicy than Hunan Chicken, with the zing coming from a generous amount of ginger verses chili peppers.

What is the difference between orange chicken and General Tso? Orange chicken is crispy fried with a fruity, sweet, and tangy sauce that's caramelized into a glaze. General Tso is stir-fried in a sweet, sour, and spicy umami sauce.

Some people prefer the sweeter, less spicy taste of sesame chicken. Others like it hot, and craze the chili kick of general tso chicken. Then there's the sesame flavor, which can be quite divisive and will most likely influence your preference.

If you stir fry the recipe with these chilies but do NOT cut any of the peppers open and don't eat any of the chiles, your stir fry will be flavorful but mild in heat.

If you prefer a more intense and straightforward spiciness, the chili-driven Hunan dishes are for you. Szechuan peppercorn does have some spice, but it's milder and has the unique component of its numbing and tingling effects. Another distinguishing factor is the complimentary flavors.

You might be surprised to learn that General Tso's chicken, a staple on Chinese-American menus, is almost entirely foreign to people who live in the country from which it supposedly originated. While the dish isn't exactly authentic Chinese food, its namesake was a very real (and very powerful) general.

Sweet and sour chicken: The two are super similar. The main difference is that General Tso sauce has more ginger flavor, as well as a little more heat from the hot sauce or chili flakes.

What's the difference between Kung Pao and General Tso? ›

Kung pao chicken and General Tso's chicken are similar in that they are both chicken-based dishes with a hint of chili, but the primary difference is that latter is deep-fried and coated with a syrupy sweet and sour sauce, and the former is coated with a gentle, more balanced sauce.

cheng zi ji (traditional Chinese: 橙子雞; simplified Chinese: 橙子鸡; pinyin: chéngzi jī; Jyutping: caang^4-2 zi¹ gai¹; lit. 'orange chicken'), a calque.

Both dishes are classic Sichuan dishes however Szechuan chicken is very spicy while Kung Pao chicken has a mild spicy taste. Szechuan chicken is also deep fried first then stir fried with dry chili and other aromatics. Kung pao chicken is more tender and has a sweet and sour flavor for the sauce.

General Tso's chicken is battered, deep fried, and tossed with a spicy sauce. Kung Pao chicken, on the other hand, is not deep fried and instead is wok seared and tossed with a marinade. The choice here depends on the restaurant, but in most cases Kung Pao chicken is the winner.

Chinese Amazing Chicken is usually prepared by marinating the chicken in a mixture of soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. The chicken is then stir-fried or pan-fried until it is cooked through. It is often garnished with green onions and sesame seeds for added flavor and presentation.

Have you ever eaten at P.F. Chang's? They have “Chang's Spicy Chicken” on the menu, which is basically their version of general tso's. It has the perfect balance of sweet and spicy, and the sauce is light in color, which indicates it's not overloaded with soy sauce.

General Tso's Chicken is that perfect combination of sweet, savoury, spicy and tangy with crispy Chinese chicken bites. It's a Chinese takeout favourite that just pushes all the right buttons!

General Tso's chicken is sweet, tangy, and mildly spicy. The chicken thighs are cut into bite size pieces, briefly marinated and fried until crispy and perfectly golden brown. It's one of the most popular Chinese takeout dishes and now you can make this at home in 30 minutes!

Szechuan chicken has a unique spicy-savory-sweet flavor that distinguishes it from other types of spicy dishes, such as Hunan chicken or kung pao chicken. One of the best things about this dish is how much you can customize it to fit your tastes: make it super spicy, or tone down the spice and up the sweetness.