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Easy Dump & Bake GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN is super fast to assemble and cook. An easy homemade version of the famous Chinese takeout, this is the Paleo and AIP version! Chicken breast, broccoli and the quick sauce are baked together in a casserole dish to make a no-fuss, healthy and fresh weeknight meal!
My favorite thing about this dish is the sauce — how it coats the chicken and broccoli with a sweet and sour glaze. It’s beautiful … and also fun to see how easily the sauce comes together in the oven!
With a slight variation, this recipe is also Low FODMAP.
Ingredients in Easy Baked General Tso’s Chicken
Dump & Bake GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN is comprised of three easy parts:
- Chicken — Cut into cubes for easy eating and quick baking, the chicken turns out moist and juicy — with high heat and a pretty short cooking time.
- Broccoli — Nutrient dense and easy, the broccoli bakes for just 10 minutes and comes out perfectly. (Low FODMAP, sub bok choy or zucchini.)
- Sauce — I’m very happy with how tapioca flour works in this recipe to create the shiny sauce! The other ingredients you’ll see below are both sweet and tangy. If you’re Paleo, and not AIP, you can also make it spicy. Otherwise, the plentiful ginger in this recipe gives it a nice kick that even kids like. If you’re on AIP and want it spicier, add even more fresh ginger!! 🙂
Ingredients in General Tso’s Chicken:
For this recipe you will need:
- boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs if you prefer)
- broccoli florets
- coconut sugar
- apple cider vinegar (or rice vinegar for gluten-free)
- Paleo or AIP Ketchup (like this for AIP), or No-Tomato Sauce, if preferred
- coconut aminos
- tapioca starch/flour
- fresh ginger and ground ginger — It’s important to use both to get a fully-flavored sauce. Typically General Tso’s Chicken is very spicy. If you’re AIP and love spicy food, double the amount of fresh ginger root called for in the recipe.
- crushed or minced garlic (Omit for Low FODMAP.)
- sea salt
How to make this 1-pan dinner
- Place bite-size chicken pieces in a large greased casserole dish. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Make the sauce by whisking together all the ingredients. Add the broccoli to the chicken, and pour the sauce over all.
- Stir together the chicken and broccoli in the sauce until the sauce is evenly mixed. Transfer to oven.
- Cook 10 minutes more. Toss together the contents of the baking dish again, and serve!
Sooo easy, and so delicious. 🙂
Pro Tip: These small pieces of chicken cook really fast in a high heat oven. Be careful not to dry out the meat with a longer cooking time.
Easy Dump & Bake GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN (Paleo and AIP)
Easy Dump & Bake GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN is super fast to assemble and cook. An easy homemade version of the famous Chinese takeout, this is the Paleo and AIP version! Chicken breast, broccoli and the quick sauce are baked together in a casserole dish to make a no-fuss, healthy and fresh weeknight meal! (Also Low FODMAP.)
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 492kcal
Cost: $15
Equipment
- 9x13 casserole dish
- oven
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) or thighs, if preferred
- 4 cups broccoli florets (Low FODMAP, sub chopped bok choy or sliced zucchini.)
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar, if preferred (not for AIP)
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- 2 to 4 Tablespoons fresh ginger grated or minced (Don't omit this ingredient. It's very important for creating a flavorful sauce. Use more for a slightly spicier finish.)
- 2 Tablespoons coconut aminos
- 2 Tablespoons tapioca flour
- 1 Tablespoon ketchup (nightshade-free) or Paleo ketchup; for AIP, fine to use No-Tomato Sauce if preferred
- 2 teaspoons dried ground ginger
- 2 cloves garlic minced or crushed (Omit for Low FODMAP.)
- 2 teaspoons sriracha (optional) Omit for AIP.
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- fat for greasing the casserole dish I used bacon fat. You may also use another animal fat, coconut oil or for non-AIP, toasted sesame oil.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit. Grease a 9x13 baking dish (or similar), and set aside.
- Chop chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. Spread them out in the prepared baking dish. (There is no need to toss them in the fat.) Bake 10 minutes.
- While chicken bakes, combine sauce ingredients in a glass measuring dish or bowl: apple cider vinegar, coconut sugar, fresh ginger, coconut aminos, tapioca, ketchup, dried ginger, fresh garlic and sea salt. Whisk them together.
- Remove from oven. The chicken pieces will have cooked together to some extent. That's okay. Add chopped broccoli and freshly whisked sauce (this ensures the tapioca is evenly incorporated into the sauce and hasn't settled). Fold together the ingredients, separating the chicken pieces as needed while stirring, and spread them out again evenly in the baking dish. Return the baking dish to the oven.
- Bake 10 more minutes, or until chicken is cooked through to the center (with an internal temperature of 165ºF, if you wish to check). The sauce will now be nicely thickened. With 2 large spoons, toss all of the ingredients together, causing the sauce to coat the meat and broccoli with an appealing glaze.
- Serve with cauliflower rice or white rice (for non-Paleo/AIP) and an optional additional veggie like roasted or sautéed asparagus. Optional: Garnish with sliced scallions.
Nutrition
Calories: 492kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 75g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 218mg | Sodium: 1110mg | Potassium: 1585mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 672IU | Vitamin C: 87mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 2mg
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Similar Paleo AIP recipes you might like:
- Easy Chinese Hot and Sour Stir Fry
- Thai Beef and Pineapple Kabobs Sheet Pan Dinner
- Chinese Chicken and Wild Mushroom Stew
- Spaghetti Squash Fried Rice
- Burgers and Fries Sheet Pan Dinner
- Sheet Pan Pizza
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Jennifer says
Hi Megan,
The recipe sounds great! I was wondering, could honey replace the coconut sugar? If so, how much honey should be used?
Thanks for your help!
~Jennifer
Megan says
Hi Jennifer, thanks, and good question. Yes, that sounds delicious! I’d keep it the same: 1/3 cup. If you make it and decide you want it less sweet next time, then you could pull it back to 1/4 cup. I’d keep it the same for the first go. It’s not an overly sweet recipe because the other ingredients balance it out, and I’d be concerned about throwing off the balance of flavors. I’d love to hear how it goes!
Jennifer says
Hi,
Thanks for the advice! I will try it, and share how it goes!
All the best,
Jennifer
Caroline says
Could I leave the ketchup out entirely?
Megan says
Hi Caroline, yes! I just adds a little depth of flavor and replaces the spicy red peppers in the original version. But I thought the same thing. You could use a teaspoon or two of molasses (or pomegranate molasses) in its place if you’d like.
Donna says
If I subbed with molasses, would you recommend blackstrap or regular molasses? I look forward to trying this recipe! Apple cider vinegar is not a favorite of ours, but I’m guessing you cannot taste it in the recipe. I’m putting this on the menu list for this week!! Thank you!
Megan says
Hi Donna, blackstrap molasses. The ACV you taste a little as a sour flavor (like sweet and sour). Hope your family loves it, and we’d love to hear how it goes. You’re welcome! 🙂
Donna K Gjolberg says
Thank you!!
Megan says
You’re welcome! 🙂
Sally says
Hi Megan,
I’d love to know how you would make this dish VAD. Thanks!
Megan says
Hi Sally, sure! There are only a few changes. The most obvious is 1) to omit the ketchup. Also: replace the broccoli with peeled zucchini. Lastly omit the garlic, and don’t use the sriracha. I use plenty of fresh ginger, too. 🙂
Jennifer says
Hi!
I just wanted to say that I tried out the recipe using honey instead of the coconut sugar, and it came out amazing! The honey added a pleasant sweetness, and overall the dish was a dream. This recipe is a keeper, for sure. : )
Thank you so much for sharing it, Megan!
Sincerely,
Jennifer
Megan says
Great to hear, Jennifer; thanks so much for commenting! The honey version sounds lovely, and I love that it “was a dream”! 🙂 🙂
Kristy says
We had this for dinner tonight – it’s delicious! Thanks for another great recipe!
Megan says
Yay, I’m so glad! Thanks so much for sharing, Kristy! 🙂
SHANNON says
Is it really 3 lbs of boneless chicken?
Megan says
Yes, I know it’s a lot! If you want to provide more carbs or veggies and less meat, you’ll have main course leftovers for another meal.
Brian says
Could you use coconut flour instead of tapioca?
Megan says
No, I’m afraid not. Coconut flour will not thicken well. If you eat even the tiniest amount of white rice flour, that could be used. Or arrowroot powder may work, but it can thin if heated too long.
Jan says
This is excellent! What a delicious AIP treat for a family who used to enjoy restaurant General Tsao’s Chicken so long ago.
I adapted just a bit with what was on hand and it turned out very well. Garlic granules instead of fresh, maple syrup 1/3 c instead of coconut sugar, KC Naturals bbq sauce instead of ketchup, and since I squeezed this into a slightly smaller pan to fit my toaster oven, I steamed the broccoli separately then tossed it together with the chicken and wonderful sauce in a big bowl to serve.
This is a perfectly easy and wonderful meal. I always look forward to your emails and what new recipes you come up with. Thanks, Megan!
Megan says
Thank you, Jan, for your lovely review and kind words. I’m so happy you and your family loved the recipe! And thank you for sharing all of what you did, sounds like some great subs and making it work in your kitchen! Cheers!! 🙂