Better Than Takeout: General Tso's Chicken (Grain, Gluten, Soy, and MSG Free)

Better Than Takeout: My Grain, Gluten, Soy, and MSG-Free General Tso's Chicken

As a busy mom, finding time to cook healthy and delicious meals can feel like a monumental task. Takeout is often the easiest option, but it rarely aligns with my goals for healthy eating. That's why I developed this recipe for General Tso's Chicken – a family favorite, completely revamped to be healthier and made with ingredients I feel good about serving my family. This recipe is grain-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and MSG-free, making it a guilt-free indulgence that's surprisingly simple to make!

The secret to this recipe lies not just in the carefully selected ingredients, but in the method. The chicken is pan-fried to achieve that perfect crispy texture, ensuring every bite is juicy and flavorful. The sauce, a beautiful balance of sweet and savory, coats the chicken perfectly and complements the vibrant vegetables. I use cauliflower rice as a healthy and delicious alternative to traditional rice, keeping this meal low-carb and packed with nutrients. It's a win-win for everyone at the table!

This recipe is versatile; you can easily customize it to your liking. Feeling adventurous? Experiment with different vegetables, substituting broccoli for sugar snap peas or adding bell peppers for extra color and flavor. If you want a spicier kick, feel free to add extra red pepper flakes. The beauty of cooking is in its adaptability – make it your own!

Beyond the Recipe: Time Management and Family Meals

I believe strongly in the importance of family meals. They're not just about the food; they're about connection, conversation, and creating lasting memories. However, finding the time to prepare a nutritious meal after a long day can be a challenge. That’s why I emphasize meal prepping. I often spend some time on the weekend chopping vegetables and prepping ingredients, making weeknight cooking a breeze. Even small acts of planning can significantly reduce stress during the week.

This General Tso’s Chicken recipe is a perfect example of efficient cooking. While it might seem like a long list of ingredients, most of the prep can be done ahead of time. The actual cooking time is remarkably short, making it an ideal choice for busy weeknights. I find that the satisfaction of creating a healthy, delicious, and homemade meal far outweighs the time spent in the kitchen.

More Than Just a Meal: A Path to Healthier Habits

This recipe isn't just about satisfying a craving for takeout; it's about building healthier habits within our family. It’s about consciously choosing healthier ingredients without sacrificing taste. By making small, incremental changes like this, we're teaching our children about nutrition and the importance of mindful eating. The process of cooking together, working side by side to create something delicious, is a bonding experience in itself.

So, ditch the takeout menus and embrace the joy of creating something delicious and healthy in your own kitchen. This General Tso's Chicken is a testament to the fact that you can have it all: a delicious, satisfying, and family-friendly meal that's both healthy and incredibly easy to make. Enjoy the process, enjoy the meal, and enjoy the time spent with loved ones!

Step-by-step

• Start with frying the chicken. Put the almond flour, arrowroot, and seasoning in a bowl. Pour the coconut aminos over the cooked chicken and mix to get the chicken wet. Roll the chicken in the flour mixture to coat. Put the coated chicken into a very hot large skillet or wok with the melted butter. Let the chicken brown well on all sides (let it sit to cook for a good couple minutes on each side). Take the chicken out of the pan to set aside until the rest is done.
• Add more fat to your pan or wok to melt and add the onion to sauté about 5ish minutes. Hit the onion with a few pinches of sea salt to bring out their juices to sweeten.
• Add the garlic and cook for a minute.
• Add the sugar peas and red pepper flakes and sauté about 10-ish minutes (this will leave them with a little bite which is how I like mine – if you want them softer/more cooked go another 10 minutes).
• Add the julienned carrots and cook just a couple minutes.
• Add the coconut amino slurry to the pan and simmer a few minutes.
• Add the fried chicken to the mixture to heat through and turn off the heat.
• While you stir frying the veggies you can cook your cauliflower rice in a different pan. Add the cauliflower bits to a hot skillet with melted butter. Add sea salt/pepper and stir through until cooked to the texture you want. We like our rice a little “al dente” versus too soft so I cook the cauli rice for about 5-7 minutes and it’s good for us – just go longer if you want it softer.
• Serve the stir fry over your cauli rice!
• Tips:
• Don’t be intimidated by the list of ingredients and the recipe in general! This really comes together so fast! I did this all start to finish including clean up in less than an hour and I was having to stop to take pictures along the way!
• Prep the day/night before or the morning of dinner if you need help with time saving! You can cut all the veggies and pulse the cauliflower so all you have to do close to dinner is dump in the pan!
• You don’t have to flour and fry the chicken if you don’t want to or don’t have the time. Shred up the chicken and throw it into the pan with the veggies plain and it will take on the flavors of the sauce.
• Use whatever veggies are in season!
• I always add more red pepper flakes to my husband’s plate. He loves heat but I have to keep it palatable for the little ones at my table too! If the whole family loves heat just double what I have in the ingredients and you should be good!
• Sugar peas can be a harder for littler ones to chew so just cook them through longer during that time! Don’t take them off their plate! The big girls were stealing the sugar peas off my cutting board raw while I was cooking today ??