The appearance of Chinese and American cuisines is similar, yet the flavor, ingredients, nutrition, and history are vastly different. Despite their similarities in appearance, General Tso’s Chicken and Sesame Chicken are vastly different. So, what makes General Tso’s chicken different from Sesame chicken?
General Tso’s chicken has a spicy, slightly sweet flavor and is served with carrots and broccoli in a rich red sauce. Sesame chicken, on the other hand, comes with a honey-laced, sweet and salty flavor, a brown-colored sauce, sesame seeds, and baby corn and broccoli.
Both of these Chinese-American dishes are popular in the United States. Surprisingly, few Chinese people are aware of these dinners. Continue reading for a complete culinary guide and our favorite General Tso’s Chicken dish!
What Are General Tso’s Chicken and Sesame Chicken?
General Tso’s Chicken
General Tso’s chicken, also known as General Tao chicken, is a juicy deep-fried takeaway chicken coated in a rich red sauce that is quite hot and slightly sweet. It’s served with rice that’s been boiled or steamed, as well as veggies like steamed broccoli or carrots. This delectable meal may be found at any Chinese restaurant in North America.
Due to their similar appearances, people frequently confuse General Tso’s chicken with Sesame chicken. However, their sauces and ingredients set them apart from one another.
Dark chicken meat, eggs, and cornstarch (for the batter), and gravy sauce are all classic ingredients in General Tso’s chicken.
Soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, rice wine, cornstarch, sugar, hoisin sauce, water or chicken broth/stock, garlic, and dried red chilis are among the sauce’s constituents.
Sesame oil or sesame seeds are also used in the sauce by certain folks. You can, however, skip it and enjoy the classic General Tso’s flavors.
Sesame Chicken
Sesame chicken is a delicious chicken dish that can be found at many Chinese restaurants around the United States. Deep-fried, deboned chicken pieces are covered with sesame seeds and a reddish-brown sauce.
Toasted sesame seeds are noncompulsory. Because it may incorporate honey, Sesame chicken is sweeter than spicy. It’s sometimes served with baby corn and broccoli, as well as steaming or boiled rice. Because it’s a sauce and a Chinese-American cuisine, it’s sometimes mistaken for “General Tso’s Chicken.”
Sesame Chicken is made from (thigh) chicken meat, eggs, cornstarch (for the batter), and sauce. The sauce blends vinegar, chicken broth, sesame oil, cornstarch, and sugar in a delicious way. If you live in the United States, you are well aware of Americans’ fondness for sweets.
So, if you add honey, soy sauce, and ketchup to your Sesame Chicken sauce, you’ll get a delicious flavor.
Origin and History of General Tso’s Chicken
China and the United States
In the 1950s, Peng Chang-Kuai created “General Tso’s Chicken” to produce a luxury chicken meal. He named the dish after “Zuko Dongtan,” a 19th-century Chinese military general from Hunan Province, Peng’s homeland.
The saucy chicken dish was given the moniker “General Tso” by Peng (the “T” in Tso is silent, making it seem like “Zuko/So”). He first served this dish in New York in the 1960s. The United States Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, became a huge fan of the spicy chicken, and it received a lot of press in the United States.
General Tso Chicken eventually become a popular dish in the United States. So it’s a Chinese-American cuisine, but it’s really just a representation of Hunan tastes, not a Chinese food.
How to Cook Perfect General Tso’s Chicken Every Time?
Origin and History of Sesame Chicken
China and the United States of America are the countries of origin.
Because Sesame Chicken is an American dish, it will be difficult to find in China. But that doesn’t rule out the possibility of a link to Asia. This meal is said to have been devised by an Asian.
Although the origins of Sesame Chicken are obscure, the dish’s name is unmistakably derived from a must-have ingredient: sesame seeds.
Difference Between General Tso’s Chicken and Sesame Chicken
Flavor
The five different flavors of General Tso’s chicken come from ginger, garlic, salt, tangy sauce, and seasonings. It features a crispy chicken texture with a delicious sauce to tempt your taste buds. Underneath the sesame sauce, which is more honey-like sweet than spicy, is a smooth, crisp textured chicken.
Sause and Texture
The sauce for General Tso’s is reddish-brown in color and thick in texture. The sesame sauce on sesame chicken is brown in color, semi-thick, and sticky in texture.
Crucial Ingredients
Sesame seeds may or may not be present in General Tso (the basic version of the dish does not have sesame seeds or sesame oil in any way). It’s probably General Tso if you’re eating a saucy sour chicken dish with sesame seeds. Sesame seeds, on the other hand, are always present in Sesame Chicken. Sesame flavors are also present in the sauce.
Topping / Serving
General Tso’s is frequently served with steamed rice, broccoli, and carrots. Sesame chicken, on the other hand, comes with steamed rice and (rarely) veggies like baby corn and broccoli.
Sesame Chicken Vs General Tso Calories
It’s critical to understand the nutritional content of the foods you eat. Does it, for example, have a sufficient amount of protein? Is there any saturated or unsaturated fat in it? Most importantly, what effect does this food have on your health?
Although sesame chicken and General Tso’s chicken are two of the most delectable dishes you’ve ever eaten, do they provide the same degree of nutrition?
The following are the nutritional information for these crispy chicken dishes:
- Calories: 110 in 100 grams of sesame chicken
- 4 percent of the daily value in saturated fat (DV)
- Sodium: 9% of the daily value
- Cholesterol: 3% of the daily value
- Potassium: 5% of the daily value
- Carbohydrates: 5% of the daily value
- 12 percent of the daily value (DV) in protein
- The following are the benefits of 100 grams of General Tso’s chicken:
- 295 calories
- Saturated Fat: 14% of the Daily Value
- Sodium: 18% of the daily value
- Cholesterol: 17% of the daily value
- Potassium: 5% of the daily value
- Carbohydrates: 8% of the daily value
- Protein: 26% of the daily value
How to Make Honey Stir-Fry Sesame Chicken?
Are you stumped as to what to do for dinner? Here’s a recipe for honey stir-fried Sesame Chicken that you’ll love.
- In a heated skillet, add olive oil and salt. After that, sauté some yellow pepper strips and fresh green beans.
- Once the vegetables are ready, place them in a serving dish.
- Cook the chicken meat in a skillet with a small bit of sesame oil, olive oil, and salt.
- Remove it to a platter once it’s finished cooking.
- Combine the ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sugar, sesame oil, chicken broth, and red pepper flakes to make the luscious sauce.
- After completely mixing, pour the sauce batter into the skillet and allow it to simmer.
- Now add a cornstarch slurry to condense the sauce.
- Add the chicken and vegetables, stir a couple of times, and turn off the heat.
How to Make Healthy General Tso’s Chicken?
As you may be aware, General Tso’s chicken is high in calories and therefore unhealthy for your body. So, here’s a fantastic General Tso meal that will make your stomach feel lighter.
- 1-pound boneless chicken thigh pieces tossed in 14 cup cornstarch Allow it to rest for a while (10 minutes).
- Combine equal parts soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, water, and a spoonful of cornstarch to make the sauce.
- In a pan, heat the oil and cook the chicken until it is crispy.
- Place the chicken on a platter after removing it from the pan. In the same pan, add the garlic, ginger, and chili flakes.
- For around 30-40 seconds, stir the vegetables.
- Return the chicken to the pan and cover with sauce once more.
- Stir for 30-40 seconds, or until the sauce has thickened.
- Serve it as soon as possible.
FAQs
Is General Tso’s Chicken Healthy?
Because this chicken meal is battered and then deep-fried in oil, it is not a healthy cuisine. Carbohydrates and saturated fats add up to a lot of calories, which isn’t good.
Can You Lose Weight by Eating Asian/Chinese Food?
Yes, you certainly can. According to studies, Asians lose weight faster than Westerners because they eat a diet rich in whole grains, beans, and veggies, which keeps them healthy.
Is Sesame Chicken Good for You?
Yes. Sesame Chicken may be a healthy dish when served with fried rice and vegetables like carrots. It is high in protein, fiber, carbs, vitamins, and minerals, all of which are beneficial to one’s health.
What Is the Healthiest Takeout Food?
The healthiest takeout’s are grilled chicken parmesan, baked potatoes, steamed summer roll, soft-shell taco or lettuce taco salad, and steamed vegetable dumplings. If you’re on a diet, try these light options.
What Chinese Food Has the Lowest Calories?
Chow mien with a pig, beef, and shrimp meat, Moo Goo Gai Pan, Chop suey, various steamed vegetables, and steamed, roasted, or broiled chicken are the foods with the fewest calories.