General Tso's chicken is a deep-fried sweet-and-spicy chicken dish often served in American Chinese restaurants. The dish is not typical of Hunanese or Chinese cuisine. This Szechuan-inspired dish is believed to have been introduced to New York City in the late 1970s. It is rich in protein and certain vitamins and minerals but also very high in fat, cholesterol and sodium.
Description
General Tso's chicken is composed of deep-fried boneless dark-meat chicken, served in a thick and tangy sweet-and-sour sauce, with whole dried red peppers and vegetables. Most often is it served over or alongside steamed white rice or fried rice. The dried red peppers are added more for color than flavor. Unless you bite into a dried pepper, which is extremely hot, you do not taste it. Red pepper flakes may be added to enhance the spiciness.
Basic Nutrient Values
There are many different recipes and variations on the traditional recipe. According to the recipe for this dish published on Blogchef.net, one serving contains 776 calories, 31 g fat, 6.6 g saturated fat, 58 g protein, 63 g carbohydrates, 1,726 mg sodium and 337 mg cholesterol. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a typical restaurant serving of General Tso's chicken provides approximately 1,300 calories, 11 g saturated fat and nearly 3,200 mg sodium.
Vitamins and Minerals
A sigle recipe for General Tso's Chicken typically calls for 1 lb. of chicken thigh meat, which is the dark meat of the chicken, and makes four servings. One hundred grams of chicken thigh meat, or about 4 oz., is the average portion for one serving. One hundred grams of chicken thigh meat meets 32 percent of the recommended daily value, or DV, for niacin and 17 percent for vitamin B6. Chicken thigh meat is also rich in the minerals phosphorus and zinc, meeting 17 and 19 percent of the DV for each, respectively.
Nutrient Functions
Niacin is essential for proper nervous system function and releasing energy from carbohydrates, fats and protein. Vitamin B6 is important for protein synthesis, manufacturing red blood cells, hormones and enzymes as well as supporting skin health and brain function. Phosphorus helps activate the B vitamins, is necessary for the growth of bones and teeth and assists in muscle contraction and kidney function. Zinc, like vitamin B6, aids in protein synthesis and is important for wound healing, brain function and maintaining healthy skin. Zinc also promotes health of the nervous and immune and digestive systems.
Drawbacks
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines for Americans, less than 10 percent of your total daily calories should come from saturated fat. Furthermore, you should limit cholesterol to 300 mg per day of sodium to 2,300 mg daily for optimal health and reduced risk of heart disease. One serving of General Tso's chicken exceeds 300 mg of cholesterol, may exceed 2,300 mg sodium, and, depending upon your calorie needs, meets 1/3 to 1/2 of your saturated fat limit.
Lighter Options
A recipe for a lighter but flavorful version of General Tso's Chicken is published on the Wellsphere website. One serving of this recipe provides approximately 230 calories, 9 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 368 mg sodium and 68 mg cholesterol. Healthy Choice also makes a frozen meal called General Tso's Spicy Chicken. Inspired by the original recipe, one meal provides 320 calories, 3.5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 15 g protein, 53 g carbohydrates, 30 mg cholesterol and 500 mg sodium.
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