Add this paleo General Tso chicken recipe to your list ASAP! General Tso chicken has always been a favorite of mine. The sticky, slightly spicy sauce that clung to every grain of rice was completely irresistible, but not as appealing when you consider the copious amounts of sugar, gluten, and MSG that your beloved Chinese restaurant uses. And honestly? I think this healthy General Tso chicken tastes way better. More flavor, fresher ingredients – it’s a win-win!
But it gets even better… in the form of Crock Pot General Tso chicken! With this slow cooker General Tso chicken recipe, we’re going to strip all of the unnecessary ingredients away without compromising on flavor or texture!
Now, this isn’t a slow-cooker recipe that can be cooked for 8 hours on low, but it IS a recipe that can be prepped in 10 minutes and then placed in the slow-cooker for 2 hours while you run your kids to t-ball practice or finish up the laundry that’s been laying at the foot of your bed for 2 weeks straight (wait, that’s only me??).
Anyway, you get the point: prep, throw in slow cooker, and go do something that needs to be done. (Or maybe something fun?!) Come back, and your dinner is ready!
What Is General Tso Chicken?
General Tso chicken is a dish that is usually made with fried pieces of chicken and slathered in sauces. My easy General Tso chicken recipe doesn’t have any breading on it like traditional recipes. It’s made from good-for-you ingredients…
General Tso Chicken Ingredients
You only need 6 ingredients for the chicken itself and 9 ingredients for the delicious sauce! I will give you a quick breakdown of all the ingredients.
For the General Tso Chicken:
- Chicken breasts – Use boneless, skinless for best results.
- Tapioca flour – This is the main ingredient for the breading on the juicy chicken.
- White pepper – It’s slightly milder than black pepper but really flavorful.
- Sea salt – It brings out the chicken flavors.
- Coconut oil – This healthy fat is what you need to fry the oil in.
- Green onions – These are the garnish and add a kick of flavor.
For the General Tso Sauce:
- Tapioca flour – You don’t need a lot of it, and it helps to thicken the sauce.
- Garlic – Yum! Adds lots of flavor.
- Ginger – The flavor of fresh ginger is a highlight in this dish.
- Coconut aminos – Move over soy sauce! Use coconut aminos instead for a gluten-free option.
- White wine vinegar – Gives the healthy General Tso chicken recipe some tangy goodness.
- Coconut sugar – Adds a slight sweetness to the slow cooker General Tso chicken.
- Honey – You just need a little bit, and it takes it to the next level of delicious.
- Almond butter – Don’t skip this ingredient; it adds creamy, nutty flavor.
- Red pepper flakes – Perfect for adding a subtle heat to the paleo General Tso chicken.
How To Make General Tso Chicken In A Slow Cooker
Using your slow cooker saves you time, energy, and allows you the freedom to do some other things while it’s cooking.
Here are the quick and easy steps for how to make General Tso chicken in a Crock Pot:
- Brown the chicken. Cut into bite-size pieces and coat chicken in tapioca flour, salt, and pepper, then fry in coconut oil until outsides are golden brown. The center will still be raw, and that’s ok, it will cook more in the Crock Pot!
- Make the sauce. In the slow cooker, mix together water, garlic, ginger, tapioca flour, vinegar, coconut aminos, honey, coconut sugar, almond butter, and red pepper flakes together. Add chicken and toss to coat.
- Cook the chicken. This recipe cooks quickly, on Low for about 2 hours.
After cooking, stir some sliced green onions and more chili flakes into the homemade General Tso chicken(because spicy!), serve over cauliflower rice, and it’s ready to rock.
Is General Tso Chicken Spicy?
Yes, there is a little bit of heat in this Crock Pot General Tso chicken.
If you don’t like hot food at all, you can skip the red pepper flakes.
Alternately, if you are addicted to hot foods, add in some more! Feel free to adjust the flavors to meet your preferences.
Is General Tso Chicken Gluten-Free?
Yes, my paleo General Tso chicken recipe is gluten-free. However, keep in mind if you don’t make it yourself, there is most likely gluten in it.
Most General Tso chicken recipes use all-purpose flour to make the breading which is obviously not gluten-free.
How To Store Healthy General Tso Chicken
After allowing the Crock Pot General Tso chicken to cool, place it in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It’s perfect to meal prep and enjoy later in the week.
When you’re ready to eat it again, heat it up in a skillet with a little bit of olive oil or in the microwave. It will taste just as great as leftovers as it does when it’s cooked initially!
Can You Freeze Crock Pot General Tso Chicken?
Yes, you can freeze this paleo General Tso chicken. Allow it to cool all the way, then place it in a freezer-safe container. It will last in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To reheat it, it’s best to place in the fridge overnight to thaw. Then, warm it in the microwave or saute on the stove top, until hot.
More Paleo Asian Recipes
I have so many flavorful paleo main dish recipes that I want to share with you. Here are some of our favorites:
- Spicy Healthy Kung Pao Chicken – You won’t believe it only takes 15 minutes to make!
- Paleo Orange Chicken Stir Fry – Perfect combination of citrus and seasonings.
- Easy Grilled Thai Chicken Satay – Who doesn’t love food on a stick?!
- Easy Paleo Honey Sesame Chicken – Incredible flavor and so simple to make.
Crock Pot Paleo Healthy General Tso Chicken Recipe:
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RECIPE CARD
Crock Pot Paleo Healthy General Tso Chicken Recipe
This healthy paleo General Tso chicken recipe tastes just like takeout! See how to make slow cooker Crock Pot General Tso chicken with just 5 minutes prep time.
Ingredients
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- 1.5 lb Chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup Tapioca flour
- 1 teaspoon White pepper
- 1 teaspoon Sea salt
- 3 tablespoons Coconut oil
- 4 medium Green onions (sliced)
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons Hot water
- 2 tablespoons Tapioca flour
- 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 1-inch piece Fresh ginger (minced)
- 1/4 cup Coconut aminos
- 1/4 cup White wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 1 tablespoon Almond butter
- 1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes
Instructions
More TIPS about this paleo recipe in the post above!
Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and toss with the tapioca, white pepper, and salt.
Heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil over high heat. Working in batches, cook the chicken for 2 minutes per side, just until a golden crust forms. It will still be raw in the middle!
In a slow cooker, whisk together the sauce ingredients and toss in the chicken. Stir to coat and cook on low for 2 hours. Just before serving, stir in the green onions.
Recipe Notes
Serving Size: 1/4 lb chicken, or 1/6 entire recipe
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. Net carb count excludes both fiber and sugar alcohols (though the latter are rarely seen on this site), because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
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6 Comments
Em
What kind of red pepper flakes are those? I’ve never seen those before.
Jen
I would like to make this keto. Would coconut flour work in place of tapioca flour? I can use a different sweetener…not sure how to sub the honey though lol
Chrissy
Yum! I love homemade versions of takeout – cheaper meals = money savings, yay! 🙂
Taylor
SO delicious and easy! Love the flavor of that sauce!
Candace
Excited to try this recipe out this week. Do you think I could sub sunbutter for the almond butter? Seems like it would be a good substitute, right?
Thanks!
Sharon
THANK YOU for a slow cooker chicken recipe that doesn’t tell you to cook it for 6-8 hours. I never cook my chicken breast more than 3 hours (if whole) because it over cooks SO fast. I feel like we’re the only people who know this haha