Mongolian Chicken Vs General Tso Chicken: What’s The Difference?
When you think of Chinese food, chances are that you think of the General Tso’s Chicken dish.
This dish is a staple in every Chinese restaurant and nearly everyone has tried it at least once.
But what if there was another chicken dish that is just as popular as General Tso’s?
In this article, you will learn how to differentiate General Tso’s Chicken and Mongolian chicken and then you will have your answer on which one seems better for you.
Now, let’s check it out!
What is Mongolian chicken?
Mongolian chicken is a popular Asian-inspired dish in the United States.
It’s a stir-fry that includes soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and white pepper which are cooked together with the main ingredients that are crispy deep-fried white chicken.
The dish is served over steamed rice or noodles.
The reason why it’s called Mongolian without originating from this cuisine is the recipe is close to the Mongolian barbecue.
Chinese indigenous people enjoyed this dish for the first time it was introduced, so they called the dish with this name.
What is General Tso chicken?
It’s one of the most well-known dishes in Chinese cuisine and is named after a famous general in China.
This dish is made from chicken that has been cut into small pieces and fried with a variety of vegetables such as broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, onions, and celery.
The sauce is made from either soy sauce or oyster sauce mixed with rice wine or sherry together with sugar.
In the United States, you can easily find General Tso’s Chicken at any Chinese restaurant throughout the country.
What are the differences between Mongolian chicken vs General Tso?
To figure out which dish fits your taste buds, it is essential to know how these dishes differentiate from each other.
Here are some typical distinctions between Mongolian chicken and General Tso:
| Mongolian chicken | General Tso’s chicken | |
| Taste | Spicier due to the presence of ginger and white pepper | Sweeter and more savory |
| Main cooking method | Stir-fry crispy chicken with the sauce | Not really a stir-fry dish, just need to toss the crispy fried chicken pieces into the sauce and serve |
| Plant ingredients | Usually doesn’t include vegetables | Contain more plant ingredients, such as broccoli, mushroom, carrot, celery, and onion |
| Origin | China with the recipe is similar to the Mongolian barbecue | Created by a Chinese cook at a Chinese restaurant in America |
What are the similarities between Mongolian chicken vs General Tso?
Despite the differences between Mongolian chicken and General Tso, these two dishes do share some similarities, as listed below:
1. The main ingredient is chicken cooked in a thick sauce
It is obvious that these two recipes use chicken as the main ingredient.
They are for meat-lovers, especially those who prefer poultry to beef or pork.
Chicken in these two dishes is cooked the same way, chopped frying until crispy.
2. They are both greatly suitable to be served with rice or noodles
These two Asian-inspired dishes have a savory and sweet taste, which makes them perfect to enjoy with grain-based dishes such as steamed or fried rice, or noodles.
Which one is better?
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Which dish is better, General Tso’s Chicken or Mongolian chicken? The answer to this question depends on your taste.
If you are looking for a sweet and tangy sauce, then the General Tso’s Chicken may be best for you.
On the other hand, if spice is what makes your mouth water more than anything else when it comes to Chinese food dishes, then go with Mongolian chicken instead! It will leave your tongue tingling in all the right ways!