General Tso's chicken is a popular Chinese-American dish that is known for its sweet and spicy flavor. Despite its name, General Tso's chicken is not a traditional Chinese dish and has no direct connection to the famous Chinese general, General Tso. The origins of General Tso's chicken can be traced back to the 1970s in New York City, where it was created by Chef Peng Chang-kuei. Chef Peng was a renowned chef from Taiwan who had previously served as a cook for the Nationalist government of China before immigrating to the United States.
In the 1970s, Chef Peng opened a restaurant in New York City called Shun Lee Palace, which was popular among Chinese immigrants and American diners alike. It was at this restaurant that Chef Peng first introduced General Tso's chicken, which quickly became a hit with American diners.
The dish is made by deep-frying battered chicken pieces and then tossing them in a sweet and spicy sauce made from soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and chili peppers. Today, General Tso's chicken is a popular dish in Chinese-American restaurants across the United States, and it has also gained popularity in other parts of the world.