General Tso’s chicken is a sweet, fried chicken dish that is served in Chinese restaurants across the United States. It consists of chicken that has been deep fried and then coated in a sweet, sticky sauce. General Tso’s chicken is a favorite Chinese takeout order and has become a beloved staple of American Chinese cuisine. Despite its popularity, many people are unsure of what constitutes one serving of General Tso’s chicken. In this article, we will examine how General Tso’s chicken is portioned in restaurants and provide guidelines for appropriate single serving sizes.
Standard Restaurant Portion Sizes
In most Chinese restaurants in America, General Tso’s chicken is served as part of a lunch or dinner plate combo. A typical lunch plate will contain around 4-6 oz of General Tso’s chicken, along with fried rice and sometimes an egg roll or crab rangoons. Dinner plates feature larger portions, usually around 6-8 oz of General Tso’s chicken. The chicken pieces are often chopped into smaller 1-2 inch sized nuggets during the cooking process.
For comparison, one standard chicken breast when raw is around 4-6 oz. So a single serving of General Tso’s chicken ordered by itself would be comparable to receiving an entire breaded and fried chicken breast chopped up, coated in sauce.
Some key standard restaurant portion sizes for General Tso’s chicken include:
| Small lunch portion | 4 oz |
| Large lunch portion | 6 oz |
| Small dinner portion | 6 oz |
| Large dinner portion | 8-12 oz |
As you can see, the serving sizes can vary significantly depending on if it is lunch or dinner and if any combo plates are involved.
Nutrition Information Per Serving
The nutrition facts will vary slightly depending on the exact recipe, but a 6 oz portion of General Tso’s chicken with white meat will typically contain:
| Calories | 670 |
| Total Fat | 26g |
| Saturated Fat | 4g |
| Trans Fat | 0.4g |
| Cholesterol | 100mg |
| Sodium | 930mg |
| Carbohydrates | 76g |
| Fiber | 2g |
| Sugar | 15g |
| Protein | 27g |
As you can see, a single serving contains a significant amount of calories, fat, sodium and cholesterol. This is expected given the fried preparation and sweet sauce. Those watching their weight or sodium intake may want to consume smaller 4 oz portions.
Serving Size at Home
When making General Tso’s chicken at home, you have more control over the serving sizes. Many homemade recipes suggest 4 oz of boneless, skinless chicken per serving. This would be comparable to one small chicken breast or thigh.
After chopping the chicken and cooking, the finished portion will decrease slightly in weight. You can estimate about 3-4 oz of finished General Tso’s chicken per person for a typical serving size.
This would equal approximately:
| Calories | 400 |
| Carbs | 15g |
| Fat | 14g |
| Protein | 30g |
Making it at home allows you to moderate sodium, fat, and sugar as well. You can bake the chicken instead of frying to reduce fat and calories.
Serving Size for Meal Planning
When doing weekly meal plans that include General Tso’s chicken, use the following guidelines:
| Child or small appetite | 3-4 oz |
| Women | 4-6 oz |
| Men | 6-8 oz |
| Athlete or large appetite | 8-10 oz |
Remember the chicken will cook down slightly, so add an extra 1-2 oz of raw chicken to account for the weight loss during cooking. For children or smaller appetites, one chicken thigh or drumstick is usually sufficient. Women can plan for 1 small or half a large chicken breast. Men and athletes can consume a full large chicken breast or two smaller ones.
To complete the meal, pair General Tso’s chicken with stir fry vegetables and brown rice. An 8-10 oz serving is considered one full entree, while smaller 3-5 oz portions can be served as an appetizer.
Tips for Portioning
– Invest in a kitchen scale to weigh out portions accurately at home
– Use the palm of your hand as a guide – one palm is approximately the recommended serving size
– Measure protein servings based on deck of cards size (about 3-4 oz)
– At restaurants, share one entree as an appetizer or package half immediately for leftovers
– For meal prep, portion into individual containers for easy grabbing and heating throughout the week
Child and Teen Serving Sizes
For children and teens, the serving sizes should be adjusted downwards:
| Toddler (age 1-3) | 1-2 oz |
| Child (age 4-8) | 2-3 oz |
| Pre-teen (age 9-13) | 3-5 oz |
| Teen boys (age 14-18) | 5-8 oz |
| Teen girls (age 14-18) | 4-6 oz |
Toddlers only need 1-2 small nuggets for a serving. Children can have a slightly larger portion of 3-5 nuggets. Pre-teens and teens gradually work up to enjoying a full adult-sized portion depending on their appetite and activity levels. The breading and sauce make the dish very flavorful already, so you can decrease portion sizes for kids without sacrificing taste.
Serving Size for Athletes
Athletes and very active individuals need larger serving sizes to meet increased calorie and protein demands from training:
| Endurance athletes | 8-12 oz |
| Strength trainers | 10-12 oz |
| Football players | 12-16 oz |
The protein and carbohydrates in General Tso’s chicken can help refuel muscles before or after a tough workout. Active individuals can consume up to a pound of General Tso’s chicken in one sitting. Pair with brown rice and vegetables for a complete nutritious meal.
Serving Size for Dieters
For those limiting calories or carbs, smaller serving sizes are recommended:
| Women dieting | 3-4 oz |
| Men dieting | 4-6 oz |
| Keto or low carb diets | 4 oz without rice |
| Intermittent fasting | 3-5 oz in eating window |
The breading and sugar in the sauce makes the dish high in refined carbs and sodium. Limiting to half a chicken breast or less can help reduce calorie intake while still allowing you to enjoy the delicious flavors. Skip the rice and fill up on stir fried veggies instead when reducing carbs.
Conclusion
General Tso’s chicken serving sizes can vary greatly depending on if you order it at a restaurant, make it at home, or are meal prepping. Typical restaurant portions range from 4 oz up to 12 oz, with 6-8 oz being common. When making it yourself or meal planning, target 3-4 oz per serving, or one chicken breast split between two people. Adjust up or down for activity levels, appetites, kids and dieting needs. Use visual comparisons like palm size or deck of cards to estimate 3-4 oz protein portions. Weighing cooked portions can also help with accuracy. Now that you know appropriate serving sizes for General Tso’s chicken, you can better control portions and enjoy this tasty takeout treat.