Fusia Asian Inspirations General Tso’s Chicken

EDITOR’S NOTE: Updated for 2025.  

Chinese takeout is one of my family’s favorite types of food, and there’s a little restaurant a few blocks from our house that we frequently visit. When takeout isn’t in the budget, though, Aldi can help curb our cravings. The discount grocer sells several types of Asian-inspired frozen entrees and sides year round, and they rotate in a variety of products as limited-time specials at different times throughout the year.

Today, we’re looking at one of the Chinese takeout options that is available at Aldi as a year-round Regular Buy: General Tso’s chicken.

General Tso’s chicken, according to Wikipedia, is a popular dish served in North American Chinese restaurants that is named after Zuo Zongtang (also known as Tso Tsung-t’ang), who was a nineteenth century Qing dynasty statesman and military leader from Hunan Province. However, it’s not a dish known to his home province and he would not have known of it or eaten it. The dish was invented in the 1950s by Peng Chang-kuei, a chef from the Hunan province, and it initially didn’t include sugar and wasn’t deep fried. A New York City chef named Tsung Ting Wang was the one who later, in the 1970s, gave us the sweet fried version we know.

 

Fusia Asian Inspirations General Tso’s Chicken at Aldi cost $5.49 for a 26-ounce package when we first review this in 2021. As of 2025, it’s $7.29 for 26 ounces.

The package describes this as “tempura white meat chicken with General Tso’s sauce.”

This is loaded with fat and sodium, so it’s something we enjoy in moderation. Also, what may come as a surprise to some people is the high sugar content in this entrée, mostly because of the included sauce. With 13 grams of added sugars (26% of your daily limit) per serving, this has a sugar content comparable to some desserts.

This is a processed food with a fairly lengthy ingredients list, with primary ingredients being white meat chicken, bleached enriched flour, and cornstarch.

If you’re avoiding allergens, this contains eggs, soy, and wheat.

One package contains about 5 one-cup (140-gram) servings.

Aldi has tweaked this over the years, slightly reducing the calories and fat. Also, while this is still high in sodium at 860 grams per serving, it used to contain more than 1,000 grams of sodium per serving back when we first wrote about it in 2025.

As of 2025, a single serving will net you 270 calories, 10 grams of total fat (13% DV), 1 gram of saturated fat (5% DV), 860 mg of sodium (37% DV), 35 grams of total carbohydrates (13% DV), 1 gram of dietary fiber (4% DV), 14 grams of total sugars, 13 grams of added sugars (26% DV), and 13 grams of protein.

The chicken is sold frozen and should be kept frozen until ready to use.

The package used to have directions only for baking this in a conventional oven. At some point within the last year, instructions were also added for air frying, cooking in a skillet, or microwaving.

To air fry, preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees. Thaw the unopened sauce in warm water and set aside. Place half of the frozen chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 10 minutes or until heated through. Place the heated chicken in a large bowl and pour sauce over the chicken, mixing until the chicken is completely coated.

To bake in the oven, start by preheating the oven to 450 degrees . Remove the sauce pouches and place them unopened into a bowl of hot water to thaw. Evenly lay the chicken on a baking sheet, separating pieces for more even heating. Bake on the center oven rack for 10-12 minutes or until heated through. Place heated chicken in a large bowl. Pour sauce over the chicken and mix until completely coated. (Note: Aldi has changed the oven directions for this. It used to bake at 400 degrees for 18-21 minutes.)

To cook in a skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and frozen chicken in a large nonstick skillet. Heat on medium for 10-12 minutes, turning the chicken frequently. Thaw the unopened sauce in warm water. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the skillet and mix until completely coated. Heat an additional 1-2 minutes or until hot.

To microwave, thaw the unopened sauce in warm water and set aside. Place frozen on a microwave-safe plate. Separate pieces for more even heating. For 1/4 of the bag, microwave uncovered on high for 30 seconds. Flip chicken and cook for an additional 30 seconds or until heated through. For 1/2 of the bag, microwave uncovered on high for 1 minute. Flip chicken and cook for an additional minute or until heated through. Pour the sauce over the chicken and mix until coated. Let stand 1 minute before serving.

I’ve only baked this in my oven. I like using my air fryer whenever I can, but I’ll probably continue to bake this in my conventional oven because I can cook the entire bag at once that way. It always comes out of my oven crispy and flavorful.

If you’re feeding a family, you may find that there is not nearly enough chicken in one bag to satisfy everyone. In my family of four, we have to carefully divide the chicken, and no one gets a very large portion. One solution would be to make two bags of chicken, but instead I usually make other things to serve alongside the chicken. Our favorites include Aldi’s Regular Buy egg rolls found in stores year round and Aldi’s pot stickers that show up for a limited time at certain times of year. Sometimes I also make a rice or noodle side dish.

Nutrition concerns and small portions aside, this is a family favorite even if it isn’t quite the same as what we’d get from a restaurant. It’s good on its own merits, and it’s only mildly spicy and appeals to even the picky eaters in my family. I like to keep a bag in the freezer for evenings when we want something easy for dinner.

The Verdict:

Fusia Asian Inspirations General Tso’s Chicken is a flavorful option if you’re looking for takeout-style food at the grocery store. Just keep in mind it’s loaded with fat, sodium, and sugar. One bag doesn’t make a lot either, so if you’re feeding a large family you might need to buy extra.