There are many classics in asian fast-foods, and two of the most famous ones, at least in the United States, are General Tso Chicken and Sesame Chicken.
These two dishes are so popular that it’s nearly impossible you have never heard of them, and actually, we even doubt that many people haven’t ever tasted them.
This doesn’t necessarily mean a lot of people understand what the difference between them is; quite the contrary, the question of what makes General Tso and sesame chicken different is quite common.
So what is the difference between General Tso chicken and sesame chicken? The biggest difference between General Tso chicken and sesame chicken lies in their sauces because the one used to make General Tso chicken is a bit spicier.
This is just an extremely brief answer, and we need to dive deeper to understand this topic because it is a little bit more complicated. So without any further delay, let’s just get started!
Table of Contents
- Is General Tso chicken and sesame chicken the same?
- What is General Tso chicken?
- What is sesame chicken?
- What is the difference between General Tso chicken and sesame chicken?
- What do General Tso chicken and sesame chicken have in common?
- Which one tastes better, General Tso chicken or sesame chicken?
- Summary
- Resources
Is General Tso chicken and sesame chicken the same?
No, General Tso chicken and sesame chicken are not the same; however, they are pretty similar. Both of them are made from fried, crispy chicken mixed with rice and a tasty sauce.
And it is the sauce that makes those two different – the sauce used to make sesame chicken is sweeter, while the sauce for General Tso chicken is spicy.
What is General Tso chicken?
General Tso chicken is a very popular dish of many asian fast-food bistros. It consists of fried pieces of chicken in crispy breading that is then mixed with some rice and a signature sauce.
And it is the sauce that makes this dish stand out – made primarily out of peppercorns, it has a nice spicy flavor that makes General Tso chicken’s many people’s favorite.
What is sesame chicken?
Sesame chicken is one of the most popular dishes in Chinese-American cuisine that can be found in nearly every asian restaurant in the United States. It is made using fried, crispy pieces of chicken that are then mixed with some rice.
As the name suggests, sesame is also added, but the most important is the sauce – it consists of soy sauce and things like brown sugar and honey, which makes it nicely sweet.
What is the difference between General Tso chicken and sesame chicken?
General Tso chicken and sesame chicken are two very similar dishes; however, they’re still not the same. Why is it so?
The most significant difference between General Tso chicken and sesame chicken is in their sauces. Both are made using soy sauce, but the sauce for General Tso chicken then contains things like peppercorns and shiloxing wine, making it spicy.
On the other hand, the sauce used to make sesame chicken is made out of honey and brown sugar, and they make it nicely sweet, definitely much sweeter than General Tso chicken is.
Another important difference between General Tso and sesame chicken is also that the former, as the name suggests, has to contain sesame, while General Tso chicken doesn’t.
What do General Tso chicken and sesame chicken have in common?
Despite the differences mentioned above, General Tso chicken and sesame chicken are still very, very closely looking and tasting dishes.
The arguably most important thing General Tso chicken and sesame chicken have in common is the fried chicken in crispy breading itself.
Which one tastes better, General Tso chicken or sesame chicken?
Although it makes us sad, we can’t answer this question, because the choice between any two kinds of food depends just and only on you.
Therefore, it is simply impossible to say whether General Tso chicken or sesame chicken is better.
Nevertheless, we may still help you a bit – if you’re a fan of sweeter dishes, sesame chicken is probably the better choice for you.
However, if you’re looking for strongly tasting, spicy meals, General Tso chicken will most likely suit you better.
Summary
There are dozens of popular meals in asian restaurants, but only a few of them are as popular as sesame chicken, and General Tso chicken are. That’s mainly because of the meat used to make these.
The fried chicken in a crispy breading is simply one of the most beloved pieces of Chinese-American cuisine, and there probably isn’t a dish containing it that wouldn’t be popular.
With that being said, though, it is necessary to point out that the sauce in them is another thing that makes these two dishes so extremely popular besides the chicken itself.
And the sauce is also the biggest difference between sesame and General Tso chicken because the sauce used to make sesame chicken is sweeter and less spicy than the one for General Tso.
Related:
- Mandarin Chicken vs. Orange Chicken
- Orange Chicken vs. Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Orange Chicken vs. Sesame Chicken
Resources
Image credits – Canva