General Tso's Chicken

"General Tso's Chicken" lands at 27g of protein for 252 calories a serving, which makes it an easy way to hit a protein target on Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro or Zepbound without overeating. It leans pungent and spicy, so save it for a day your stomach is settled rather than right after an injection.

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless (skinless chicken breast (cut into bite-size pieces))
• 0.25 cup reduced sodium soy sauce (divided*)
• 0.25 cup cornstarch (divided)
• 1 large egg white
• 1 (1-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 medium scallions (whites and greens separated)
• 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce (plus more for serving)
• 3 tablespoons hoisin*
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• sesame seeds (for garnish)

Method

1. 1Toss the chicken in a medium bowl with 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, 3 tablespoons cornstarch and the egg white, then set it aside while you prep the aromatics.
2. 2Mince the garlic and ginger and chop the scallions, keeping the whites and greens separate (the greens are for garnish).
3. 3Warm 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and sauté the ginger, garlic and scallion whites for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken broth, the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, the sriracha and hoisin, and whisk. Whisk in the last tablespoon of cornstarch and cook until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes; lower the heat to keep it warm.
4. 4Heat a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Working in two batches, add 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil and half the chicken; cook 3–4 minutes until the edges brown, flip, and cook another 2–3 minutes until done. Repeat with the rest.
5. 5Return all the chicken to the pan, pour over the sauce, and toss to coat. Scatter with scallion greens and sesame seeds and serve, with extra sriracha if you like.

Tips for GLP-1 appetites

• Not the gentlest option on a rough stomach day — better suited to when appetite and digestion feel normal.
• Go lighter on the strong aromatics (garlic, onion, spice rub) if smells are a trigger right now.
• At 27g of protein a serving, this alone gets you a meaningful chunk of the way to a daily 80–120g protein target.