This Sweet and Sour Chicken is one of those dishes that always hits the spot for me—crispy chicken, vibrant veggies, and a sauce that’s just the right mix of sweet and tangy. I love how quickly it comes together, and it’s so satisfying knowing I can whip up something better than takeout right in my own kitchen. Trust me, once you make this, you’ll never look at takeout the same way again!
Rice Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar: Either will work and you want this for the tangy kick to the sweet and sour sauce. Keep in mind rice vinegar is a bit milder. Ketchup: Brings in that classic sweet and sour flavor and gives the sauce a nice red color. Sugar: Sweetens up the sauce and balances out the vinegar. You can adjust the amount if you like it more or less sweet. Soy Sauce: Adds saltiness and depth to the sauce. Go for low sodium to keep things from getting too salty. Pineapple Juice: This gives the sauce its fruity sweetness. Use the juice from the canned pineapple if you’re using canned, or fresh juice if you have it. Cornstarch Slurry: Thickens up the sauce so it coats everything nicely. Just mix cornstarch with water and you’re good to go.
Red and Green Bell Peppers: These add color, crunch, and a bit of sweetness to the dish. You can use any color bell pepper you like. Onion: Adds a bit of sharpness and texture to the stir-fry. Any onion will do, but yellow or white works best. Pineapple Chunks: These bring a sweet and tangy burst to the dish. Fresh is great, but canned works perfectly too—just drain them well. Garlic: Adds that aromatic punch to the stir-fry. Fresh garlic is best, but you can use garlic powder in a pinch.
In a large bowl, combine 1 pound of bite-sized chicken pieces with 2 beaten eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Mix everything together until the chicken is well coated with the egg mixture. Sprinkle ½ cup cornstarch and ¼ cup all-purpose flour over the chicken. Toss everything together until the chicken pieces are evenly coated. The mixture should be shaggy, creating a textured coating that will crisp up nicely when fried. Tip: The shaggy coating helps create extra crispy edges when frying, giving you that perfect crunch. In a large skillet, heat ¼ cup vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, fry the chicken pieces until they’re golden brown and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Work in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Remove the chicken from the skillet and drain it on paper towels to get rid of any excess oil. In a medium saucepan, combine ½ cup rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar), ¼ cup ketchup, ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce, and ½ cup pineapple juice. Stir everything together and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Once it’s simmering, stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water). Cook the sauce for another 2-3 minutes until it thickens up nicely. In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until it’s fragrant. Toss in 1 medium red bell pepper, 1 medium green bell pepper, and 1 small onion, all cut into bite-sized pieces. Stir-fry for about 3-4 minutes until the veggies are tender-crisp. Tip: Keep the heat high and the veggies moving in the pan so they cook evenly without getting too soft. Add 1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned, drained) and the cooked chicken pieces to the skillet with the veggies. Pour the sweet and sour sauce over everything and toss it all together until the chicken and veggies are coated evenly.
More Delicious Asian Style Recipes
Bang Bang Chicken Sweet And Sour Pork Sweet And Sour Meatballs Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Szechuan Beef
title: “Sweet And Sour Chicken” ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-26” author: “Dennis Castro”
Be sure to try my Egg Roll in a Bowl and Teriyaki Chicken recipes next!
Sweet and Sour Chicken
My family absolutely loves it when I make this Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe. I have mastered the art of making extra crispy chicken that perfectly replicates what you’d get from Chinese takeout. My trick is to dip the chicken in eggs that have been vigorously whisked, then into cornstarch, and then briefly back into the eggs just before frying. Not only does this make the chicken extra crispy, but the cornstarch on the chicken thickens up the sauce during cooking, turning it into a shiny, flavorful glaze that is perfect with a side of rice! The bell peppers, onions, and pineapple are a must with this recipe. They don’t sound important, but they really compliment the flavor of the sauce and give you a real-deal takeout experience. 😉
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions. Season cubes of chicken with salt/pepper. Add the chicken to a bowl of whisked eggs and toss to coat. Dredge in cornstarch, then briefly dip the chicken back into the eggs just before frying. Fry the chicken in 365° oil for 3-4 minutes per side, until brown and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to cooling racks.
Remove all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the skillet and add the diced onions, peppers, and pineapple. Toss to coat and sauté over medium-high heat for 4 minutes. Add the sauce and bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Transfer to an oven-safe baking dish if needed. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove and spoon the sauce back over the chicken. Bake for 10 more minutes. Spoon the sauce over the chicken again. Garnish with green onions and serve with rice.
Storage
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. To Freeze: Store the chicken and the rice separately, these are my preferred storage containers for each. To Reheat: The chicken can be reheated from a thawed state in the microwave or in a lightly greased, covered casserole dish at 350° for 15 minutes or so, or until heated through. The rice can also be microwaved or reheated in a lightly greased foil packet in the oven for 10 minutes or so.
Try These Next
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A wok works well for this recipe as well as a 3.5 Quart Dutch Oven. Deep Fryer– This can also be used. 9 x 13 inch Baking Dish Oil Thermometer– Having the correct oil temperature is important. Slotted Spoon– Perfect for handling the chicken during frying.
