Best Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe + Video
Best Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe + Video
With this delicious recipe for easy and delicious Homemade Sweet and Sour Chicken, there’s no need for takeout!
Sweet and Sour Chicken is one of the most classic Chinese recipes! Serve with some fried rice and egg rolls for a homemade takeaway experience!
Must go Chinese food!
This Homemade Sweet and Sour Chicken is so easy and delicious, we all love easy meals, especially on busy weeknights!
Sweet and sour chicken is one of my favorite Chinese dishes. It tastes so much better than takeout and you’ll be surprised how easy it is to make in your own kitchen.
This version of sweet and sour chicken needs to be breaded and fried, but if you prefer to skip the hot oil bath, we also have a great grilled version!
When we make this dish at home, I like to serve it over white rice (I prefer to make it in a crock pot). I’ve listed some of our best rice recipes in the paragraphs below, so don’t forget to check them out! You can’t go wrong with any side dish for this delicious dinner recipe.
How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken
Sauce. First prepare the sweet and sour sauce. In a medium pot, add pineapple juice, 2/3 cup water, vinegar, sugar, salt, soy sauce, and ketchup. Bring everything to a boil. Add 1-1 ½ inches of oil to a frying pan. Set the temperature to medium-high-high.
Chick. Using a large Ziploc bag, add cornstarch, then chicken nuggets. Shake until all pieces are evenly covered. Crack the eggs into a bowl, then add the flour to another bowl. Dip each piece of chicken into the egg, then into the flour. Add to hot oil after coating.
**tip** Keep the crumbs crisp and light. You don’t want any coating to be too thick. You can make this without cornstarch, but you won’t get the exact same result. If you’re looking for a substitute, try tapioca flour/starch.
Flip the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes, until cooked through and crisp. Once they are crisp, place them on the unprepared cookie sheet.
Chili and Pineapple. Once all pieces are cooked and placed on a baking sheet, heat 2 tablespoons in a separate frying pan. Add the bell peppers and pineapple and cook for 1-2 minutes, until soft and crisp.
Add the sauce to the pineapple and peppers. Cook for about 30 seconds before adding chicken pieces. Cook all ingredients until the sauce foams and thickens.
Recipe Tips + Variations
Make your sweet and sour chicken amazing with just a few tips:
- Oil: Fry in oil at a temperature of 350-375°F.
- Pan: A wok or a large frying pan is suitable for this recipe.
- clamp: Use metal tongs to help flip and remove the chicken pieces. Spider strainers are another great way to remove all the chicken at once.
- Chicken cuts: Boneless chicken thighs are a great substitute for chicken breasts.
- healthier: To make this a little healthier, skip the coating and just put the sliced ​​chicken right in the pan and fry.
- Pineapple: Fresh or frozen chunks work well, just keep in mind the pineapple juice for the sauce.
- Too salty: Use low-sodium soy sauce or reduce the amount of salt added. If you’ve already made this dish, try adding a little lemon juice. The acidity in the juice helps neutralize the saltiness.
Variety: Try adding some extra veggies to the sweet and sour chicken, or swap out the bell peppers for any of the following…
- onion
- carrot strips
- broccoli
- mushroom
service and storage
Serve your sweet and sour chicken:
shop Sweet and sour chicken leftover within two hours of making. Always use an airtight, freezer-safe container if applicable. It will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
freeze Leftover chicken is 3-4 months old.
arrive reheat, I recommend adding a little oil to a hot pan. If you are in a hurry, you can use the microwave.
For more Asian chicken recipes, check out:
main course
Chinese food
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total time 40 minutes
Serving Size 6
Calories 685 kcal
by Lil’ Luna
- 2 pounds chicken breasts cut into 1″ pieces (3 chicken breasts)
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 eggs beaten
- Add 1/2 cup more flour if needed
- 3/4-1 cup canola oil for frying
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
- 1 red bell pepper cut into 1″ pieces
- 1 green pepper cut into 1-inch chucks
Sauce
- 1/3 cup pineapple juice
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1//3 cup tomato paste
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch (mixed with ÂĽ cup water)
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Prepare the sauce: In a medium pot add pineapple juice, 2/3 cup water, vinegar, sugar, salt, soy sauce and ketchup. Cook on low heat while frying chicken.
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Add 1-1 ½ inches of oil to a frying pan. Set the temperature to medium-high.
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Using a large Ziploc bag, add cornstarch, then chicken nuggets. Shake until all pieces are evenly covered.
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Crack the eggs into a bowl, then add the flour to another bowl. Dip each piece of chicken into the egg, then into the flour. Once coated, add to hot oil.
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Flip the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes, until cooked through and crisp. Once crispy, place them on a paper towel-lined plate.
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Once all the pieces are cooked, dump the oil and only a few tablespoons are left. Add the bell peppers and pineapple and cook for 1-2 minutes, until soft and crisp.
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While the peppers and pineapple are cooked, thicken the sauce with a mixture of cornstarch and 1/4 cup water. Pour in and mix and bring to a boil.
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Add the sauce to the pineapple and peppers. Add chicken and mix well.
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Cook all the ingredients until the sauce is bubbling.