Sweet and Sour Chicken with crispy chicken, pineapple, and bell peppers tastes just like takeout without the food coloring. Try this today!
Sweet and Sour Pork and Sweet and Sour Chicken are classic Chinese takeout options many of us are too afraid to make at home. Cooking with woks can be intimidating, but my recipe will prove it is much easier to make than you would think!
Sabrina’s Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts , (about 4 pieces) cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 eggs , beaten
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 cup pineapple chunks , cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 red bell pepper , cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 green bell pepper , cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1/2 yellow onion , cut into 1-inch chunks
- vegetable oil , for frying
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 4 teaspoons reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
Instructions
- To make the sauce, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, and garlic into a small bowl.
- Pour enough vegetable oil into a Dutch oven or frying pan so that comes up from the bottom about an inch and a half. Preheat on medium-high heat.
- Add the cornstarch to a large ziplock bag then add chicken pieces and shake until well coated.
- Dip the chicken pieces into the egg, then into the flour before adding to the hot oil. Add in batches so as not to have more than a single layer of it in the oil at a time.
- Cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes, until cooked through and crispy.
- Remove to a cookie sheet (no paper towels!) and continue cooking the remaining batches of chicken.
- When done cooking remove all but a tablespoon of the oil, then add peppers, onion, and pineapple. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until crisp-tender.
- Add the chicken pieces and sauce, and stir until the sauce is thickened and bubbling.
- Serve immediately, with optional garnishes of sesame seeds or green onions.
Nutrition
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Table of Contents
About This Recipe
When I first started this blog, of all the Chinese Recipes that people asked for, the absolute top requested was sweet and sour chicken. I totally get it, it isn’t even just the recipe, but THAT SAUCE. When I was a teenager and I made this sauce for the first time I also actually started learning how to use chopsticks. So for a solid month (I kid you not, my mom was not thrilled with this), I used chopsticks for every meal and had a tiny little bowl of sauce to dip everything into it.
Chef’s Note
A word of advice: I don’t put the fried chicken on a paper towel to drain. While it may work to soak up the excess oil, it also causes it to steam and the batter on the chicken gets soft voiding our goal of crispy chicken pieces. You can use a paper towel to wipe off any oil from the cooking sheet after you’ve added them back to the wok.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Pounds Chicken Breasts: Cut into 1-inch chunks. You can use chicken thighs too.
- ½ Cup Cornstarch: This is used to create a base for the egg wash and flour to attach to.
- 2 Eggs and ¼ Cup Flour: These are the coating for the chicken.
- 1 Cup Pineapple Chunks: This is the secret ingredient that makes this recipe! Fresh or a can of drained pineapples both work.
- Vegetable Oil: This is used for frying. You can use a neutral oil like canola or sunflower oil.
- Vegetables: Red and green bell peppers, both cut into 1-inch chunks, add vibrant color and a mix of sweet and slightly bitter flavors. These can be substituted with other peppers or zucchini for a different texture. The onion, also cut into 1-inch chunks, provides aromatic flavor and slight sharpness; red onion or shallots are good alternatives.
- Sweet and Sour Sauce: White and brown sugar bring the sweet base with a hint of molasses; either dark or light brown sugar or coconut sugar can also be used. Apple Cider Vinegar is absolutely critical for bringing the sour flavor. Rice vinegar is a suitable substitute. Ketchup adds the base tomato flavor and natural red color. You can also use equal parts tomato paste. Soy Sauce can be substituted with tamari or coconut aminos which are also gluten-free. Garlic can be substituted with 2 teaspoons of garlic powder if fresh garlic is unavailable.
Kitchen Tools and Equipment
- Wok: Great for high heat, and quick cooking. A wok is a great addition to your kitchen if you love cooking Chinese food or stir fries in general.
- Large Frying Pan: I use a Cuisinart for most of my non-cast iron cooking unless I am going with a stainless steel option, then I choose my All-Clad.
- Frying Spider Strainer: A frying spider strainer is the quickest and easiest way to scoop out items that are fried without wasting too much time or getting too much oil out of the pan. You won’t have pieces burning like you would with a smaller strainer, plus it is SO inexpensive. I use it for almost all of my small fried items.
Can This Be Made Ahead?
This dish is best served fresh. If it isn’t served immediately the coating will soften and become soggy. You can easily store a batch in the fridge for up to 3 days before reheating and serving. Just keep in mind the breading won’t be crispy. The sauce can be kept in the fridge separately from any cooked chicken for up to a week.
How to Store
- Storing: Place the leftovers in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. The chicken will stay fresh for up to 3 days, while the sauce and vegetables can last up to 4 days.
- Reheating: For the best results, reheat the chicken in an air fryer or oven to restore its crispiness. Warm the sauce and vegetables in the microwave or on the stovetop, then combine just before serving.
- Freezing: Freeze the chicken and sauce separately in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and serving.
Alternative Cooking Techniques
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Coat chicken pieces as usual with cornstarch, egg, and flour. Arrange in a single layer in the air fryer basket, spray lightly with oil, and cook for 10-12 minutes, shaking halfway through. Air fry the vegetables and pineapple after the chicken. Make the sauce on the stovetop, toss the chicken and veggies into the heated sweet and sour sauce, and serve immediately.
Frequent Questions
For this recipe you want to keep the breading super crispy and light, which cornstarch will help you achieve. I have experimented with coating the chicken in both in a tempura batter and a straight cornstarch coating. I prefer cornstarch for ease of use, but either way, you don’t want something doughy that will absorb your sauce like a sponge.
You can reduce the sugar in half for less sweetness. For less tanginess, cut the vinegar from ½ to ¼ cup of vinegar.
Variations
- Vegan Sweet and Sour Tofu: Replace chicken with firm tofu, patting with with a paper towel it to remove excess moisture before frying. Use soy sauce or tamari for the sauce.
- Garlicky: If you’d really like to add some extra flavor to the flour, season with salt and black pepper and add 2 tablespoons of minced garlic or 1 tablespoon of powdered garlic to the chicken while frying. Add an extra tablespoon to the sauce when mixing.
Related Posts
More Sweet and Sour Recipes
Photos used in previous versions of this post.
Tasted great took some time to fry all the chicken. So be patient. Otherwise would cook again.
Patience is key, especially if your pan isn’t big enough to get that chicken nice and crisp. Thank you for enduring and enjoying, and thanks for the positive review.
Yummy
Thank you Dennis.
This recipe was great and will be making again very soon
Wonderful news. So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Excellent – I’ve tried many different recipes – this was the best ever! The only thing I added was some thinly sliced carrots.
Great idea Deb and thanks for the five star review!
Can I put this in crockpot & not fry my chicken eat this as a healthy vision
Do you have an air fryer? I have an air fryer version at the bottom of the post if you’d prefer a healthier option. I’ve typed it below too just in case. Please let me know if you try this version.
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Coat chicken pieces as usual with cornstarch, egg, and flour. Arrange in a single layer in the air fryer basket, spray lightly with oil, and cook for 10-12 minutes, shaking halfway through. Air fry the vegetables and pineapple after the chicken. Make the sauce on the stovetop, toss the chicken and veggies into the heated sweet and sour sauce, and serve immediately
Made this for my husband and myself. The only thing I changed, was I used pork. My husband said it was a “10 out of 10”. I agree.
So glad you guys enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for the five star review.
Can I bake the chicken in the oven instead of frying?
I loved the sweet and sour chicken, just not a fan of frying!
So, I made this with a Thai influence.
( because I don’t have Thai Basil, I combined 2 tsp pf ground fennel, and 1 tbs of dried basil ) to the sauce. I also used Chinkiang vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar.
Excellent recipe! A 10! From the sauce to the fry, it’s better than any restaurant. I used chicken thighs. Was so tender. Thanks Chef?????
You’re welcome Gary and thanks for the great review!
Your recipe needs to clarify that at step 8 (I assume) you add the sauce too. You make the sauce, and then it is never mentioned again until it is meant to thicken.
Hey Paul, you’re correct, step 8 is confusing so I reworded it to clarify. It now says to add the chicken pieces and sauce, and stir until the sauce is thickened and bubbling. Good catch, and thank you.
Delicious! It also works using 1:1 gluten free flour substitute . We added 1 cup thin sliced carrots with the other vegs.
Thanks for letting us know Ann and thanks for the kind review!
Have made this a few times now. Its a little bit of work but worth it
So good! I have never gotten breading to stick to my chicken like it did with this recipe. I was so thrilled it worked! Possibly the corn starch?
I added chopped carrots and a splash of pineapple juice like someone suggested earlier. Made it in my electric wok, and it was fantastic. Thank you!
You’re welcome Cassie! Glad you enjoyed the recipe and thanks for the five stars.