Quick & Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken

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Crispy chicken coated in a sweet, tangy, and sticky sauce with vegetables and pineapple! This easy sweet and sour chicken recipe uses simple ingredients and is ready in 30 minutes - a family-friendly, better-than-takeout main perfect for busy weeknights!

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Why This Recipe
Ingredients & Substitutes
Instructions
Expert Tips
Variations
Pairing Suggestions
Storage & Reheating
FAQ
More Like This
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Sweet and sour chicken features bite-sized pieces of fried chicken tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce with bell peppers, onions, and pineapple. It's a popular Chinese takeout dish served at Chinese restaurants and one of my all-time favorite Asian chicken dishes.

Whenever my husband and I are craving Chinese food, I'll make this fried chicken recipe and serve it with jasmine rice and more vegetables. It truly hits the spot, thanks to the sweet and savory flavors!

Why This Recipe

We are lightly coating the chicken in cornstarch and shallow-frying it in a small amount of oil, creating a crispy texture without the mess of a wet batter and using less oil.
I tested this recipe with different proportions of brown sugar to white vinegar and a 1:2 ratio creates the best results.
Most sweet and sour chicken recipes turn out soggy; my method of frying the chicken in small batches until golden ensures it stays crispy after the sauce is added.

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Chicken Thighs: I recommend using skinless boneless chicken thighs for best texture. Substitution: Use skinless chicken breasts and cook until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F; let carryover cooking bring it to 165°F for tender results.
Red Bell Peppers: To add crunch and color. Substitution: Orange, yellow, or green bell peppers.
Pineapple: I recommend using fresh ripe pineapple for best results. Substitution: Thawed frozen pineapple chunks, with liquids strained or canned pineapple; liquids strained.
Onion: To add aroma. Substitution: Shallot.
Cornstarch: This makes the chicken crispy. Substitution: Potato starch. Avoid using tapioca starch or arrowroot starch as the chicken will stick together in the pan.
Neutral Oil: Use high-smoke-point oils like avocado, peanut, vegetable, canola/rapeseed, or sunflower oil. Avoid extra-virgin olive oil (smokes at high heat).
Salt
Garlic Powder: Do not use minced garlic or it'll burn in the pan with the chicken.
Toasted Sesame Seeds: Look for "roasted" or "toasted" labels. If unavailable, toast raw seeds in a dry pan until fragrant. This is a garnish.
Green Onion: To add aroma and color. This is a garnish.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Ketchup: To add that signature red color and to add a tangy flavor to the sauce.
Brown Sugar: To add a caramel-like flavor to the sauce. I like using light brown sugar but dark brown sugar works too.
Regular Soy Sauce: Any all-purpose brand works [I recommend Kikkoman or Lee Kum Kee]. Low-sodium or light soy sauce also work.
White Vinegar: To add a tangy flavor to the sauce. Substitution: Rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Cold Water
Cornstarch: To thicken the sauce. Substitution: Potato starch, tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch.

Note: Most Asian ingredients are typically found at Asian grocery stores, or you can check online.

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make sweet and sour chicken:

Combine sauce ingredients until sugar has dissolved.

Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients as listed above and dissolve the sugar. Set aside.

Season diced chicken with salt and garlic powder and coat in cornstarch.

Season and coat diced chicken: Dice chicken thighs into 1.5-inch pieces and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and garlic powder. Then add cornstarch and toss to evenly coat, ensuring no bald spots.

Fry chicken until crispy, cooked and golden.

Fry the chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Fry chicken in batches until cooked, golden and crispy on both sides, or about 3-4 minutes per side.

Transfer fried chicken to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate.

Drain the chicken: Transfer fried chicken to a wire rack or paper-towel-lined plate to remove excess oil or it can get soggy.

Reserve 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of the residual oil in the pan and discard the rest. Reduce to medium heat and sauté onions, red bell pepper and pineapple for 30-45 seconds. Add the sauce and simmer until it's thickened, about 30-45 seconds.

Sauté vegetables and thicken sauce: Reserve 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of the residual oil in the pan and discard the rest. Reduce to medium heat and sauté onions, red bell pepper and pineapple for 30-45 seconds. Add the sauce and simmer until it's thickened, about 30-45 seconds.

Toss in fried chicken and mix to coat evenly and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

Toss chicken in sauce and garnish: Add the fried chicken and toss to evenly coat in the sauce. Remove from heat. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Expert Tips

Do not pat dry the chicken thighs, as some moisture is needed for the cornstarch to adhere.
Evenly dice the chicken, so it can fry consistently.
Use a heavy-bottomed pan to maintain the oil temperature.
Heat the oil to 325–350°F before frying, using a digital instant-read thermometer to check the temperature. If you don't own one, insert a wooden chopstick into the hot oil and look for rapid bubbles.
Fry the coated chicken in small batches for a crispy texture! Avoid overcrowding the pan or it can cause uncooked, soggy chicken.
Avoid moving the chicken as it fries until you're ready to flip, so it can develop a golden-crispy crust.
Drain the fried chicken on a wire rack or paper-towel-lined plate to remove excess oil, preventing soggy chicken.

Variations

Pork version: Replace the chicken thighs with diced pork shoulder and cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 145ºF.
Shrimp version: Replace the chicken with peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp and cook until golden and crispy.
Tofu version: Replace the chicken with large diced extra-firm tofu and cook until golden and crispy.
Gluten-free version: Replace the soy sauce with tamari sauce, coconut aminos, or gluten-free soy sauce.

Pairing Suggestions

Sweet and sour chicken pairs well with:

Starters: Egg Rolls, Crab Rangoon, Egg Drop Soup, or Hot and Sour Soup.
Rice Dishes: White Rice or Fried Rice.
Noodle Dishes: Chow Mein or Lo Mein.
Vegetable Dishes: Spicy Garlic Bok Choy or Chinese Garlic Yu Choy.
Protein Dishes: Honey Walnut Shrimp, Egg Foo Young, or Soy Garlic Tofu.

Storage & Reheating

Leftover sweet and sour chicken can last up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To enjoy, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
Freezer: Sweet and sour chicken can be frozen for up to 2-3 months in a freezer-safe bag, once cooled. I recommend freezing the sauce, vegetables, and chicken in three separate bags for best texture. To enjoy, defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.

FAQ

Can I make sweet and sour chicken in advance?

Sweet and sour chicken can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge once cooled. I recommend storing the sauce and vegetables separately from the fried chicken for best texture. To enjoy, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.

Can I air fry sweet and sour chicken?

Sweet and sour chicken can be made in the air fryer. First evenly spray the air fryer basket with neutral oil. Then place the coated chicken into the basket in a single layer, giving each piece enough space. Evenly spray oil over the chicken. Air fry at 400ºF for 10-14 minutes until cooked, golden, and crispy, without flipping. Then simmer the sauce until thickened and toss in the fried chicken to coat evenly.

Why is my chicken not crispy?

Soggy chicken can be caused by: not evenly coating the chicken in starch, oil not being hot enough, overcrowding the pan, constantly moving the chicken around as it fries, or not draining off excess oil.

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