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    Home » Recipes » Asian » Sweet and Sour Chicken

    Sweet and Sour Chicken

    Last Modified: May 9, 2022 - Published by: christieathome - Comments: 13 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Sweet and Sour Chicken. Crispy chicken coated in a sticky sweet and tangy sauce. A popular Chinese dish ready in 30 minutes.

    Sweet and Sour Chicken

    Popular in Chinese Restaurants

    Sweet and sour chicken stir fry is a common chicken dish served at many Chinese restaurants and takeaways. It pairs deliciously with steamed rice and greens - a favourite in my books!

    Sweet and Sour Chicken

    Why make my version?

    There are many sweet and sour chicken recipes online but you should make mine because it’s:

    • Delicious and tastes like take out!
    • Easy to make
    • Ready in 30 minutes or less
    • No deep frying involved and therefore less oil wasted!
    • No heavy batter required (just cornstarch!)
    • Can be made in a skillet (no wok required)
    • Ingredients are accessible and can be found at most Western grocers
    • Pineapples are optional and can be omitted
    Sweet and Sour Chicken

    Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken

    My sweet and sour chicken recipe is very easy to make. You’re simply combining the minimal sauce ingredients, seasoning the chicken and then coating it in cornstarch (no batter here!). Then shallow frying the meat in a bit of oil. Then finally you’ll fry your vegetables and pineapples (optional) and pour your sauce into the pan. Mix in your fried chicken and that’s it!

    No Deep Frying & No Heavy Batter

    This sweet and sour chicken stir fry is not heavy battered or deep fried like how they do it at the Chinese restaurants making it slightly healthier. The coating is simply made of cornstarch and then shallow fried in oil, making it slightly healthier and there will be less oil to use or discard.

    Sweet and Sour Chicken

    Pineapples can be omitted

    This sweet and sour chicken with pineapple is just as delicious without the pineapples! I like adding pineapples for some added fibre and flavour but you can omit it.

    What you’ll need

    For this recipe you’ll need the following sweet and sour chicken ingredients:

    • boneless skinless chicken thighs
    • red bell pepper
    • pineapple (optiona)
    • yellow onion
    • cornstarch
    • vegetable oil, or avocado oil

    Chicken seasoning:

    • salt
    • garlic powder

    Sweet and sour chicken sauce:

    • ketchup
    • brown sugar
    • regular soy sauce
    • white vinegar
    • water
    • cornstarch

    Optional garnish:

    • sesame seeds
    • green onion

    How to make Sweet and Sour Chicken

    Below are brief steps with visuals to show you how to make the best sweet and sour chicken. Please scroll down to the recipe card below to find full instructions and details.

    Cut chicken thighs into bite sized pieces, about 4-6 pieces per thigh.

    In a small bowl combine sauce ingredients. Set aside.

    In a large bowl with your diced chicken thighs, season with salt and garlic powder and mix well.

    Then add cornstarch and mix until each piece is coated in starch.

    Over medium heat, add oil. Once oil is hot enough (test with wooden chopstick and look for bubbles), add coated chicken.

    Fry on each side for 4-5 minutes or until golden crispy brown on both sides. Remove chicken from pan and place on a paper towel lined plate or a cooling rack.

    Discard excess oil, reserving 1 tsp.

    Over medium heat and into the same pan, fry onions, red bell pepper and pineapples for 30 – 45 seconds.

    Pour in sauce and let it simmer to thicken and reduce, a couple minutes.

    Once thick, add back in fried chicken and mix to coat evenly. Remove off heat.

    sweet and sour chicken

    Optional:

    Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

    Cooking Tips

    Below are tips on making crispy sweet and sour chicken at home:

    Dice chicken into equal size pieces

    This will allow for an even cooking time. I usually cut each thigh if they’re the same size into 6-8 pieces. If it’s a smaller thigh, about 4 bite size pieces.

    Do not constantly move chicken as your fry

    This prevents your chicken from becoming crispy as the exterior doesn't get enough time to fry. Instead, allow the chicken and fry in the pan for a 4-5 minutes per side, in a non-stick pan or 3-4 minutes per side, in a carbon steel wok.

    Do not overcook vegetables

    At the Chinese restaurant, the bell peppers and onions are not overcooked nor caramelized because we want them to hold shape. In fact, the bell peppers remain crunchy. So only cook for 30-45 seconds.

    Pre-mix the sauce ahead of time

    This is important and prevents overcooking of the bell peppers and onions.

    FAQ

    Below are frequently asked questions about this Chinese sweet and sour chicken:

    Can I reheat this dish?

    Yes you can definitely keep them for leftovers, however because the coating is light the chicken may not be as crispy the next day. But it still tastes great!

    What is Chinese sweet and sour chicken made of?

    It’s typically made of chicken thigh coated in cornstarch (or a heavy batter) and fried. It’s then coated in a sauce made of ketchup, vinegar, sugar, water and cornstarch (sometimes pineapple juice). Finally stir fried with bell peppers, onions and pineapple.

    What's the difference between General Tso chicken and sweet and sour chicken?

    Sweet and sour chicken is sweet and tangy as the name suggests. However, General Tso is more sweet and less sour and has a darker brown colour thanks to the hoisin. Whereas sweet and sour chicken is red in colour, thanks to the ketchup.

    Where does sweet and sour chicken originate from?

    It originates from China!

    What does sweet and sour chicken taste like?

    It tastes like fried battered chicken coated in a sweet tangy sauce with crunchy red bell pepper, pineapple and onion.

    Other Chicken recipes you may like!

    If you enjoyed this dish, you may enjoy these other Asian chicken recipes:

    Sweet & Sour Battered Mushrooms
    Orange Chicken
    General Tso Chicken
    Mongolian Chicken
    Lemon Chicken

    Try it!

    Well, I hope you give my Sweet and Sour Chicken a try! It always excites me when you make my recipes and I hope this is one you try and most importantly, enjoy.

    Sharing is caring

    If you enjoyed my recipe, please share it with your family and friends or on social media! Take a picture of your re-creation and make sure to tag me @ChristieAtHome in your feed or stories as I would love to see it!

    Did you enjoy it?

    If you genuinely enjoyed my recipe, please leave a 5-star review. I would greatly appreciate it 🙂

    Take care,
    Christie

    *This post for sweet and sour chicken Cantonese style contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I also earn from qualifying purchases through additional affiliate programs

    Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken

    christieathome
    Sweet and Sour Chicken. Crispy chicken coated in a sticky sweet and tangy sauce. A popular Chinese dish that is easy to make at home. Ready in 30 minutes.
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 12 mins
    Total Time 27 mins
    Course dinner, lunch, Side Dish
    Cuisine Chinese
    Servings 2
    Calories 724 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces
    • 1 red bell pepper diced
    • ½ cup pineapple optional (feel free to use fresh or canned)
    • ½ yellow onion sliced
    • ¼ cup cornstarch
    • ⅓ cup vegetable oil or avocado oil

    Chicken seasoning:

    • 1 tsp salt
    • ½ tsp garlic powder

    Sauce:

    • 3 tbsp ketchup
    • 3 tbsp brown sugar (or sub with cane sugar)
    • 1 tbsp regular soy sauce not light or dark soy sauce
    • ⅓ cup white vinegar
    • ⅓ cup water
    • ½ tbsp cornstarch

    Optional garnish:

    • ½ tsp sesame seeds
    • 1 stalk green onion finely chopped

    Instructions
     

    • Cut chicken thighs into bite sized pieces, about 4-6 pieces per thigh.
    • In a small bowl combine sauce ingredients. Set aside.
    • In a large bowl with your diced chicken thighs, season with salt and garlic powder. Then add cornstarch and mix until each piece is coated in starch.
    • Over medium heat, add oil. Once oil is hot enough (test with wooden chopstick and look for bubbles), add coated chicken.
    • Fry on each side for 4-5 minutes or until golden crispy brown on both sides.
    • Remove chicken from pan and place on a paper towel lined plate or a cooling rack. Discard excess oil, reserving 1 tsp of it.
    • Over medium heat and into the same pan, fry onions, red bell pepper and pineapples for 30 – 45 seconds.
    • Pour in sauce and let it simmer to thicken and reduce, a couple minutes.
    • Once thick, add back in fried chicken and mix to coat evenly. Remove off heat.
    • Optional: Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

    NOTES

    Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!

    Suggested Equipment & Products

    Large Non-Stick Pan
    Measuring Set
    Mixing bowl
    Tongs
    Cutting Board
    Santoku Knife
    Keyword chinese sweet and sour chicken, crispy sweet and sour chicken, easy sweet and sour chicken, how to make sweet and sour chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken, sweet and sour chicken authentic, sweet and sour chicken batter recipe, sweet and sour chicken cantonese style, sweet and sour chicken recipe, sweet and sour chicken sauce, sweet and sour chicken stir fry, sweet and sour chicken thighs, sweet and sour chicken with pineapple
    Nutrition
    Calories: 724kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 222mg | Sodium: 2059mg | Potassium: 811mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 2240IU | Vitamin C: 100mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 3mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Michelle | Sift & Simmer

      July 17, 2020 at 11:39 am

      5 stars
      Ahh this is such a nostalgic dish! My mom would make it on occasion since she doesn't like to deep fry too much. I love how your version is a shallow-fry -- keeps it a bit healthier! 🙂 Have a fantastic weekend, Christie!

      Reply
    2. Katerina | Once a Foodie

      July 19, 2020 at 6:56 am

      5 stars
      Mmmm, this looks absolutely delightful, Christie! I love that your version of sweet and sour chicken is not deep fried - that's so much better than the restaurant version. Yum!

      Reply
    3. Heidi | The Frugal Girls

      July 20, 2020 at 6:40 pm

      5 stars
      I love what you used instead of pineapple juice to make the sauce... and those sesame seeds sprinkled on top make the chicken so tantalizing! 💕

      Reply
    4. Rosemary

      July 21, 2020 at 5:03 pm

      5 stars
      OKAY I had no idea that ketchup went into sweet and sour chicken!! How cool hehe you really do learn something every day! BTW-- this looks beautiful!

      Reply
    5. Liz

      July 30, 2020 at 5:25 am

      5 stars
      We made this tonight & it was better than take out!! I shallow fried the chicken & just added some pineapple! Delicious Thanks Christie, we’ll be making it again!

      Reply
    6. Cambrea gordon

      August 05, 2020 at 12:14 pm

      5 stars
      This sweet and sour chicken is honestly AMAZING. We tried the shallow pan fry and I actually love it more than the typical deep fry! The flavor of the sauce is delicious and it was even better the next day. My favorite part was that I didn't need to go to the store to buy canned pineapple, I had everything on hand to make it! Highly recommend this recipe!!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        August 05, 2020 at 12:20 pm

        Thank you so much for making my recipe Cam! I am so glad you enjoyed it and you liked the shallow frying technique! Happy to hear that the flavour was stronger the next day 🙂 That's always a good thing.

        Reply
    7. Gigi HD

      August 06, 2020 at 6:58 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe was super easy to follow and so delish!! My 3yo girl is a huge fan of this dish and I’m now able to save $15/week on take out 🙂 I made two batches, one original for my girl and one spicy for myself by adding siracha to sauce mix. It was heavenly 🙂 Thanks Christie for this recipe!

      Reply
    8. Agustina

      August 12, 2020 at 3:51 pm

      5 stars
      My friend! I’ve made the recipe and it came out spectacular! It was my first Asian food meal and I really enjoyed. The flavours, the ingredients and texture! Everything perfect! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        August 12, 2020 at 4:03 pm

        Thank you so much for making my recipe!! I am really glad to read that you enjoyed it my friend! Happy it worked out and that I could introduce you to more Asian flavours 🙂

        Reply
    9. Hasin

      September 20, 2020 at 2:49 pm

      5 stars
      Christie,
      I just came to fetch this recipe as my girls like the sweet and sour chicken. Loved the fact it's not deeply fried.

      Reply
    10. Stacey

      May 10, 2022 at 8:33 pm

      5 stars
      This was better than take out! I like how this recipe doesn’t call for deep frying and I was still able to get the chicken crispy. YUM!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        May 10, 2022 at 8:43 pm

        Amazing! Thanks for making my recipe! Glad you enjoyed it! ☺️

        Reply

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    Christie

    Hello! My name is Christie. I enjoy sharing Asian recipes from around the world. So that you can make them from the comfort of your own home. In my spare time, I enjoy spending it with my wonderful husband and two pups.

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