Sweet and Sour Chicken. Crispy juicy chicken coated in a sweet, tangy, sticky sauce. A popular Chinese dish ready in 30 minutes.
Popular in Chinese Restaurants
Sweet and sour chicken stir fry is a common Chinese takeout dish served at many Chinese restaurants especially in the United States or most of North America. This tasty and popular Chinese food pairs deliciously with steamed white rice or brown rice. The pineapple chunks and red bell peppers make a huge difference in the flavor of the sauce.
Why my version?
There are many sweet and sour chicken recipes online but you should make mine because it’s:
- Authentic sweet flavor!
- Easy recipe
- This great recipe is ready in 30 minutes or less.
- No deep frying involved and therefore less oil wasted!
- No heavy batter required (just corn starch, potato starch or tapioca starch)
- Can be made in a hot skillet (no wok required)
- Ingredients are accessible and can be found at most Western grocers.
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.
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 fiber and flavor, but you can omit it.
Ingredients
For this recipe you’ll need the following sweet and sour chicken ingredients. Please scroll down to the below recipe card for full measurements.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: or substitute with boneless skinless chicken breasts. Chicken thighs yield the best juiciest flavor thanks to the fat. However, if you're looker for a leaner alternative, you can use boneless chicken breasts. If you choose to use breast, please reduce the cooking time to 3-5 minutes until juices run clear or until an internal temperature of 165F. Chicken breast tends to dry out faster.
- Red bell pepper: or feel free to substitute with yellow, orange or green bell peppers.
- Pineapple (optional): You may use canned or fresh pineapple. The choice is up to you!
- Yellow onion or white onion: This adds a wonderful sharp flavor to the sour sauce recipe.
- Cornstarch (or substitute with potato starch or tapioca starch): Any of these starches can be used to coat the chicken pieces resulting in crispy chicken.
- Neutral tasting oil: such as avocado oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil. Please avoid using coconut oil, olive oil or sesame oil as they are all too overpowering in scent and do not contain a high smoke point.
Chicken seasoning:
- Salt: to help season chicken
- Garlic powder: or substitute with minced garlic but I like using powder as it coats all the pieces of chicken.
Sweet and sour chicken sauce:
- Ketchup: This gives the sweet and sour chicken recipe that tangy flavor!
- Brown sugar: or substitute with white sugar but I find the brown sugar is the best way to give the sauce that deep caramel like flavor to balance out the tangy flavor.
- Regular soy sauce: This balances the sweet tangy sauce and is much needed to help add a bit of salt to the sauce. You can also substitute with low-sodium soy sauce. If you're gluten free, feel free to substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or any gluten free soy sauce to taste as the saltiness may differ from regular soy sauce depending on your brand. Most Asian grocers, select Western grocers and online retailers, like Amazon, will carry this. It's not the same as light or dark soy sauce - the label will simply say "Soy Sauce".
- White vinegar: or substitute with rice vinegar. You may replace with red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar but please add to taste as I find these taste sourer. I wouldn't suggest using lemon juice for my recipe as a substitute, unless you're fine with a strong lemony flavor.
- Water: ⅓ cup water to add volume to the sauce
- Cornstarch (or substitute with potato starch or tapioca starch): this ingredient helps to create a cornstarch slurry which is integrated into the overall sauce to make the cooking process easier.
Optional garnish:
- toasted sesame seeds (optional): To give the sauce that nutty sesame like flavor. If you're allergic to sesame seeds, feel free to omit as it's just a garnish.
- green onion: these add a wonderful green color to contrast against the vibrant red.
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 1.5 x 1.5-inch pieces. Transfer into a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a small bowl combine sauce ingredients. Note: if you want extra sauce, I suggest doubling the Sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Season the amount of chicken with salt and garlic powder and mix well.
- Then add cornstarch and mix until each piece is coated in starch. If you choose to use an air fryer to fry your chicken, please see the FAQ section below and skip steps 5-7.
- In a large skillet on 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 brown on both sides. Remove chicken from pan with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined plate or a cooling rack. Cooked chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 F or until juices run clear.
- Discard excess oil from pan, reserving 1 tsp of the oil.
- Into the same pan on medium heat, 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!
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:
How long will this dish last for?
It will last up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Can I reheat Sweet and Sour Chicken?
Yes, you can definitely keep them for leftovers, however because the coating is light the chicken may not be as crispy the next time. But it still tastes great!
Can I cook Sweet and Sour Chicken in the air fryer?
Yes! Follow these steps:
- Lightly spray air fryer basket with oil.
- Lay coated chicken into air fryer basket in a single layer giving each piece enough space. You may need to air fry in batches if needed. Lightly spray coated chicken with oil.
- Air fry at 400 degrees F for 12-14 minutes until golden crispy brown. The amount of time depends on your air fryer. I have a Philips Air Fryer and I air fried mine at 400 degrees at 14 minutes for a crispy texture. If you’re using a different machine, check your chicken at 12 minutes and if it needs more crispiness, air fry for another couple minutes until you reach your desired texture.
- Resume steps 8 onwards.
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:
Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 red bell pepper diced (or sub with green, orange or yellow bell peppers)
- ½ cup pineapple optional (feel free to use fresh or canned)
- ½ yellow onion sliced
- ¼ cup cornstarch or sub with potato starch or tapioca starch
- ⅓ cup avocado oil or grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil, canola oil
Chicken seasoning:
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder or 1 tsp minced garlic
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 or rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup water
- ½ tbsp cornstarch or sub with potato starch or tapioca starch
Optional garnish:
- ½ tsp sesame seeds toasted
- 1 stalk green onion finely chopped
Instructions
- Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, about 1.5 x 1.5-inch pieces. Transfer into a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a small bowl combine sauce ingredients. Note: if you want extra sauce, I suggest doubling the Sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Season the amount of chicken with salt and garlic powder and mix well.
- Then add cornstarch and mix until each piece is coated in starch. If you choose to use an air fryer to fry your chicken, please see the NOTES section below and skip steps 5-7.
- In a large skillet on 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 brown on both sides. Remove chicken from pan with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined plate or a cooling rack. Cooked chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 F or until juices run clear.
- Discard excess oil from pan, reserving 1 tsp of the oil.
- Into the same pan on medium heat, 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!
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!
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!
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! 💕
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!
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!
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!!
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.
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!
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!
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 🙂
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.
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!
Amazing! Thanks for making my recipe! Glad you enjoyed it! ☺️
Fantastic recipe, this is now one of my very favorite Chinese recipes. I used green onions for the garnish, and Avacado oil to fry the chicke. Also sprinkled some sesame seeds to serve. Served with plain old whit rice and the meal was wonderful, thank you, Jeff
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Jeff! So glad it has become one of your favorite Chinese recipes. This makes me very happy to read. Have a lovely day!