Sweet, tangy, and savory, this Chinese takeout favorite hits the spot! This easy sweet and sour chicken recipe is ready in just 30 minutes for a quick family dinner. Crispy chicken, juicy pineapple, and crunchy bell peppers get coated in a sticky, tangy-sweet sauce.
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Sweet and sour chicken 咕嚕雞 (goo low gai) has a special place in my heart. I first ate it at a local Chinese restaurant as a little girl and instantly fell in love with the combination. I still remember trying to make it myself as a teen, and boy, was it an utter failure! That failed batch taught me the key to a balanced sweet and tangy sauce: use a strict 2:1 ratio of sugar to vinegar with ketchup.
I also found that evenly coating the chicken in cornstarch and letting the crust set before flipping makes it much crispier without needing a ton of oil.
Why It Works
- Cornstarch crust: A dry cornstarch coating turns light and crisp without a wet batter and holds up well to the glaze.
- Steady frying heat: A heavy-bottomed pan and small batches help maintain 350°F so the chicken fries crisp, not soggy.
- Quick saucing: Coating the chicken right before serving limits how much sauce soaks into the crust.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Exact ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Chicken Thighs: Boneless, skinless thighs stay juicy during frying. Chicken breast also works, but will be leaner.
- Red Bell Peppers: Red peppers are naturally sweeter, but green, orange, or yellow bell peppers also work.
- Fresh Pineapple: Choose a ripe pineapple for the best sweetness. Well-drained canned or thawed frozen pineapple also works.
- Onion: Slice into 1-cm-wide pieces so they cook evenly. Shallot works too.
- Cornstarch: Creates the crispy coating. Potato starch works too, but avoid tapioca or arrowroot starch because the chicken can stick together.
- Vegetable Oil: Use a neutral, high-smoke-point oil for frying. Canola or avocado oil also works.
- Salt
- Garlic Powder: Use powder instead of fresh minced garlic, which can burn during frying.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds: Buy them toasted or toast raw sesame seeds in a dry pan until fragrant.
- Green Onion
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Ketchup: I prefer Heinz for its classic flavor. Avoid artisanal ketchups, which can change the flavor of the sweet and sour sauce.
- Brown Sugar: I prefer light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar works too.
- Regular Soy Sauce: Light soy sauce also works, or use low-sodium soy sauce for a less salty result.
- White Vinegar: Use this for a sharper tang. Rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar works for a milder tang.
- Cold Water
- Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce so it clings to the chicken. Potato or tapioca starch also works.
Note: Most Asian ingredients are typically found at Asian grocery stores, or you can check online.
Expert Tips
- Press chicken into cornstarch to create craggy edges that fry extra crisp.
- Shake off loose cornstarch so excess starch doesn't fall off and burn.
- Fry coated chicken immediately before the cornstarch absorbs moisture and turns soggy.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make sweet and sour chicken:
- Make the sauce: Whisk together the listed sauce ingredients until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
- Prepare the chicken: Dice the chicken thighs into even 1.5-inch pieces. Don't pat them dry; the natural surface moisture helps the cornstarch stick. Season with salt and garlic powder, then coat well with cornstarch. If any areas remain uncoated, add 1-2 tablespoons more cornstarch as needed.
- Fry the chicken: Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat to 350°F. Fry the chicken in small batches for 2.5-3.5 minutes per side, until golden and crispy with the thickest pieces reaching 165°F. Leave the chicken undisturbed until the crust sets before flipping. Between batches, remove any browned bits and let the oil return to 350°F.
- Drain the chicken: Transfer the fried chicken to a wire rack to keep the crust crisp.
- Sauté vegetables and simmer sauce: Remove all but 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of oil from the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté the onion, red bell pepper, and pineapple for 30-45 seconds. Whisk the sauce again, pour it in, and simmer for 30-45 seconds until thickened.
- Toss and garnish: Add the fried chicken and toss until evenly coated in the sauce. Remove from the heat and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Variations
- Gluten-Free: Swap regular soy sauce with gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.
- Vegetarian: Swap chicken with well-drained, patted-dry extra-firm tofu cubes. Season with salt and garlic powder, coat with cornstarch, then fry until golden and crispy.
Pairing Suggestions
- White Rice: Plain rice balances the bold sweet and sour sauce.
- Spicy Garlic Bok Choy: Garlicky greens add a spicy contrast to the sweet chicken.
- Egg Rolls: Crispy egg rolls add a savory starter before the sweet and tangy chicken.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store the chicken and sauce separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days when possible to keep the chicken crisp.
- Freezer: Cool completely and freeze the chicken and sauce separately for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: If stored separately, air fry chicken at 350°F for 5 minutes or bake at 400°F for 8 minutes, then toss with warmed sauce; if already sauced, bake at 400°F for about 12 minutes or air fry at 350°F for about 8 minutes.
FAQ
Toss the crispy chicken with the warm sauce right before serving so the coating has less time to soften. For maximum crunch, keep the sauce separate and use it for dipping.
Overcrowding, low oil temperature, and an uneven cornstarch coating can make the chicken soggy. Fry in small batches and let the coating set before moving the chicken.
Yes. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with oil, then arrange the coated chicken in a single layer with space between each piece. Lightly spray the chicken with oil and air fry at 400°F for 10-14 minutes, without flipping, until golden and the thickest pieces reach 165°F. Toss with the cooked vegetables and sauce just before serving.
More Like This
Check out my other chicken recipes:
📖 Recipe
Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken (30 Minutes)
Ingredients
- 1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs
- 1 medium red bell pepper or any color works
- ½ cup pineapple diced into 1-inch chunks (or use drained canned pineapple chunks)
- ½ medium onion cut into 1-cm slices
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds toasted kind
- 1 green onion finely chopped
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoon water cold
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Whisk together the listed sauce ingredients until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
- Dice the chicken thighs into even 1.5-inch pieces. Don't pat them dry; the natural surface moisture helps the cornstarch stick. Season with salt and garlic powder, then coat well with cornstarch. If any areas remain uncoated, add 1-2 tablespoons more cornstarch as needed.
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat to 350°F. Fry the chicken in small batches for 2.5-3.5 minutes per side, until golden and crispy with the thickest pieces reaching 165°F. Leave the chicken undisturbed until the crust sets before flipping. Between batches, remove any browned bits and let the oil return to 350°F.
- Transfer the fried chicken to a wire rack to keep the crust crisp.
- Remove all but 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of oil from the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté the onion, red bell pepper, and pineapple for 30-45 seconds. Whisk the sauce again, pour it in, and simmer for 30-45 seconds until thickened.
- Add the fried chicken and toss until evenly coated in the sauce. Remove from the heat and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Tyler Marsh
Just a question, could you use coconut oil instead of canola oil or avocado oil? I have it on hand and was wondering if it would work!
Christie Lai
Unfortunately I wouldn't recommend coconut oil for most of my recipes as it has a low smoke point and a heavy scent. But any neutral tasting oil like sunflower oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil, etc. will work!
Tyler
OMG this is it! I made this last night. After reading the reviews and looking over the recipe and watching the video a thousand times, I was confident enough to make two batches and I am so happy I did! I'm making this again this weekend with your wontons! I can't wait. Thank you so much for amazing Chinese dishes I can make from home instead of spending money on takeout that I don't even like! This is also my first review I've ever left it was just so good and easy to make.
Christie Lai
Awww wow thank you so much for making my recipe and for such a kind first review, Tyler! I am so thrilled to hear that everything worked out and you built up the confidence to cook this dish. Happy that I can share these recipes so you can save some money!
Shabnam
It was great had people over they all loved it!
christieathome
Awesome! Thanks for making my recipe, Shabnam!
Asia Scott
Made this last night and made no changes at except Red Pepper Flakes. We like Spicy. It was so good now going through you recipes to see what I am cooking tonight.
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe! I am so happy that you enjoyed it, Asia! Yes, feel free to add some red pepper flakes to take it up a notch 🙂 I hope you enjoy my other recipes!
Quinn
made this recipe tonight as it wasnt a deep fried version, turned out great, and the sauce wasnt overly sweet like takeout
christieathome
Thanks for making my recipe, Quinn 🙂 Happy that I could share a "healthier" version of this classic dish and glad it turned out great!
Jeffrey Beaumont
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
christieathome
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!
Stacey
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!
christieathome
Amazing! Thanks for making my recipe! Glad you enjoyed it! ☺️
Hasin
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.
Agustina
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!
christieathome
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 🙂
Gigi HD
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!
Cambrea gordon
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!!
christieathome
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.
Liz
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!
Rosemary
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!
Jane
Not made yet, just made your Gochujang Chicken which went down really well - kids loved it and cleared their plates 😋😋
Thought I’d try sweet and sour next, as the chicken in the Gochujang was so good & crispy, can see how it would work well with the sweet and sour sauce.
A question about the brown sugar you use, is it dark or light?
Thanks
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for the kind words regarding my gochujang chicken! I'm glad you and your kids enjoyed that recipe!
As for the sweet and sour sauce, either light or brown sugar will work. I used dark brown sugar 🙂
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
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! 💕
Katerina | Once a Foodie
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!
Michelle | Sift & Simmer
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!