Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
Chinese sweet and sour chicken is the takeout classic you can make at home with crispy chicken stir fried with bell peppers and pineapple in an easy sauce.
Servings: 4
Calories: 325kcal
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 pound chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces (or use chicken breast)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil for frying or more as needed
- 1 medium onion cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 red bell pepper cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 green bell pepper cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon minced or crushed fresh ginger
FOR THE SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup rice vinegar or use apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- For Serving. Cooked white rice or brown rice.
- For Garnish. Toasted sesame seeds, chopped green onion or scallions.
Instructions
- Make the sweet and sour sauce first by whisking together the brown sugar, rice vinegar, ketchup, and soy sauce in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Mix together the cornstarch, flour, and salt and pepper in a large bag or large bowl. Add the chicken and shake well to evenly coat the chicken.
- Heat the oil in a large wok or pan to medium-high heat, until a small drop of cornstarch added sizzles up.
- Tap off excess coating from the chicken chunks, then fry in the oil 1-2 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Do this in batches if needed so avoid overcrowding the wok.
- Drain some of the excess oil if needed, and bring back to medium-high heat. Add the onion, peppers, and pineapple. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes, or until done to your liking.
- Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for 1 minute.
- Stir in the sweet and sour sauce and mix well. Cook for 1-2 minutes to thicken.
- Add the reserved chicken, stir to coat, and warm through. Serve immediately with rice and garnish.
Notes
- Nutritional information estimated without rice or garnish.
- Chopping the chicken, vegetables, and pineapple into the same bite-sized pieces ensures more even cooking and a better presentation.
- Want some heat? Replace 1 bell pepper with 2-3 jalapenos for a nice kick.
Nutrition
Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 543mg | Potassium: 595mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 1099IU | Vitamin C: 71mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg