Sweet and Sour Chicken

Skip the takeout and make this delicious Sweet and Sour Chicken at home! Crispy bite-sized pieces of chicken are tossed in a sticky, tangy sauce full of onion, bell peppers, and pineapple. Your family will be asking for seconds of this incredible dish!

Sweet and Sour Chicken is a staple on most Chinese takeout menus. Who doesn’t like juicy pieces of chicken coated in a delicious sauce bursting with sweet and sour flavors? Pair it with some plain jasmine rice, and you’ve got a quick and easy meal that everyone will love.

The key to this amazing dish is the sauce! Equal parts sweet and tangy, it is one of the most popular dishes when it comes to Chinese takeout. I combine both white and brown sugars for a deeper sweetness, and pineapple juice, rice wine, or apple cider vinegar bring in the sourness. It is lip-smackingly good!

And there’s no need to worry about dry chicken! It is coated in cornstarch, egg, and flour, which gives it a light, crispy coating when fried. The batter seals in all the juices, giving you tender meat every time!

For a full Chinese-inspired meal, serve with cream cheese rangoons or crab rangoons, Egg Drop Soup, and a delicious Asian salad. You might also enjoy my recipes for Orange Chicken or my sauce for General Tso’s Chicken, which you could swap out when making this recipe. Enjoy takeout in your own home any night of the week!

Why Make This Recipe

1. Quicker than takeout. You can have this ready and on your table in less time than it would take to order takeout. The recipe has a few steps, but each one is simple and quick!
2. Customizable. You can add any veggies you want to the sauce, or turn up the heat by adding some red pepper flakes.
3. Pantry friendly. You probably already have most of the sauce ingredients right there in your pantry.

key ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this crave-worthy meal!

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

For the chicken:

• Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken breast. You can also swap it out for boneless, skinless chicken thighs or use a mixture of the two.
• Oil: I use vegetable or canola oil. You want a neutral-tasting oil that also has a high smoke point because you’ll be frying the chicken.
• Cornstarch: The key to getting light and crispy batter on the chicken is the cornstarch (this is referred to as cornflour in the UK).
• Egg: The beaten egg helps the flour cling to the chicken to create that amazing crispy exterior.
• Flour: The chicken pieces are tossed in flour just before frying. Yet another layer to add to the crispy exterior. I use all-purpose.
• Vegetables: I throw in the onion, garlic, red pepper, and green pepper. You can customize the veggies you use based on your preferences!
• Pineapple: I use chunks of either fresh or canned pineapple. If you’re using canned, save the juice to add to the sauce.
• Seasoning: Add kosher salt to taste. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to make the sauce a bit spicier.

For the sauce:

• Sugar: I use both brown sugar and granulated sugar. 
• Ketchup: This adds to the sweetness but also adds a bit of tang to the sweet and sour chicken.
• Soy Sauce: I use low sodium. If you only have the regular kind on hand, you can adjust the amount of salt you add to the chicken.
• Pineapple juice: The juice adds another layer of sweet and sour to the sauce.
• Vinegar: I use either rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar to add that sour flavor.

How To Make it

The secret to the deliciousness is light and crispy chicken bites. If you follow the steps below, you’ll have a real crowd-pleaser!

Recipe Tips

After some trial and error from making this recipe a few times, I have some tips to share that will make sure your dish turns out the absolute best every time!

• Cut the chicken pieces evenly. This helps to ensure that everything is cooking at the same rate.
• Avoid overcrowding the chicken. To ensure a good crispy exterior, fry in batches. Too many pieces in the oil at once will lower the oil temperature and affect the fry.
• Shallow fry instead. If you’d prefer to shallow pan fry the chicken, simply dip it in cornstarch and fry it in a couple of tablespoons of oil in your skillet.

Storing Tips

Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. Keep in mind that the chicken will lose some of its crispiness.

You could also store it in the freezer in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Let it defrost in the refrigerator before reheating.

To reheat, I like to do it on the stove in a pot over medium heat. Stir the sweet and sour chicken often so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Heat until it’s warmed through.

What To Serve With it

I like to serve Chinese sweet and sour chicken with jasmine rice. It soaks up all the tangy sauce and rounds out the meal.

Here are some other options you might like:

• Instant pot fried rice
• Basmati rice
• Steamed veggies

Or turn it into a feast by adding:

• Egg roll in a bowl
• Shrimp Fried Rice
• Asian Chicken Salad

Recipe Frequently Asked Questions

What type of chicken should I use?

Either boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs work well. It all depends on your personal preference. You can even mix the two, so you get the best of both worlds.

Is sweet and sour chicken the same as orange chicken?

Both dishes have sweet and sour components to them, however, the sauce itself is a bit different in each recipe. The sweetness in sweet and sour chicken comes from sugar and pineapple juice, whereas orange chicken comes from orange juice.

Can I reduce the amount of sugar?

It’s tempting to reduce the sugar in recipes, especially if you’re watching your sugar intake, but in this case, the sauce really does need the sweetness it brings. I wouldn’t recommend reducing the sugar unless you find the sauce too sweet.
Alternatively, you could opt to use raw honey instead. It is still sweet, and is still a sugar but it’s non-refined and comes with additional benefits.

I hope you enjoy this saucy Sweet and Sour Chicken! Please let me know what you think. I’d love to hear from you in the comments!  Pin it for more people to enjoy this restaurant-style dinner too!