Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
25 mins
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Total Time
40 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
528 kcal
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Course
Side Dish, Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese-American Fussion
Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
Description
This recipe prepares chicken breast cubes coated in beaten egg and cornstarch for a crispy exterior. After briefly frying in hot oil to set a light golden crust, the chicken bakes in the oven to finish cooking and enhance crispiness. Concurrently, the sweet and sour sauce is prepared with familiar ingredients including sugar and apple cider vinegar for balanced sweetness and acidity, along with tomato ketchup and savory elements like soy, oyster, and Worcestershire sauces.
The sauce also incorporates pineapple juice for sweetness and pineapple chunks contribute bursts of fruitiness. Garlic, onion, and bell peppers are sautéed for flavor and texture contrast. The chicken is combined with the sauce and vegetables to coat everything evenly.
This baked method reduces oil use compared to deep frying, while still achieving a desirable crisp texture on the chicken. Serving this dish with rice or noodles complements the flavors and offers a filling meal.
The three special sauce ingredients (Worcestershire, soy, oyster sauces) are key to recreating the classic Chinese restaurant sweet and sour flavor, though slight substitutions can be made.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb / 500 g chicken breast , cut into bite size cubes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg lightly beaten (enough to coat chicken, large or 2 small eggs
- 1 cup cornstarch placed in a large ziplock bag, or cornflour
- 3 to 5 tbsp neutral cooking oil vegetable, canola, generic cooking oil
- cooking spray
Stir Fry
- 1/2 tbsp neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 onion cut into large dice, small
- 1/2 red bell pepper , cut into bite size pieces
- 1/2 green bell pepper , cut into bite size pieces
- 1 can (8oz/250g) canned pineapple pieces in natural juice. Separate pineapple from juice.
Sauce
- 1/2 cup sugar (white or brown - I use either)
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 - 3 tbsp pineapple juice (from the canned pineapple pieces)
- 3 tbsp ketchup (Australia: tomato sauce)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (Note 1)
- 1 tsp soy sauce (Note 1)
- 1 tsp oyster sauce (Note 1)
- 1/4 tsp salt
Thickener
- 1 tbsp corn starch mixed together, or cornflour, plus 4 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C/390F.
- Place chicken in a bowl, sprinkle with salt then add the egg. Mix to coat all chicken with egg, then drain out excess egg. (Note 2)
- Working a handful at a time, shake excess egg mixture off chicken then place chicken in ziplock bag. When all the chicken is in the bag, seal (trap as much air in it as you can to make a "balloon") and shake well to coat chicken in cornflour. Discard excess cornflour.
- Heat oil in a large skillet on high. Add chicken (in 2 batches if your skillet is not big enough) and cook briefly for 2 minutes, turning, just to make the outside light golden and a bit crispy. The chicken should be raw inside.
- Transfer to baking tray, spray with oil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until it becomes a little more golden brown and is crispy.
Sauce
- Meanwhile, discard oil in the skillet and wipe briefly with paper towels. Reduce heat to medium high and heat 1/2 tbsp oil. Add garlic and sauté for 20 seconds, then add onion and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add bell peppers and cook for 1 minute.
- Add Sauce ingredients. Stir until sugar has dissolved and the sauce begins to bubble.
- Add Thickener. Bring to simmer, stirring constantly. Then cook until it thickens to a syrup consistency - about 3 minutes.
- Stir through pineapple pieces (just to warm) and remove from stove.
- When the chicken is done, add it into the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce.
- Serve immediately with rice - or for a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice! Garnish with scallions if desired.
Notes
- The combination of Worcestershire, soy, and oyster sauces in the sauce is essential to achieving the authentic sweet and sour flavor typical of Chinese restaurant versions.
- Use your hand to shake off excess egg mixture from the chicken pieces before coating them with cornstarch to avoid soggy coating.
- Oil absorption during frying is partly discarded; this recipe accounts for that in estimated nutrition.
- The recipe yields approximately 4 servings and uses neutral cooking oils like vegetable or canola.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 528 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 312g | |
| Calories | 528cal | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 54g | 18% |
| Protein | 42.7g | 85% |
| Fat | 16g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat | 1.7g | 9% |
| Cholesterol | 148mg | 49% |
| Sodium | 825mg | 34% |
| Potassium | 526mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 1.7g | 7% |
| Sugar | 34.8g | 70% |
| Vitamin A | 1150IU | 23% |
| Vitamin C | 92.4mg | 103% |
| Calcium | 40mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2.3mg | 13% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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