5.0 from 15 votes
Japanese Sweet and Sour Chicken
This mouthwatering sweet and sour chicken recipe is loaded with juicy marinated chicken and a colorful medley of flash-fried vegetables glazed in a flavorful black vinegar sweet and sour sauce.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 3 servings
Calories: 407 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Japanese-Chinese Fusion
Ingredients
For Chicken
- 350 grams boneless skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sake
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- ⅓ cup Potato Starch
For Vegetables
- 100 grams Japanese eggplant (1 small one)
- 100 grams lotus root (½ rhizome)
- 100 grams Japanese sweet potato (½ small one)
- 100 grams carrot (about ⅔ of a large carrot)
- 100 grams mild green pepper (1 or 2 small ones)
- vegetable oil (for deep frying)
For Sweet & Sour Sauce
- 3 tablespoons evaporated cane sugar
- 3 tablespoons sake
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons black vinegar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into large bite-sized pieces and marinate with the soy sauce, sake, and grated ginger. It's best to let the chicken marinate for a few hours.
- To prepare the vegetables, cut the eggplant, sweet potato, and carrot into an oblique cut by slicing bite-sized pieces off at a 45° angle and then rotating the ingredient a quarter turn between each cut.
- Peel and slice the lotus root into ¼-inch thick rounds and soak them in water acidified with lemon juice or vinegar.
- Remove the seeds and membranes from the peppers and cut them into squares.
- Preheat 1-inch vegetable oil in a high-sided pot to 340°F (170°C). Prepare a cooling rack by lining it with a few sheets of paper towels.
- Drain the lotus root and dry them well with paper towels. Dust all of the vegetables except the peppers in a thin layer of potato starch.
- Fry the vegetables one at a time. The peppers take about 20 seconds, the eggplant will take about 1.5-2 minutes, the lotus root will take about 1 minute, and the sweet potatoes and carrots will take about 3-4 minutes. Drain the vegetables on the paper towel-lined rack as they cook.
- To fry the chicken, dust them in a thick coating of potato starch and then fry them for about 4-5 minutes until they're golden brown and crisp. Drain the chicken on the paper towel-lined rack as well.
- To make the sweet and sour sauce, add the sugar, sake, and soy sauce to a 12-inch frying pan and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once the sugar has dissolved and it no longer smells like alcohol, add the black vinegar, rice vinegar, and fried chicken and vegetables to the pan.
- Toss everything together to glaze with the sauce. Once the black vinegar sauce has thickened and coated everything, serve the Japanese sweet and sour chicken with rice.
Cup of Yum
Nutrition Information
Calories
407kcal
(20%)
Carbohydrates
49g
(16%)
Protein
20g
(40%)
Fat
12g
(18%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
3g
Monounsaturated Fat
5g
Trans Fat
0.1g
Cholesterol
60mg
(20%)
Sodium
1238mg
(52%)
Potassium
855mg
(24%)
Fiber
7g
(28%)
Sugar
18g
(36%)
Vitamin A
10416IU
(208%)
Vitamin C
24mg
(27%)
Calcium
65mg
(7%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 3servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 407
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 407kcal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 49g | 16% |
| Protein | 20g | 40% |
| Fat | 12g | 18% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 60mg | 20% |
| Sodium | 1238mg | 52% |
| Potassium | 855mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 18g | 36% |
| Vitamin A | 10416IU | 208% |
| Vitamin C | 24mg | 27% |
| Calcium | 65mg | 7% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.