Sweet and Sour Chicken
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
25 mins
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Servings
4 servings
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Calories
457 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Description
This Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe begins with marinating chicken breast pieces in a mixture of soy sauce, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper, enhancing the meat's flavor. The coated chicken is dredged in cornstarch for a crisp exterior when fried in canola oil. While frying, a sauce is prepared by combining sweet and tangy ingredients like brown sugar, honey, ketchup, and rice vinegar with a hint of heat from sriracha and umami from soy sauce.
The cooked chicken is combined with sautéed bell pepper, pineapple chunks, and red onion which add texture and a contrasting sweetness and acidity. The sauce coats the components evenly, creating a sticky glaze that balances savory and sweet notes.
Serving this dish with rice or noodles complements the saucy chicken and vegetables. Garnishes such as green onion and sesame seeds add visual appeal and extra flavor.
Variations include adjusting oil quantity for lighter cooking, modifying sugar levels for less sweetness, substituting gluten-free soy sauce, or swapping chicken thighs for breasts. You can also replace water in the sauce with pineapple juice to boost fruitiness.
Ingredients
For the sweet and sour chicken:
- 1 lb. chicken breast cut into 1" pieces (about 2 breasts, meat
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup cornstarch more if needed
- 1/4 cup canola oil or other neutral tasting oil (for frying)
- 1 bell pepper diced (any color is fine)
- 1/2 cup pineapple canned or fresh, diced
- 1/2 cup red onion from about 1 small or 1/2 large onion, diced
- sesame seed for garnish, optional
- green onion for garnish, optional
- rice for serving, optional, or noodles, cooked
For the sweet and sour sauce:
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup water or pineapple juice- see notes.
- 1 teaspoon sriracha more or less depending on spicy preference
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together the soy sauce (1 tablespoon), garlic powder (1/2 teaspoon), kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon), and black pepper (1/4 teaspoon). Add the diced chicken to the bowl and toss to coat. Allow to marinate for at least 5 minutes.
- While the chicken is marinating, mix together all the ingredients for the sweet and sour sauce in a small bowl or glass measuring cup (1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup water, 1 teaspoon Sriracha, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder). This is also a good time to dice the pepper and onion, if you haven't already.
- Sprinkle the cornstarch (1/4 cup) on top of the chicken and toss to coat each piece evenly. Use a couple tablespoons more if there isn't enough to coat each piece.
- Heat the canola oil (1/4 cup) in a large skillet or wok (I prefer nonstick) over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and fry until crispy and fully cooked, flipping occasionally, about 5-8 minutes. Once fully cooked, remove to a plate.
- Add the diced bell pepper, diced red onion (1/2 cup), and diced pineapple (1/2 cup) to the skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat until browned and softened, about 3-5 minutes.
- Turn the heat to medium-low and pour the sauce into the skillet. Stir and simmer until sauce has thickened a bit, about 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken back into the skillet and stir to coat in the sauce and veggies.
- Serve over cooked rice or noodles, or in lettuce wraps for a low-carb version, garnished with sesame seeds and sliced green onions (optional).
Notes
- Reduce oil to 1-2 tablespoons for a lighter version using a nonstick skillet.
- Cut brown sugar and honey to 2 tablespoons each for less sweetness.
- Use gluten-free soy sauce for a 100% gluten-free dish.
- Substitute chicken thighs for breasts if preferred.
- Replace water in the sauce with pineapple juice to enhance fruit flavor and reduce sugar.
- Switch cornstarch with flour, arrowroot, or almond flour as thickener alternatives.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 457 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 457kcal | 23% |
| Carbohydrates | 50g | 17% |
| Protein | 26g | 52% |
| Fat | 17g | 26% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 73mg | 24% |
| Sodium | 1097mg | 46% |
| Potassium | 639mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 38g | 76% |
| Vitamin A | 1042IU | 21% |
| Vitamin C | 52mg | 58% |
| Calcium | 24mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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