Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 10 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
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Servings
6 -8
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Asian
Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
Description
This recipe starts by seasoning chicken breast pieces with salt and pepper, then coating them in cornstarch. The chicken is dipped in beaten egg to help the coating adhere and then fried briefly in very hot oil until golden but not fully cooked through.
The frying step is done in batches, and the partially cooked chicken is transferred to a baking dish. The sweet and sour sauce is made separately by mixing apple cider vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, sugar, and garlic salt, then combined with the chicken in the baking dish.
Baking in the oven finishes cooking the chicken and allows the sauce to thicken and glaze the pieces, resulting in a crispy yet saucy dish with balanced sweet and sour flavors. This classic preparation requires attention to oil temperature and layering steps for optimal texture.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breast about 4 medium, boneless skinless
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 3 egg lightly beaten, large
- 1/4 cup extra light olive oil canola or vegetable oil to saute, plus more as needed
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 4 Tbsp ketchup
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp garlic salt
Instructions
How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken: Preheat oven to 325˚F.
- Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces and season with salt and pepper.
- Place 1 cup cornstarch into a gallon-sized ziploc bag, add chicken and toss to coat.
- Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large, heavy bottom pot (I used my French oven with nice tall walls to reduce splatterage on the stove).
- In a shallow dish, whisk together 3 eggs. Dip the cornstarch-dredged chicken pieces into the beaten egg, coating both sides then transfer chicken to the very hot oil.
- Cook chicken in hot oil about 30 seconds per side or until golden. Having very hot oil is key. You don't want to cook the chicken through, but just until golden. Transfer chicken to a 9x13 baking dish and continue dipping and sautéing remaining chicken, adding more oil as necessary. Cooking tip: if you add oil to the pot, let it heat up a little before you add more chicken.
- In a medium bowl, stir together sauce ingredients: 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 4 Tbsp ketchup, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp garlic salt.
- Pour sauce over your sautéed chicken pieces and toss to coat. Bake uncovered at 325˚F for 1 hour, turning the chicken twice while baking to coat with sauce. Serve warm or hot over steamy white rice, and crisp tender broccoli for a balanced meal.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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