Crispy Sweet And Sour Chicken Recipe That Dazzles Every Time

Chicken with a delightful sweet and sour twist creates a mouthwatering melody of flavors that dance across your palate.

Crispy golden pieces nestle beneath a glossy, vibrant sauce that promises culinary excitement.

Zesty ingredients blend harmoniously, turning an ordinary meal into something extraordinary.

Home cooks can easily master this classic dish with minimal preparation time.

Tangy pineapple and bright bell peppers add unexpected complexity to each bite.

Weeknight dinners transform into memorable experiences when you serve this crowd-pleasing recipe.

Dive in and let your taste buds explore a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and tangy sensations.

Why Sweet and Sour Chicken Is Packed With Flavor

• Savor Crispy Perfection: Each chicken piece boasts a golden, crunchy exterior that locks in juicy tenderness, creating an irresistible texture that makes every bite satisfying.
• Master Quick Cooking: This recipe transforms ordinary ingredients into a restaurant-quality meal with simple techniques and minimal kitchen skills, perfect for home cooks wanting impressive results.
• Customize Your Flavor Adventure: Easily adjust spice levels, swap vegetables, or modify sauce intensity to match personal taste preferences, making this dish wonderfully adaptable for different palates.
• Family-Friendly Feast: Colorful bell peppers, sweet pineapple chunks, and familiar chicken create a crowd-pleasing meal that appeals to both kids and adults, ensuring happy dinner table moments.

What You’ll Need For Sweet and Sour Chicken

• Chicken Breast: A lean, tender meat that provides a perfect base for crispy coating and absorbing the sweet and sour sauce.

• Cornstarch: Creates a light, crispy exterior that helps seal moisture and ensures an even golden-brown finish when frying.

• Ketchup, Rice Vinegar, Soy Sauce, Brown Sugar, Sesame Oil: These ingredients combine to create a vibrant, tangy sweet and sour sauce with complex flavor layers.

• Onions, Bell Peppers: Provide a crunchy texture and add depth to the overall flavor profile of the dish.
• Garlic: Offers a pungent, aromatic base that enhances the sauce and vegetable components.

• Pineapple Chunks: Adds a sweet and juicy element that complements the tangy sauce and crispy chicken.

• Green Onions, Sesame Seeds: Provide a fresh, colorful finish and an extra layer of texture to the completed dish.

• Vegetable Oil: Enables deep frying of chicken pieces to achieve a crispy, golden-brown exterior.

Simple Steps To Cook Sweet and Sour Chicken

Step 1: Prepare Chicken Cubes

Slice chicken breast into uniform bite-sized pieces to ensure even cooking throughout.

Step 2: Create Crispy Coating

Generously dust chicken pieces with cornstarch, creating a light protective layer that will transform into a delightful crispy exterior when fried.

Step 3: Heat Cooking Oil

Warm oil in a large skillet or wok until it reaches the perfect frying temperature of 375°F.

Step 4: Fry Chicken Pieces

Carefully lower chicken chunks into hot oil, working in batches to maintain optimal oil temperature. Rotate pieces to achieve a gorgeous golden-brown color, cooking for 3-4 minutes per batch.

Step 5: Drain Excess Oil

Transfer fried chicken to a paper towel-lined plate, allowing excess oil to drip away while maintaining the crispy texture.

Step 6: Craft Vibrant Sauce

• Ketchup
• Rice vinegar
• Soy sauce
• Brown sugar
• Sesame oil

Blend until smooth and well-combined.

Step 7: Sauté Vegetables

• Chopped onions
• Bell peppers

Sauté until slightly softened, about 2-3 minutes.

Step 8: Add Aromatic Elements

• Minced garlic
• Pineapple chunks

Mix rapidly to prevent burning and release intense flavors.

Step 9: Simmer Sauce

Pour prepared sauce into skillet, allowing it to bubble and slightly thicken for 1-2 minutes.

Step 10: Combine Chicken and Sauce

Gently reintroduce crispy chicken pieces into the sauce, tossing to ensure complete and even coating.

Step 11: Finish with Garnish

• Chopped green onions
• Sesame seeds

Add a final touch of color and texture.

Step 12: Serve and Enjoy

Plate over steamed rice, presenting a mouthwatering dish that balances crispy chicken with a tantalizing sweet-sour sauce.

Tips To Make Sweet and Sour Chicken Even Better

• Prep Like a Pro: Cut chicken into uniform cubes for even cooking and consistent texture.
• Crispy Coating Secrets: Thoroughly coat chicken in cornstarch to create a light, golden exterior that locks in moisture during frying.
• Temperature Matters: Maintain oil at 375°F for perfect deep-frying, ensuring chicken turns golden brown without becoming greasy.
• Sauce Symphony: Whisk sauce ingredients quickly to balance sweet, tangy flavors that complement the crispy chicken perfectly.
• Garnish with Flair: Sprinkle sesame seeds and green onions to add visual appeal and extra layer of flavor to the final dish.

Ways To Mix Up Sweet and Sour Chicken

• Vegetarian Swap: Replace chicken with firm tofu cubes, pressing and marinating beforehand to enhance flavor absorption and achieve similar crispy texture.
• Gluten-Free Option: Use tamari instead of soy sauce and replace cornstarch with potato starch or arrowroot powder for coating chicken, maintaining crispy exterior.
• Spicy Kick Version: Add sriracha or red pepper flakes to sauce for extra heat, creating a bold and zesty flavor profile that complements sweet and tangy elements.
• Low-Carb Alternative: Substitute rice with cauliflower rice or serve over zucchini noodles, reducing carbohydrate content while preserving original recipe's delicious essence.

Great Sides For Sweet and Sour Chicken

• Pair with Crisp Riesling: Light, slightly sweet German white wine cuts through the dish's richness while complementing its tangy sauce, balancing sweet and acidic flavor profiles perfectly.
• Serve with Jasmine Rice: Fluffy, fragrant white rice absorbs the vibrant sauce beautifully, providing a neutral base that enhances the chicken's crispy texture and complex flavors.
• Match with Asian Slaw: Crunchy cabbage salad with rice vinegar dressing offers refreshing contrast, adding crisp texture and light acidity that cleanses the palate between bites.
• Recommend Chilled Lager: Crisp, clean beer like Sapporo or Tsingtao cuts through the dish's richness, providing a cool, refreshing counterpoint to the sweet and tangy chicken.

How To Store Sweet and Sour Chicken

• Store leftover sweet and sour chicken in an airtight container within 2 hours of cooking, keeping it fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• Seal chicken pieces separately from sauce in freezer-safe containers, maintaining quality for up to 2 months; prevent freezer burn by removing excess air.
• Place chicken on a microwave-safe plate, sprinkle a few drops of water to prevent dryness, and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval to distribute heat evenly.
• Spread chicken on a baking sheet, cover loosely with foil to retain moisture, warm at 350°F for 10-15 minutes, ensuring internal temperature reaches 165°F for food safety.

Sweet and Sour Chicken FAQs

• Why coat the chicken with cornstarch?

Cornstarch creates a protective layer that helps seal moisture inside the chicken while producing a crispy, golden exterior during frying. This technique ensures the chicken remains juicy and develops a delightful crunch.

• Can I use a different type of vinegar?

Rice vinegar provides a mild, slightly sweet flavor ideal for this recipe. However, you can substitute with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar for similar tangy results. Just keep the measurement consistent.

• How do I know the oil is at the right temperature?

Use a digital thermometer to check that the oil reaches 375°F. If you don’t have one, drop a small piece of bread into the oil – if it sizzles and turns golden within 10 seconds, the oil is ready for frying.

Tangy Sweet And Sour Chicken Recipe

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4.6 from 16 reviews

• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Culinary magic unfolds with sweet and sour chicken, a classic Chinese-American dish that dances between tangy and sugary flavors. Crispy chicken pieces glazed in a perfect sauce promise a delightful meal you’ll savor with every delectable bite.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Protein:

• 2 lbs (907 g) chicken breast
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) cornstarch

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) ketchup
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) brown sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil

Vegetables and Aromatics:

• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup (40 g) pineapple chunks

Garnish:

• 2 tbsp (8 g) green onions, chopped
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame seeds

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Instructions

1. Cut chicken breast into bite-sized cubes, ensuring uniform pieces for consistent cooking.
2. Coat chicken thoroughly with cornstarch, creating a light, crispy exterior that will help seal in moisture during frying.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet or wok to 375°F, preparing for deep golden frying of chicken pieces.
4. Carefully fry chicken chunks in batches, rotating to achieve an even, crisp golden-brown coating, approximately 3-4 minutes per batch.
5. Remove fried chicken and drain on paper towels to eliminate excess oil, keeping pieces crisp and not greasy.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk together ketchup, rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil to create a vibrant, tangy sweet and sour sauce.
7. In the same skillet, sauté chopped onions and bell peppers over medium-high heat until slightly softened, about 2-3 minutes.
8. Add minced garlic and pineapple chunks, stirring quickly to prevent burning and release aromatic flavors.
9. Pour prepared sauce into the skillet, allowing it to simmer and slightly thicken for 1-2 minutes.
10. Reintroduce crispy chicken pieces into the sauce, gently tossing to ensure complete and even coating.
11. Garnish with chopped green onions and sprinkle sesame seeds on top for added texture and visual appeal.
12. Serve immediately over steamed rice, enjoying the perfect balance of crispy chicken and vibrant sweet-sour sauce.

Notes

• Prep chicken uniformly to ensure each piece cooks evenly and maintains consistent texture during frying.
• Use paper towels to absorb excess oil, preventing greasy chicken and maintaining that desirable crispy exterior.
• Adjust sauce sweetness by balancing vinegar and sugar quantities to suit personal taste preferences or dietary needs.
• For gluten-free version, substitute regular soy sauce with tamari and ensure cornstarch is certified gluten-free.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner
• Method: Frying
• Cuisine: Chinese

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 4
• Calories: 420
• Sugar: 14 g
• Sodium: 800 mg
• Fat: 10 g
• Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 55 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 28 g
• Cholesterol: 80 mg