This crispy Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe is filled with tender chicken pieces with stir-fried veggies in a homemade sweet and sour sauce. The ultimate sweet-and-sour chicken recipe is way better than takeout. I wanted to create a homemade version of this recipe, made from scratch with basic ingredients.
Table of Contents
1. About the recipe
2. Ingredients
3. Step-by-step method
4. Tips
1. About the recipe
This sweet and sour chicken is made with boneless chicken pieces, cut into bite-size pieces, coated and then fried until golden and crispy.
The sauce is downright heavenly! It is a sweet and sour sauce made with pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic, tomato ketchup, sugar, soya sauce and chilli flakes. It is sweet, a little spicy, tangy and full of flavours.
This sweet and tangy sauce covers the fried and crispy chicken pieces and veggies and pineapple pieces. Pineapple gives the dish a sweet flavour that is sure to impress.
Making your own sweet and sour chicken at home may seem difficult, but it is very simple and straightforward.
Let’s start cooking!
Serving Suggestions: 3 to 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
2. Ingredients
For the chicken and veggies
- 500 gm chicken breast pieces( cut into bite-size pieces)
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup plain flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon of soya sauce
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper powder
- Salt
- 1 medium onion chopped
- ½ medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
- ½ medium red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
- Oil for deep frying
For the sweet and sour sauce
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- ½ tablespoon of vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of tomato ketchup
- 1 tablespoon of soya sauce
- ½ tablespoon of brown sugar
- 1 ½ cup pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
- ½ tablespoon of red chilli flakes
- 1 tablespoon of chopped ginger
3. Step by Step method
For the Sauce
- Combine all the ingredients except the cornstarch and plain flour in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Combine the cornstarch and water in a small dish.
- Heat this mixture for 3 minutes; now add cornstarch and water mixture. Cook for 5 minutes on medium flame until the mixture thickens; remove from heat.
For the Chicken
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then coat chicken pieces with cornflour and plain flour.
- Dip each chicken piece in egg, then coat in flour before carefully placing in the hot oil.
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. Fry-coated chicken pieces are cooked in batches, several chicken pieces at a time. Fry until they turn golden brown and crispy.
- Add a little oil to a pan over medium-high heat. Cook the onions, bell peppers, and pineapple chunks until slightly tender. Reduce the heat; now add fried chicken pieces.
- Pour the sweet and sour sauce into the pan.
- Gently stir to combine and heat until warmed.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
- Serve hot with rice or noodles.
4. Tips
- Cut chicken pieces into small bite-sized pieces so that they cook all the way through when browned.
- Cook the sauce until it is slightly thickened, as it will be thickened more upon cooling.
- This recipe can be made with any veggies of your choice. Try carrots and mushroom slices.
- You can leave out the pineapple pieces if you are not a fan.
- Use fresh bell peppers for a crunchy texture.
- This dish should be served immediately so chicken and bell peppers remain crunchy and crisp. Therefore, do not mix it all together until you are ready to eat.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days.
