Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken

A Chinese take-out classic; this crispy sweet and sour chicken features bites of golden brown fried chicken and tender vegetables topped with a tangy sauce. It's an easy delicious dish to make at home and always a family favorite!

Jump to:

• Why this Recipe Works
• What Chicken to Use for Sweet and Sour Chicken?
• How to Bread your Chicken
• How to Fry the Chicken
• Can I Make this Dish Healthier?
• Should I use Fresh or Canned Pineapple?
• What Other Vegetables Can I Use?
• Stir-frying your Vegetables
• How to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage and Reheating
• Other Asian recipes to try
• 📖 Recipe
• Check out these other chicken dishes

Why this Recipe Works

I'm always looking for delicious, quick meals that are family-friendly. This sweet and sour chicken recipe is an easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love. Best of all, there are no hard to find ingredients, and you can have it ready in around 30 minutes.

What Chicken to Use for Sweet and Sour Chicken?

I prefer to use boneless skinless chicken breasts in this recipe to get nice large, even bite-sized pieces. Boneless skinless thighs will also work for this recipe. They have a little more flavor and are a little harder to overcook, but the pieces will be smaller and thinner than you will get with breast meat.

How to Bread your Chicken

• For a breading that is light and super crispy, I use a half-and-half mixture of cornstarch and flour. Begin by mixing the flour and cornstarch along with salt and pepper on a large plate.
• Then lightly beat two eggs in a bowl. Dip your chicken pieces into the eggs, then roll in the cornstarch and flour mixture until thoroughly coated.
• Shake off any excess and set aside, then repeat with the remaining chicken.

How to Fry the Chicken

• I like to use a deep pot or Dutch oven to fry the chicken in approximately 1 inch of oil. Heat the oil to 350°F.
• Working in batches, add the chicken in a single layer and cook for about 5 minutes, flipping occasionally, until it's golden brown and cooked through.
• After cooking let the chicken drain on paper towels to soak up the excess oil.

Can I Make this Dish Healthier?

If you want to make a lighter sweet and sour chicken recipe, you can skip the breading and cook the chicken in 1 to 2 tablespoons of hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, flipping occasionally, until cooked through.

Should I use Fresh or Canned Pineapple?

I prefer to use canned pineapple in 100% juice for this dish so that I can use some of the juice in the sauce and also save a little time. The juice adds a nice fruity sweetness to the sauce and lets you use a little less sugar.

You can use fresh pineapple if you prefer, but you may need to add another 2-3 tablespoons of sugar and a tablespoon or two of water in the sauce, depending on how sweet you want it. Frozen pineapple will work, too, but I would let it thaw before using it. As with fresh, you may need to add a little more sugar and some water if using frozen pineapple.

What Other Vegetables Can I Use?

In most Chinese restaurants, sweet and sour chicken is served with onion and bell peppers. They provide a nice crunch and some bitterness which helps to balance out the sweetness of the dish. Snow peas, carrots, broccoli, and zucchini are other great options.

Stir-frying your Vegetables

While the chicken cooks, you'll stir fry the vegetables in a large pan or wok with a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes or until slightly softened. Next you'll add minced garlic and cook for 30 to 45 seconds until it becomes fragrant. Stir constantly to avoid burning the garlic. Next, add the drained pineapple chunks and cook for another minute before adding the sauce.

How to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce

For the sauce, combine apple cider vinegar, sugar, pineapple juice, ketchup, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk to combine. I typically do this before I start cooking and set it aside so it's ready to go when needed.

After stir frying the vegetables you'll add the sauce mixture to the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Bring the sauce to a low simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until it is thickened.

Serving Suggestions

The sweet and sour sauce is thick and super flavorful, so I recommend serving it with mild-flavored sides like a bowl of steamed rice and steamed vegetables like broccoli or zucchini.

Storage and Reheating

Store any leftovers in a sealed, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It will lose the crispiness from sitting in the sauce but is still tasty.

For small batches, reheat in the microwave, and for larger batches, heat in a 350°F oven until warmed through.

Other Asian recipes to try

• Honey Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry
• Soy Ginger Glazed Salmon with Broccoli
• Grilled Asian Short Ribs
• Easy Sesame Chicken

📖 Recipe

Check out these other chicken dishes