Sweet and Sour Chicken
Sweet and sour chicken is classic Chinese takeout flavors but made in your kitchen! Crispy chicken pieces tossed with colorful bell peppers, pineapple, and a tangy, sweet sauce. Ready in 35 minutes. Way better (and quicker) than delivery!
Every time I’m at a loss for what to have for dinner, Chinese food always pops in my head. Growing up, pepper steak was my favorite. That was back when you went to an actual restaurant, and ordered one from column A, one from column B, etc. Yes, I’m that old…
But once my boys were born, I have started eating sweet and sour chicken. Mostly because I would order the sauce on the side, and the boys would eat the “Chinese chicken nuggets.”
It worked out because I used the sweet and sour sauce on the side for dipping my egg rolls. I love eating it, but getting takeout gets expensive. Making it at home is easier than you think and you control the ingredients. Personally, I think it tastes better!
The sauce is the star here! Ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar create the perfect tangy-sweet balance. Toss it with crispy chicken and veggies, save some for your egg rolls, and drizzle it on your rice. It’s delicious however you eat it!
Take Out At Home:
Appetizers: Wasabi Spread | Gyoza | Shrimp Rangoon
Sides: Fried Rice | Lo Mein | Baked Rice | Egg Roll Cups
Snacks: Asian Snack Mix | Asian Deviled Eggs
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: I like to use boneless chicken breasts, but you can also use chicken thighs.
- Bell peppers: Use a combination of green, red, yellow, and orange to make it colorful.
- Pineapple: Fresh is best when making this, but if you can’t find it use the large canned chunks. Just drain and add them in toward the end of the cooking.
- Soy sauce: Substitute for coconut aminos if you prefer.
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How To Make Sweet and Sour Chicken
- In a shallow bowl add your two eggs, whisk together and set aside. In a separate shallow bowl add your flour, salt, and white pepper. Combine and set aside.
- One by one, dredge each chicken piece in egg and then into the flour mixture. Do this until all pieces are fully coated and add to a plate.
- In a small bowl combine all sauce ingredients and set aside.
- In a large skillet add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add chicken pieces cooking for 2-3 minutes per side to get a brown crust. Make sure the chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink. Remove from the skillet to a paper towel lined plate.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet along with your onion, garlic, and bell peppers. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly soft. Add in the pineapple and sauce. Stir to combine and allow the sauce to thicken for about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken back in and stir to coat everything. Remove and serve with rice.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Storage
Store chicken separate from rice in airtight container in fridge up to 3 days. Reheat in skillet or microwave until warmed through.
The sauce can be made up to 24 hours ahead. Store in fridge until ready to use. The chicken and veggies are best cooked fresh before serving for optimal texture.
Variations
- Leave out the pineapple if you don’t like it.
- Use all one color bell pepper instead of three.
- Replace brown sugar with honey in the sauce.
- Add spinach or sprouts for more veggies!
- Use chicken thighs instead of breasts for juicier meat.
- Add cashews or sesame seeds for extra crunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work great because they stay extra juicy. Just cut into 1-inch pieces like the recipe says. You can also substitute shrimp!
Make sure oil is hot before adding chicken. Don’t overcrowd the pan or the chicken will “steam.” Cook it in batches if needed. Let chicken cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes per side to develop that brown crust.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Prepare the sauce up to 24 hours before and store in fridge until ready to use. Thin it with pineapple juice if it’s too thick.
- Cut chicken, peppers, and pineapple into similar 1-inch pieces for even cooking. Swap out canned pineapple chunks if you need to.
- Make sure oil is hot before adding chicken and don’t overcrowd pan (cook in batches if needed.)
- Serve over rice or noodles for the full takeout experience.
This sweet and sour chicken recipe is super easy to make and tastes better than take out! It’s much cheaper too:)
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken and Vegetables
- 1.5 lbs chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- ¾ cup flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large onion cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper diced into 1 inch pieces
- 1 yellow bell pepper diced into 1 inch pieces
- 1 green bell pepper diced into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup pineapple diced into 1 inch pieces
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- ¼ cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Make your sauce. In a small bowl combine all sauce ingredients and set aside.
- In a shallow bowl add your two eggs, whisk together and set aside.
- In a separate shallow bowl add your flour, salt, and white pepper. Combine and set aside.
- Dredge your chicken pieces in egg and then into the flour mixture. Do this until all pieces are fully coated and add to a plate.
- In a large skillet add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and heat over medium heat.
- Add chicken pieces cooking for 2-3 minutes per side, getting a brown crust. Do this in batches if you need to.
- Make sure the chicken is fully cooked and no longer pink. Remove from the skillet to a paper towel lined plate. Drain any fat.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet along with your onion, garlic, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and yellow bell pepper.
- Saute for 3-4 minutes until slightly soft.
- Add in your pineapple and sauce. Stir to combine and allow the sauce to thicken. About 5 minutes.
- Add back in your chicken and stir to combine.
- Serve on plates with rice and enjoy!
Notes
- Prepare the sauce up to 24 hours before and store in fridge until ready to use.
- Cut chicken, peppers, and pineapple into similar 1-inch pieces for even cooking.
- Make sure oil is hot before adding chicken and don’t overcrowd pan (cook in batches if needed.)
- Serve over rice or noodles for the full takeout experience.
Nutrition
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